Who is Neris?
Neris is a dog, an 8 year old, medium sized shepard adopted from Romania living in Finland. She's also a pioneer in stick art. Here you can read all about her artistic practice via interview with her human Kiia Beilinson, and enjoy portraits of Neris by Eva-Liisa Orupõld.
How did Neris' journey as an artist begin?
The collecting started at a young age, quite intuitively, a stick at a time. She started to deliberately choose the best stick to pick up on our walks and would not put them down before we were at the home entrance. They were often quite large in size and would cause stares, smiles and admiration in passerbys. I started to compile them and displaying them properly, so that more dogs and people could enjoy her work.
I dare to assume she is on the spectrum in the sense that her senses are quite sensitive and she gets overwhelmed easily in social situations or new settings. It feels like the sticks could be kind of pacifying tools for her – when she carries a stick, she is on a mission and nothing seems to bother her anymore.
What materials and techniques does Neris use? How does the process go?
Neris clearly draws her inspiration from nature. She uses natural materials, sticks fallen on the ground or extracted from fallen trees.
The process is pretty straightforward: she finds a stick of her preference, collects it and brings it home. Sometimes she would choose a stick too heavy for her to carry. She would still try, and she's quite determined.
I try not to intervene in the creative process and let her do her thing. Annually we will take her collections at home and in her grandparents house and put them in display in two separate Stick Galleries.
Where does her creativity come from?
Hard to say, but I think the mundane routine of daily walks in an ever-changing stick landscape can be exhilarating!
Are there any themes or messages we can find from Stick Galleries?
Perhaps that there is beauty all around us – in sniffing, in collecting, in sticks, in the nature, in us.
How Neris´ art can impact society or bring change?
I would say her art is grounding and brings the focus back to the things around us. It's very concrete and meditative to experience the process as well as the collections. I think her practice also shows us determination, consistency and confidence – that seemingly small or mundane acts can bring about something impressive.
Neris recently collaborated with another artist, Landys Roimola. Tell us about the work? What makes a good creative collaboration?
Visual artist Landys Roimola reached out to Neris when she received a commission to create Stickelius Monument, a version of a famous sculpture Sibelius Monument, but made of sticks. The work was commissioned as part of a sightseeing tour for dogs by the city of Helsinki, to celebrate the furry tourists coming to town for an international dog show. In her sculptures, Roimola works mostly on disposed or found materials, and the moment she got the commission it was clear to her she needs to contact the pioneer of stick art, Neris. The Stickelius Monument included a bit more than years worth of sticks collected by Neris, all in all 395 of them.
Good creative collab emerges in supportive atmosphere, where each individuals strengths get met and result in something that would not have been done alone. Also regular snack breaks, scratches and treats help.
What can we learn from Neris´ art?
That nature is precious, and even the dead, decomposing parts of it hold great beauty, value and life in them.
Any last woofs?
We hope all doggos have the possibility to wander, sniff and express themselves in what ever ways they find of interest.
Also, adopt don't shop!
Stick Galleries in Kannelmäki (near dog park) and Espoo Matinkylä are now open.