Dividual Individual discusses racial biology and the research and educational work that the Florin Committee – currently Folkhälsan i Finland – carried out in the Swedish speaking regions in Finland. In 1914, the entire population of Malax was examined, and athropological skull measurements were taken of all people aged 25-40. These measurements sought to identify what fraction of the population belonged to the long-skulled Germanic or Nordic race and to the short- skulled races such as the Finnish and East Baltic peoples. It is probable that the artist’s great grandparents were subjected to the measurements.
The installation’s video footage mainly consists of portrait archives in both Finland ans Sweden. Butterflies accentuate the installation, and for a reason: Finlands first professor of genetics, Harry Federley, who was also an avid supporter of eugenics, and a world-renowned zoologist and lepidopterist. The 5-channel HD-installation had its premiere in Vasa, Finland at Kuntsi Museum of Modern Art 5.5.2017. in the exhibition Dreams, Ghosts and was on show until 3.9.2017. It was also shown in Sinne gallery in Helsinki 2018, and as a two channel version at Turku Art Museum during November 2017 to January 2018.
The piece has a voice over in Swedish but has an option of subtitles in Finnish/ English.