2013, 180:00 minutes
In Arla Sauna there are two saunas, which are usually segregated by gender. During the performances, they are mixed.
In each sauna a bouquet of dried vihta sit in a vase. Vihta are birch boughs used in the Finnish sauna tradition to gently beat against the skin.
I take one vihta from the vase and gently soak it in a pail of water. I take a pair of scissors and cut a length of twine from a spool. I tie the vihta to my body. I slowly pour the pail of water over the vihta. I exit the sauna carrying the pail and refill it with water. I slowly walk through the shower room, locker room, staircase, locker room and shower room to the other sauna. As I walk, sing Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide” slow enough so that it takes the time from leaving one sauna to arriving at the other to complete one line. It takes the entire duration of the piece to complete the song. I walk from one sauna to the other, repeating the procedure of soaking and tying the vihta to my body, until they are no more left, then one by one I cut the twine tying each one to my body and pass them to someone in the sauna. The piece ends once I have run out of vihta.
LÖYLYÖ LÖYLYÖ
Arla Sauna
Helsinki, Finland
21-22 November, 2013
