Huddersfield Art Gallery 26 September 2015 – 9 January 2016

Home , Moomins, Snufkin, Viktor Jansson

26 September 2015 Huddersfield – 9 January 2016 Art Gallery ICA

Tove Jansson: Tales from Educator’s the Nordic Archipelago Resource Pack 2

Contents

About this pack ...... 3

About Huddersfield Art Gallery ...... 4

Huddersfield Art Gallery Exhibitions ...... 4

About the ICA ...... 5

Introduction to Tove Jansson: Tales from the Nordic Archipelago . . . . . 7

Discussion Points ...... 8

Activities ...... 12

Learning ...... 17

Information ...... 20 3

About this Pack

This resource pack has been developed to support teaching and learning both at the ICA and as part of the Reading Room Tour . It offers starting points and ideas for visiting educators to use with students . It was developed with GCSE and A-Level students in mind but is well suited for work with other age groups . Activities and discussion points are suggested and one of the key learning objectives is for students to develop their skills in aesthetic understanding and critical judgement . Students will be guided towards an analysis and exploration of how the artworks in Tove Jansson: Tales from the Nordic Archipelago reflect the social and cultural contexts in which they were made . Suggested activities are offered for use in the gallery and offsite .

Please note

We will tailor programmes to respond to curriculum Contact learning@ica org. uk. for more information or to needs whenever possible . Please contact us add your contact to our learning mailing list . to make arrangements and check the website for upcoming Learning Events .

Located in Huddersfield’s town centre, the art gallery About the Huddersfield houses an extensive collection of paintings, drawings and sculptures by internationally renowned artists such Art Gallery as Francis Bacon, LS Lowry and Henry Moore alongside work by significant local artists . Throughout the year it presents a programme of exhibitions, giving visitors the opportunity to view work by a range of young and established artists . A wide variety of events and activities for all ages are organised to encourage visitors to be inspired and creative .

Perspectives: Aspects of the Kirklees Collection Huddersfield This is the opportunity to see the very best art from Kirklees Collection, to feel inspired by it and enthused to Art Gallery Exhibitions explore more art and culture or learn new creative skills .

Gallery 6: Yorkshire Makers Permanent Collection The ever changing Gallery 6 at Huddersfield Art Gallery promotes a variety of great Yorkshire craft & design, with displays of unique handcrafted jewellery, prints, textiles and ceramics all by Yorkshire makers . All artwork featured in the exhibition is for sale .

Tom Wood: A Retrospective 30 May – 29 August 2015 One of Yorkshire’s best known artists . Tom Wood (born 1955) has been a professional artist and educator since 1979, having graduated from Sheffield School of Art in the previous year . This exhibition celebrates his sixtieth birthday and includes, in some cases for the first time in public, examples of work from all periods of his career selected by the artist himself, including work straight from the studio and a group of self-portraits . 5

The ICA supports radical art and culture . Through About the ICA a vibrant programme of exhibitions, films, events and talks, the ICA challenges perceived notions and stimulates debate, experimentation, creativity and exchange with visitors . Founded in 1946 by a group of artists including Roland Penrose, Peter Watson and Herbert Read, the ICA continues to support living artists in showing and exploring their work, often as it emerges and before others . The ICA has been at the forefront of cultural experimentation since its formation and has presented important debut solo shows by artists including Damien Hirst, Steve McQueen, Richard Prince and Luc Tuymans . More recently Pablo Bronstein, Lis Rhodes, Bjarne Melgaard and Juergen Teller have all staged key solo exhibitions, whilst a new generation of artists, including Luke Fowler, Lucky PDF, Hannah Sawtell and Factory Floor have taken part in exhibitions and residencies . The ICA was one of the first venues to present The Clash and The Smiths, as well as bands such as Throbbing Gristle . The inaugural ICA / LUX Biennial of Moving Images was launched in 2012, and the ICA Cinema continues to screen rare artists’ film, support independent releases and partner with leading film festivals . 6

To coincide with the 100th anniversary of the birth of An Introduction to Tove Jansson (1914 – 2001), this display at The Potteries Museum and Art Gallery, Stoke-on-Trent presents Tove Jansson: Tales from original unseen photographs and material relating to her life and work, illustrated books and early first editions . the Nordic Archipelago Tove Jansson’s (1914 – 2001) life was just as exciting as her most famous characters, the Moomins . Her multifaceted artistic career as a writer, visual artist and cartoonist spanned more than seventy years – and she was loved the world over . Bold, fearless and pioneering, Tove believed in not compromising on her art . Jansson grew up in an artist’s family . Her father was the sculptor Viktor Jansson and her mother the Swedish artist Signe Hammarsten . Their home was filled with sculptures and drawings . The family had three children: Lars, Tove and Per Olov . Per Olov became a photographer and Lars a Moomin drawer .Her father Viktor once said: “Our Tove will be a great artist one day . Really great!” From the start of the 1920s onwards, Tove Jansson spent her summers in the Pellinki archipelago . She wrote and drew, chopped wood, sculpted, built dens, and thought about things . “Work and Love” was her most important motto, which she also had inscribed on the Ex-Libris bookplates she drew as a girl (1947) . Work and dreams took the young Tove Jansson to art schools in Stockholm and Helsinki, and on study trips to Germany and Paris . She painted landscapes, still lifes and portraits, and in doing so found her own mode of expression . It was on the drawing board that the first little Moomintrolls appeared, their life in Moominvalley developing into books, comic strips, plays, and later also animated films . Apart from the lovable Moomin family, her characters include Little My, Snufkin, Sniff, and that master of taunts and mischief, Stinky . It soon became clear that there was a demand for the Moomins outside of Finland, including in England . Painting now took a back seat . Tove Jansson signed her first long-term contract with London’sEvening News in 1952 . The first Moomin comic strip appeared in the Evening News in September 1954 . By this stage, several translations of Jansson’s books had already appeared in English (Finn Family Moomintroll 1950, The Happy Moomins 1951, Comet in Moominland 1951) . The strip was published six days a week . She became an international star who was sought after everywhere . At its most prolific the strip appeared in some 120 daily papers in different parts of the world . Fame also had its other side . Business correspondence ate up time and energy . Rights to the Moomin figures were very much in demand, especially in the United States . Jansson, nevertheless, kept the reins in her own hands and chose her business partners carefully . For example, she politely declined an offer from Walt Disney . A counterbalance to Jansson’s work-filled life was found in the beloved landscape of her childhood, in the archipelago . “Surprisingly many people dream of an 7

island,” she wrote in 1961 . She read D . H .Lawrence’s short story The Man Who Loved Islands, and considered being an islander a way of life . Memories of childhood family excursions in the Pellinki archipelago reinforced the idea that Tove, too, wanted her very own island and acquired Klovharu . At her side was her life partner, the artist Tuulikki Pietilä . She often called Klovharu an “angry island” – it was barren, windy, and the firewood and fresh water crucial for existence had to be brought from the mainland . On stormy nights, they had to take turns guarding the boat, so that it would not head out to the open sea . Despite its harsh environment the island was much loved . They built a cottage and Tove Jansson and Tuulikki Pietilä’s hiding place became a much loved spot to visit for all their friends and relatives – including gatecrashers! Occasionally, there were too many visitors, and it was impossible to do any work . At such times, Tove fled to be among the rocks . She rolled and carried rocks to build stone benches and a stone shelter . She wrote about the rocks and painted them . This calmed her down . ‘I love rock: the cliff that descends vertically to the sea and the high rock that you can’t climb, and the flint in my pocket, levering rocks out of the ground and rolling them out of the way, and when I let the biggest boulders bowl down from the high rock into the sea! When they rumble on their way, they leave a pungent smell of sulphur in the air ’. Tove Jansson and Tuulikki Pietilä wrote about and drew their island experiences for a book, Haru, eräs saari (Haru – an island), 1996 . The island and the closeness of the sea were also a powerful living presence in Tove Jansson’s literary production . Along with examples of Tove’s work, this exhibition features photographs taken throughout her life by fashion photographer C-G Hagström and Tove’s brother Per Olov Jansson . Hagström and Jansson had not only a working relationship but were close friends and Tove shared stories of her childhood with him as he photographed her . Per Olov was a writer and Per Olov Jansson photographer whose subjects included landscapes and underwater shipwrecks . He and Tove worked together to photograph her works and studio, producing a book entitled A Strange Visitor in the Moomin House in 1980 . The display is curated by Susanna Pettersson, Director, and Animaya Grant, Head of Events at the Finnish Institute in London, with the ICA . 8

Discussion Points

1 → What different types of objects did you see? What is your favourite object in the exhibition, and what do you like about it? What words might you use to describe it?

2 → If you were making a similar exhibition about a close family member, what objects and photographs would you include? How would you organise the objects in the room in an exciting way?

3 → Some of the photographs were taken by Tove’s brother, Per Olov, and some by another photographer, Carl Gustaf Hagstrom . Are there differences between their photographs? Why do you think that might be?

4 → Look at the photographs taken by Per Olov, Tove’s brother . How do you think Tove Jansson felt about the landscape she lived in? 9

5 → Tove speaks about going to work among the rocks on the island because it was calming . Why is it important for artists to have place to work? Do you have a place you like to go to in order to work, read, draw or think?

6 → Look at the illustrated books and first editions . Are there similarities between the photographs of Jansson’s life and the stories and characters she invented? If you had to create a group of characters, who would they be based on and what would their personalities be like?

7 → Watch some clips of the Moomins on Youtube . Do the live animations feel different to the characters from the books and comic strips, and if so, how? Do they match how you imagined the Moomin family to move and sound?

8 → Moomin character Little My was often misunderstood and spent much time alone . What activities do you like to do when you’re alone? 10

Activities

Create

The Moomins are characters created by Tove Jansson, and each Moomin has their own personality . For instance Moomintroll is good-natured and adventurous, while his girlfriend Snork Maiden is loving and excitable, and changes colour as her mood changes . Create a character of your own either by drawing them or by writing a detailed description . How would you show their personality in their appearance?

Design

Using an empty photograph album or a scrapbook, try and describe your life, the life of a close friend, or a family member . Choose what you would like to put in the album such as photographs, letters and cards . Then choose how you would like to organise these in the album . What would you like to tell the viewer about this person?

Write

Look at the island in the photographs . Write a postcard to a friend or family member, pretending you are on holiday there . What do you think you would do on the Island? How would you describe the scenery and the weather? Would you like it there? Draw an illustration on the front of the postcard .

Poetry

As a group, pick an activity such as walking in the forest, being at home, going exploring or having a picnic . Everyone should write one line about one of these activities . With your teacher, put all the lines together to create a poem, and change the order around to create a few different poems . Bring the poem back to the classroom and create a piece of art which depicts your favourite version of the poem . 11

Photograph

The Nordic landscape features heavily in the photographs displayed . Consider which part of the landscape is more present . Photograph your local landscape and try to highlight your favourite parts of the landscape .

Draw

Tove Jansson appreciated the small things in life like ‘lying on a bridge and watching the water flow past ’. Find something (a small detail) in the room that stimulates your imagination, write what it is and draw a picture of it .

Explore

‘Gathering is peculiar, because you see nothing but what you are looking for, if you’re picking raspberries, you see only what’s red’ . Think about this quote and in a team of three pick one colour, then see how many items you can find in the room that match that colour . Each person then picks a different colour, and sees who can find the most items of that colour .

Think

‘I just want to live in peace, plant potatoes and dream’ said Moomintroll . Think up a perfect day, an adventure and make your own quote: ‘I just want to live in . . . plant . . . . and . . .’ . 12

Installation at the ICA, 2014. Photos by Mark Blower. 13

The Huddersfield Art Gallery runs inspiring and Huddersfield Art Gallery encouraging workshops for students at key stages 1 and 2, including “Exploring Art in the Gallery” and “Art Learning and Identity”, as well as Artist – led workshops which are adapted to any key stage . The Gallery works closely with professional artists specialising in a diverse range of art forms . Sessions encourage debate and discussion about art, teach artistic techniques, and offer young people the opportunity to explore new creative processes . Self-guided visits and short talks area also available to schools . Talks can be a general introduction to the gallery or they can focus on a specific theme or exhibition . For further information please email info galleries@kirklees. gov. uk.

Film Screening Touring Programme 29 Oct, 2pm Film Screening of Moomins and Midsummer Madness Learning Events (2008)

Illustration workshop Led by Rachel Taylor 7 Nov, 12 – 3pm A new insight into illustration through making light boxes . To collectively create illustrative works that culminates all visual and stylistic elements found in Tove Jansson’s work .

Designing Artist Books Led by Elina Rantasuo 26 & 27 Nov Participants will learn about ways of designing and producing their own artist books, with the work to be displayed at the library . 14

Huddersfield Art Gallery Opening Hours Huddersfield Art Gallery Monday – Friday, 10am – 5pm Saturday: 10am – 4pm Information Sunday: Closed

Admission Free

Shop Monday-Friday, 10am – 5pm Saturday: 10am – 4pm Sunday: Closed . Day Membership £1 Wednesday – Sunday, 11am – 6pm Until 9pm on Thursdays

(@KirkleesMuseums) 15 16

ICA Learning ICA Opening Hours ica org. uk/learning. Tuesday—Sunday, 11am—11pm learning@ica org. uk. Day Membership £1 Educators’ Previews Wednesday—Sunday, 11am-6pm Join our teacher’s previews for all of our exhibitions Until 9pm on Thursdays

Educator Resource Packs Exhibitions Educator resource packs are available at the ICA Box Tuesday—Sunday, 11am—6pm Office, or by emailing learning@ica org. uk. Open late every Thursday until 9pm

Art Rules ICA Box Office & Bookshop Art Rules is an online space to discuss the rules of art Tuesday—Sunday, 11am—9pm today . Engage your students by visiting: artrules ica. org. uk. ICA Café Bar Food served from 11 .30—3 .30pm / 5 .30—9pm MA in the Contemporary Find out more about our unique, interdisciplinary Tuesday Cinema MA programme, in partnership with University of Kent . All films, all day: £3 for ICA Members / £6 non-Members ica org. uk/ma-contemporary. Sign Up to our Newsletters Cinema Matinee Screenings ica org. uk/signup. Cinema group matinees are available for schools, colleges and universities . Follow us ica org. uk/learning/school-and-groupscreenings.

ICA Student Forum Join the ICA Student Forum to shape and develop a public programme of events in response to the ICA Cover Image: programme . Tove Jansson and Island Living, 1930s . ica org. uk/student-forum. 1930s Institute of Contemporary Arts London (ICA) Photo: C G. . Hagström . University Partnerships Through our University partnerships we engage and Resource pack developed by Rita Cottone promote greater collaborative opportunities between and Rania Elgarf university students, teaching staff and the ICA’s public programme . ica org. uk/university-partnerships.