Memories of a former industrial site come to life in a new exhibition in Palosaari

The exhibition Net of Memory, Remains of Time is based on memories and interviews collected from the local community. It will be open over four consecutive weekends in the premises of the former Rahkola metal factory. The exhibition opens on Friday 23 October, with the opening event beginning at 17.00.

In recent years, Valentina Gelain and Bekim Hasaj have been exploring the layers of time, memory, and place through abandoned buildings. Created for the former Rahkola factory site, the exhibition continues this work by connecting their artistic research with the district’s history, transformation, and the lived experiences of local people.

The exhibition is rooted in memories and stories gathered from the area itself. The material was collected during the spring and summer through open reminiscence sessions and via ‘memory boxes’ placed in Vaasa’s libraries. The collected material forms the basis of the artworks, bringing the district’s history to the fore before it undergoes further change.

Installations, poetry, and sound pieces set within the former metal factory create a multi-sensory experience where past and present meet. The sound works were created in collaboration with Stefan Backas, while the poems are performed by Melinda Maris. A work bearing the same title as the exhibition will later be installed in the area as a temporary public art installation.

Memories create a multi-sensory art experience

Rahkola was once home to metal industry operations, while the Saippuanranta area housed a soap factory. Industrial activity in the area came to an end in the 1980s, and today the site stands on the threshold of another transformation.

– The exhibition highlights the history and significance of the area before it undergoes further change, while giving the memories we have collected a new life through art, says Ilkka Nyqvist, Cultural Producer with the City of Vaasa’s Culture and Library Services.

Opening hours

The exhibition opens on Friday 23 October from 17 to 19 at the former Rahkola metal factory, located at Salmikatu 2. Admission to the exhibition is free.

The exhibition is open:

• Sat–Sun 24–25 October, 11–16
• Sat–Sun 31 October–1 November, 11–16
• Sat–Sun 7–8 November, 11–16
• Sat–Sun 14–15 November, 11–16

The project has received funding from the City of Vaasa, The South Ostrobothnia Regional Fund and The Gröndahl Brothers Foundation. Partners in the project include YIT Oyj, Vaasa Museums, Vaasa Maritime Museum, Vaasa Museum of Labour, Allmoge Byggnadsvård, Granösund Museum and members of the local community.