Rebekka and the National Costume

“One symbol of Finnishness in our minds is still a golden haired, traditionally costumed maiden. Rebekka’s dark skin is not part of this image. Or can Rebekka and the national dress become one? The starting point of this work has been my personal experience as a mother of a child that looks different from the majority of people. My question is: What does skin colour, hair and how we dress up reveal or hide of our identity. And do we still define a Finnish person the same way people did in the beginning of the 20th century? My aim is to create new positive images that have to do with being different and to question the idea of difference. Aren’t we all just ordinary in our own environment?”