How should you act in an art museum (or in the world in general)? Why is art so odd? And what if you just don’t get it?
Lumi and Niki, 14-years-old and BFFs, are off to Helsinki. The main purpose of the trip is, of course, to get out of “Fartville” — but also Lumi’s cousin’s artwork, which has been chosen (!!!) for a big art museum exhibition. The only thing is, Lumi’s cousin hasn’t told them what the artwork looks like.
The art museum isn’t quite what Niki and Lumi had imagined. What is Alfa the Jock from school doing there? What happens if you take a nap in the museum? Will Lumi and Niki ever find Lumi’s cousin’s artwork among all the apocalyptic horses and peculiar performances?
Breathe – You know is a comic book about what the adult world of museums looks like through a young person’s eyes. But, above everything else, it’s a story about how important it is to share your excitements, disappointments, anxieties, and — of course — chips with your best friend.
The authors, Melanie Orenius and Laura Porola, are art educators at Amos Rex art museum. Ulla Donner’s illustrations bring to life encounters between museum staff and visitors which have been inspired by real life events.
Breathe – You know is Amos Rex’s first museum publication aimed at young people. The book is intended for 12-year-olds and above and can be utilized in school art education. Teachers, with the OAJ card, receive a 15 % discount on the book in the museum shop. Buy the book now!
Melanie Orenius and Laura Porola
The authors
Melanie Orenius and Laura Porola are art educators with a long history of museum pedagogy and contemporary art. Currently, Orenius and Porola are part of the Public Programmes team at the Amos Rex art museum, serving as Curator of Education and Curator of Public Programmes, and design content for museum visitors of different ages. Through their work, they have had the opportunity to observe and engage in conversations with the public about the joys and challenges of encountering art, as well as the expectations and hopes for art museums.
Ulla Donner
The illustrator
Ulla Donner is an illustrator and comic artist. She studied graphic design at Aalto University and was awarded the Sarjakuva-Finlandia (Comic Book prize) in the spring of 2020 for her work Sontaa. Donner has previously collaborated with Amos Rex as an illustrator, and one of the projects won the Hopeahuippu prize at Vuoden Huiput in 2022.
