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The Finns are In: Finnish Comics, and the Moomins, celebrated at the Lakes International Comic Art Festival

Continuing to promote the very best of comics from around the world, the Lakes International Comic Art Festival is delighted to confirm the return of top Finnish creators Johanna Rojola and Petteri Tikkanen to this year’s event in October in Kendal.

In fact, the Festival is so pleased they are creating a Finnish Village at Kendal College to celebrate the very best of all things Nordic, including the Moomins, over the weekend long event.

The Moomins also look set to take over many of the town’s shop windows as part of this year’s Windows Trail, many of the displays created by local schoolchildren, some working with comic creators from around Britain.

Grab your towel and immerse yourself in all things Finnish as LICAF showcase the best of current Finnish comics; pay homage via commissions, exhibitions and films to the life and work of internationally-renowned artist Tove Jansson (creator of the Moomins) and provide a taster of the ultimate Finnish experience the wood-fired sauna.

The equivalent of Britian’s Comics Laureate in Finland, Johanna Rojola is one of the country’s leading comic artists and featured as part of our 2017 celebration of art and comic art in Finland.

A comic art rock star in Finland in every sense Petteri Tikkanen is a universe all of his own. Gorgeous drawings, great narratives and his transformation into alter ego Black Peider – and make him irresistible..

Along with opportunities to meet both of the visiting comic artists, Kendal will host three exhibitions; Tales from a Nordic Archipelago, a documentary photographic exhibition on the life of Tove Jansson, creator of the world-famous Moomins, at Kendal Museum; Archipelagogo, a newly commissioned multi-media exhibition by Jonathan Edwards and Felt Mistress with soundtrack by Andy Votel to celebrate the work of Tove Jansson, at the Wildman Gallery; and Finnish Comics Now: an exhibition of digital prints of new Finnish Comics, organised by the Finnish Comics Society in the Wildman Performance Space.

“We were delighted by the reception our Finnish guests had last year and we’re thrilled to continue our relationship this year” says Festival Director Julie Tait.

Petteri, also known as YouTube phenomenon Black Peider, is delighted to be returning to Kendal this year.

The place was nice and the feeling of the festival was cozy, he enthuses. Festivals like this make me feel that I am part of something bigger. I am not alone in the world with my little books!

Read a new interview with Petteri Tikkanen about creating comics on the Festival web

The Finnish Village is brought to LICAF 2017 in partnership with the Finnish Institute and the Finnish Comics Society, Compass Live Art and Arts Council England and is sponsored by Moomin

The full programme of events is now live on the Festival web site, along with details about its new Weekend Pass.
Buy your tickets for the fifth Lakes International Comic Art Festival here

For all events information visit the Lakes International Comic Art Festival web site: www.comicartfestival.com | Find the Lakes International Comic Art Festival on Facebook | Follow the Festival on Twitter @comicartfest

Lakes International Comic Art Festival Guest Spotlight: Johanna Rojola

The equivalent of our Comics Laureate in Finland, Johanna is one of Finland’s leading comic artists and featured as part of our 2017 celebration of art and comic art in Finland.

Johanna Rojola (born 1970 in BorÃs, Sweden) is a comic book artist, and graduated from Angouleme art school in 1995. Alongside producing her own graphic novels, her cartoons have been published in various magazines and collections.

In addition to drawing, Johanna has produced and organised many exhibitions, workshops, seminars and festivals.

JOHANNA ROJOLA ONLINE

Web: feministinensarjakuva.sarjakuvablogit.com
Twitter: @rrroju
Facebook
Instagram

Lakes International Comic Art Festival Guest Spotlight: Petteri Tikkanen

A comic art rockstar in Finland in every sense Petteri is a universe all of his own! Gorgeous drawings, great narratives and his transformation into alter ego Black Peider makes him irresistible we think!

Petteri Tikkanen (born 1975) is a Finnish comic artist from the small town of Iisalmi. He started out working in fanzines in the mid 1990s. Early works were mainly based around horror and humour.

By the turn of the century he focused on semi-autobiographical stories about Kanerva (Heather) and Eero (Eric). Albums based on Eero are a classic boy’s growing-up story.

Sometimes Petteri performs as a Lucha Libre character Black Peider on stage. This character also appears in Petteri’s body of work loosely exploring masculinity and music. Petteri also works as an illustrator and teaches illustration.

PETTERI TIKKANEN ONLINE

Web: www.petteritikkanen.com
Facebook

Finnish Comic Exhibitions

Tales from a Nordic Archipelago: a documentary photographic exhibition on the life of Tove Jansson
Opens Tuesday 3rd October and runs until Thursday 2nd November 2017 at Kendal Museum

During the Festival the exhibition is open on Saturday 14th October from 9.00am – 5.00pm and on Sunday 15th October from 10.00am – 4.00pm. Admission free to festival passholders | £2 entrance for non-passholders Outside the Festival the exhibition is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9.30am – 5.00pm. £2 museum entrance

Archipelagogo
Opens Tuesday 3rd October and runs until Saturday 4th November at The Wildman Gallery

A newly commissioned multi-media exhibition by Jonathan Edwards & Felt Mistress with soundtrack by Andy Votel to celebrate the work of Tove Jansson

During the Festival the exhibition is open on Saturday 14th October from 9.00am – 5.00pm and on Sunday 15th October from 10.00am – 4.00pm. Admission free to festival passholders | £2 entrance for non-passholders Outside the Festival the exhibition is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 9.30am – 5.00pm. Free

Finnish Comics Now: an exhibition of digital prints of new Finnish Comics

Organised by the Finnish Comics Society, offer a glimpse of the colourful, strange and surreal visions of Finnish comic artists

Open on Saturday 14th October from 9.00am – 5.00pm and on Sunday 15th October, from 10.00am – 4.00pm, The Wildman Performance Space. Admission free for all

Film and Documentaries at BOX

A rolling programme includes

Momminland Tales: the Life of Tove Jansson (Dir: Eleanor Yule 2016);

The Moomin Boom (Dir: Nina Pulkkis 2014)

A full length Moomins animation.

Screenings from Friday 13th October 1.00 – 5.00pm | Saturday 14th 9.00am – 5.00pm | Sunday 15th 10.00am – 4.00pm

Finnish Sauna!

A proper Finnish Sauna (in a converted horsebox) with a pop-up cae!

Guest artists will animate the sauna with short performances, whilst at other times you can relax (escape!) in the sauna’s warm and fragrant, wood-fired aromas.

The WARMTH Sauna was created in 2016 by artist Bethany Wells and has already travelled to a number of UK festivals. The sauna and a pop-up cafe will be sited beside the BOX (with use of toilets and showers provided in the BOX).

The WARMTH mobile sauna has a nominal entry fee of £2 per person. (Under 12 need to be accompanied by an adult ). Don’t forget to bring a towel!
Sauna and Cafe will be open 9.00am – 5.00pm on Saturday 14th and 10.00am – 4.00pm on Sunday 15the

Access during the festival to the Finnish Village is free for passholders. For non-passholders there is a £2 entrance fee for the Sauna and to the exhibitions in the Museum and the Wildman Gallery and a suggested donation of £2 for the film programme.

The Finnish Village is brought to LICAF 2017 in partnership with the Finnish Institute and the Finnish Comics Society, Compass Live Art and Arts Council England and is sponsored by Moomin.

The Festival’s web site offers full ticket sales, guest and Festival information plus more Festival news. Bookmark it now: www.comicartfestival.com

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