Things are slowly falling into place.
In 2024/25 I had a year-long project in cooperation with my partner Jan Philip Scheibe who is also an artist in Vörå (Vöyri) Finland (for more information see our project account:
https://pixelfed.social/PRESERVED_ScheibeundGuentzel).

We went several times to Finland and each time we were up there we tried to stop at the stationary flee markets and second hand shops (loppis/kirppis) as much as we could. The main thing I was looking for was second-hand crockery that had some kind of connection to the North or the Arctic in its design. I managed to find some very interesting stuff which we now brought up here. Today I finally unpacked everything to see if it will be enough for the dinner we are planning. With some improvisation I think we will be fine. It is already decided that we will invite between 10-12 people since that's what the kitchen and the size of the space allow for.

Yesterday the landscape was covered in fog which now froze on the trees.

[I am currently an artist in residence at Ricklundgården in Saxnäs, Sweden where I will create a conceptual meal ("Arctic Meal") together with the local chef Jonathan Johansson representing how much the North is affected by the climate crisis].

#art #conceptualart #contemporaryart #kunst #konzeptkunst #zeitgenössischekunst #artitsinresidence #artistresidency #ricklundgarden #saxnäs #västerbotten #sweden #schweden #design #winter #norden #north #arktis #arctis #climatecrisis #climatechange #klimakrise #klimawandel #arcticmeal #jonathanjohansson #schnee #snow #conceptualdinner #fog #nebel #finland #finnland #vöra #vöyri #österbotten #finnishdesign #iittala

Our project in Finland is now officially over.
We wish you all a wonderful and peaceful December!

The Christmas tree motif depicts the structural formula of xylose, a sugar that forms a major component of dietary fibre in rye.

[The card is part of our project PRESERVED // Rågens rike / Finland 2024–25, the project explores the role of rye as a crop with identity-creating significance for Finland, particularly in Ostrobothnia, a region often referred to as the Realm of Rye. The project was hosted by Abramsgården in Vörå (Vöyri), Finland.]

#art #conceptualart #contemporaryart #rye #grainfarming #ragensrike #vöra #vöyri #finland #finnland #österbotten #ostrobothnia #christmas #Weihnachten #Dezember #december #scheibeundgüntzel #preserved

Art meets Finnish grainfarming or It takes a village to plant a rye field.
The Grand Finale (Part 2): Beer at the fire (burning the hut).

On the very last day of our project we gathered the people from the village to collectively burn the hut construction we had built as a place to meet on the rye field. The autumn storms had already knocked over one wall and now the old beams and other parts were piled up and then burned down while we all drank Finnish beer (#Sahti) made of our own rye. (The beer had been brewed by the Westphalian experimental beer brewer Ludger Schweer who has helped us in many previous projects).

Almost exactly 3 years ago we visited #Abramsgården for the first time. That visit was followed by several research stays and in August 2024 the field had been sown. And since then we returned regularly to perform, cook, bake and learn. We can´t thank the village enough, especially Per Johan Grannas and his wife Annika Grannas from #GrannasLandbruk - our farming consultant and the biggest support we could have wished for - for the tremendous backing during all the stages of the project, Sanna and Tommy Antill for the tractor, the help, the tools and for being such great neighbours, Abbe Berglund for his great harrowing job. All the other neighbours and villagers for teaching us so much about the Ostrobothnian culture and rye and especially for the participation in the project itself and our performances. We thank our hosts Dorothee Schulte-Basta and Peter Lüttge for the great trust they have placed in us. It was a wild ride!

The wood that has not burned will be used next year at the same spot for the Easter fire. Then the whole village will come together again.

LE FIN!


With the support of:
#Finnland-Institut
#Finnlines
#Vöråsparbankaktiastiftelse #harryschaumanstiftelse

#art #participartoryart #preserved #contemporaryart #finland #beer #ostrobothnia #rye #grainfarming #sahti #andkil #vöra #vöyri #scheibeundgüntzel #finnland #österbotten

Art meets Finnish grainfarming or It takes a village to plant a rye field.
The Grand Finale (Part 1): Beer and bread in the bystugan.

We are back. For the last time in this project. To bring everything to a closure. We invited the village to the bystugan (building where the village meets regularly). We baked bread together with Pelle in the old bread oven, which was reactivated last year. The oven had to be preheated for three days.
The dough was prepared with our rye flour. And we served beer which was brewed for us by experimental brewer Ludger Schweer. He has already accompanied us in many projects. He made IPA and Sahti. Made from our rye flakes. It was a wonderful evening with beer, bread, friends and stories.

[PRESERVED // Rågens rike / Finland 2024-25 deals with the question of the identity-creating significance of rye for Finland - especially in the region of Vörå, resp. Ostrobothnia - and how this relationship can be reflected artistically ("Rågens rike" means "Kingdom of Rye" and describes this very region - Finlands granary) The project is hosted by Abramsgården in Vörå (Vöyri) in the Swedish speaking part of Finland, a cultural center in the countryside run by Dorothee Schulte-Basta and Peter Lüttge. Scheibe & Güntzel = Jan Philip Scheibe and Swaantje Güntzel].

Fotos: Scheibe & Güntzel

With the support of:
Finnland-Institut
Mikko Fritze
Finnlines

#Vöråsparbankaktiastiftelse #harryschaumanstiftelse #grannaslantbruk
#perjohangrannas #tommyantill #abbeberglund

#rye #preserved #grainfarming #finland #vöra #vöyri #abramsgarden #bystugan #bread #ryeflour #baking #village #finnlines #finnlandinstitut #beer #beerbreweing #ipa #sahti #ludgerschweer #andkil #scheibeundgüntzel #mikkofritze #harvest #ostrobothnia

We made it to Abramsgården.
And it started to snow.
Will now prepare all the upcoming events.
Stay tuned.

#winter #finland #abramsgarden #vöra #vöyri #night #preserved #scheibeundgüntzel

It's on again.
We are on our way to Finland for the last chapter of our project PRESERVED // Rågens rike / Finland 2024/25. After one year of learning about rye, sowing rye, watching it grow, and harvesting it we will now come to a closure. Rolling into Helsinki. From there we will head towards Vörå. Stay tuned, more to come soon.

#art #paricipartoryart #rye #finland #ostrobothnia #vörå #abramsgården #vöyri #grainfarming #finnlines #helsinki

The autumn storms were faster than us (cat edition).

The autumn storms were faster than us. Now the hut has collapsed. We hoped it would last a little longer. At least until we were back again. But in the end, it doesn't matter. In November, we will build a fire. With the wood from the hut. To close the project, together with the village. We will drink beer brewed from the rye grown in our field. And then it will all be over. But until then, there's still a lot to do.

[PRESERVED // Rågens rike / Finland 2024-25 deals with the question of the identity-creating significance of rye for Finland - especially in the region of Vörå, resp. Ostrobothnia - and how this relationship can be reflected artistically ("Rågens rike" means "Kingdom of Rye" and describes this very region - Finlands granary) The project is hosted by Abramsgården in Vörå (Vöyri) in the Swedish speaking part of Finland, a cultural center in the countryside run by Dorothee Schulte-Basta and Peter Lüttge. Scheibe & Güntzel = Jan Philip Scheibe and Swaantje Güntzel].

Fotos: Dorothee Schulte-Basta

With the support of:
Finnland-Institut in Deutschland für Kultur, Wissenschaft und Wirtschaft GmbH
Mikko Fritze
Finnlines

#preserved #ragensrike #art #participartoryart #finland #finnland #vöra #vöyri #storm #herbststurm #hut #hütte #catsofpixelfed #cats #kunstprojekt #abramsgarden #roggen #rye #granary #roggenfeld #ryefield #holzhütte #Vöråsparbankaktiastiftelse #harryschaumanstiftelse #grannaslantbruk #perjohangrannas #tommyantill #abbeberglund #finlandinstitut #finnlines #mikkofritze #österbotten #ostrobothnia

Website finally out!
Our project is now represented on the website of our host Abramsgården in Vörå (Vöyri) Finland!

Check it out: https://www.abrams.fi/projekt/preserved/

If you want to be part of the grand finale of the project join us in November:

November 19th, 2025, 7-8.30 p.m. ARTIST TALK (Abramsgården)
November 22nd, 2025, 6-8 p.m. BYN BAKAR (Andkil byastuga på Torrkulla)
November 23rd, 2025, ATT BRÄNNA (Abramsgården/Plaza del Råg)


[PRESERVED // Rågens rike / Finland 2024-25 deals with the question of the identity-creating significance of rye for Finland - especially in the region of Vörå, resp. Ostrobothnia - and how this relationship can be reflected artistically ("Rågens rike" means "Kingdom of Rye" and describes this very region - Finlands granary) The project is hosted by Abramsgården in Vörå (Vöyri) in the Swedish speaking part of Finland, a cultural center in the countryside run by Dorothee Schulte-Basta and Peter Lüttge. Scheibe & Güntzel = Jan Philip Scheibe and Swaantje Güntzel].

With the support of:
Finnland-Institut Berlin
Mikko Fritze
Finnlines

#Vöråsparbankaktiastiftelse #harryschaumanstiftelse #grannaslantbruk
#perjohangrannas #tommyantill #abbeberglund

#art #participartoryart #contemporaryart #rye #grainfarming #vörå #vöyri #finnland #finland #österbotten #ostrobothnia #roggen #granary #baking #finissage #preserved #abramsgården #harvest #performanceart #andkil #winter #bread #backen #artisttalk #scheibeundgüntzel #grandfinale #rågensrike #plazadelråg #finnlines

From now on, autumn will settle over our field.

The fields have been harvested. We have ground the first grain, baked with it, made offerings to the grain spirit and appeased it. Now autumn is settling over the land. And we are taking rye flakes to brewers, flour to bakers and continue to think about what to do with the remaining 500 kg of rye that was harvested.

We will return once more in November. For the last time in this project, which has now been running for over a year. Then, together with the village, without which none of this would have been possible, we will consume what the field has given us all.

[PRESERVED // Rågens rike / Finland 2024-25 deals with the question of the identity-creating significance of rye for Finland - especially in the region of Vörå, resp. Ostrobothnia - and how this relationship can be reflected artistically ("Rågens rike" means "Kingdom of Rye" and describes this very region - Finlands granary) The project is hosted by Abramsgården in Vörå (Vöyri) in the Swedish speaking part of Finland, a cultural center in the countryside run by Dorothee Schulte-Basta and Peter Lüttge. Scheibe & Güntzel = Jan Philip Scheibe and Swaantje Güntzel].

Drone image: Scheibe & Güntzel

With the support of:
Finnland-Institut Berlin
Mikko Fritze
Finnlines

#Vöråsparbankaktiastiftelse #harryschaumanstiftelse #grannaslantbruk
#perjohangrannas #tommyantill #abbeberglund

#rye #grainfarming #finland #harvest #participartoryart #finnlines #finnlandinstitut #finnland #österbotten #ostrobothnia #partizipativekunst #autumn #herbst #abramsgarden #ragensrike #preserved #scheibeundgüntzel #nebel #fog #summerisover #grainspirit #cornspirit #drone #vöry #vöyri

Art meets Finnish grainfarming or It takes a village to plant a rye field.
Finnish-Rhenish crossover (part 3 of a bread trilogy).

The third part of our Rye Bread Trilogy turned to the “Onjeschwedde” – a harvest bread from our host Peter’s hometown of Mönchengladbach.

Its name means “not sweated” – once baked with freshly milled rye, still rich with its own moisture. Made from half rye sourdough and half wheat yeast dough, blended with currants and gentle spices, it carries the taste of the Rhineland harvest tradition. For this baking, our own super freshly milled (by #grannaslantbruk) flour from Iivo found its place in the loaves. This time Peter himself baked four breads – adding his own roots to the trilogy, and binding the fields of Vörå to the memory of his place.

The name Onjeschwedde (ungeschwitzt) refers to the fact that the bread is baked with flour made from freshly harvested rye. The flour is then moister than when it is ground from stored grain, which has already lost most of its moisture. It is therefore usually baked in late summer after the harvest and is only available for a period of five to six weeks. Typical toppings for Onjeschwedde are liver sausage, apple puree, sugar beet syrup, cheese or just butter. (Wikipedia)

With the support of:
Finnland-Institut Berlin, Mikko Fritze, Finnlines
#Vöråsparbankaktiastiftelse #harryschaumanstiftelse #grannaslantbruk
#perjohangrannas #tommyantill #abbeberglund

#art #participartorayart #preserved #rye #harvest #baking #onjeschwedde #rheinland #rhineland #finnland #finland #österbotten #ostrobothnia #finnlines #finlandinstitut #abramsgarden #ernte #sauerteig #sourdough #vöra #vöyri #backen #grainfarming #mehl #ryeflour #roggenmehl