Just like everyone else, the Institute’s staff has also needed to find new ways to stay entertained while spending all day every day at home. Take a look at what we all do to take our minds off the outside world for a little while!

Ninni’s Choice: Elements of AI

For at least one year I have very seriously been just about to start doing the online course ‘The Elements of AI’ by the University of Helsinki and a Finnish tech company called Reaktor. The course is free of charge and doesn’t require skills in coding or maths. Over 370 000 people around the world have already completed the course. Now it’s the perfect time to make my long brewed plan a reality!
https://www.elementsofai.com

Sara’s choice: Find your inner Bob Ross – The Joy of Painting

Want to start painting but do not know where to start? In that case, I’d recommend painting along one of Bob Ross’ landscape painting sessions. Bob Ross was an American painter, art instructor, and the television host of the instructional painting TV show The Joy of Painting. The show was airing for 11 years on PBS during 1983–1994. My quarantine partner and I chose the episode called Sunset Aglow. The episodes are about 30 minutes and it took us around one hour to finish the painting. If you do not feel like painting, Bob is also a funny person to watch. Happy painting!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxcnsr1R5Ge_fbTu5ajt8DQ

Jaakko’s choice: Moving image works by Finnish artists

The Centre for Finnish Media Art, AV-arkki does an excellent job of distributing Finnish media and experimental audiovisual art. They have compiled an interesting list of moving image works by Finnish artists online. Corona tip: To imitate the atmosphere of a gallery opening during your home quarantine viewing marathon, do enjoy a glass of wine. Or perhaps a few.
https://www.av-arkki.fi/news/online-art-covid19/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=online-art-covid19&fbclid=IwAR2p-qrcdUcgmPDQ69FFRWxROVJcYwOwyTsAgCkKGwbubQBTVHx99W4_qQA

Annika’s choice: The Secret History of the Future

My morning strolls will be accompanied by this interesting and informative podcast called The Secret History of the Future. Journalists Tom Standage from The Economist and Seth Stevenson from Slate explore the inventions and events of the past, their connection to modern technology, and its future development. The episodes shed a light on artificial intelligence and virtual reality, just to mention a couple of themes.

More info: https://slate.com/podcasts/the-secret-history-of-the-future
Podcast available for example on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

Eeva’s choice: Private tour of the British Museum on Google Maps

I don’t think I would normally mention the British Museum if someone asked me if I had any exciting tips on how to spend one’s spare time. Don’t get me wrong, it’s an amazing museum! But hardly a fresh thing to add to anyone’s list. The reason why I’m bringing it up now seems quite special though. That is, Google Maps has made it possible to explore the museum virtually. The filming has mostly taken place outside of the museum’s opening hours, so you are able to explore the vast collections with literally no one else around. That surely is an experience normally reserved only for museum security guards. It is peaceful and cool and not just for history geeks, trust me! https://bit.ly/3asfF4k

Rosaliina’s choice: Amalia Ulman: Excellences & Perfections

Not all art is hung on the gallery wall. The Internet is full of digitalized artworks but it’s also a base for some original ones created for online platforms. Amalia Ulman’s performance Excellences & Perfections (2014) took place on her Instagram page. Scroll down to 19 April to see the scripted journey narrated through female stereotypes, motivational quotes and other clichés of the online world. https://www.instagram.com/amaliaulman/

Photo: Bob Ross painting by Sara Nguyen