Birch-Bark Suit
Created by Finnish artist Erkki Pekkarinen. There's not a lot of info to be found about him in English on the Internet. But Finland's Contemporary Folk Art Museum offers some:
Pekkarinen has bent bark to make both the largest birch bark shoes in the world (2.7 metres) and the smallest (3.8 millimetres). He is, however, best known for his all-bark ”forest-folk national costume”, which became the emblem of the 2001 ITE exhibition at Meilahti Art Museum in Helsinki. Pekkarinen has given his unfeigned performance in the same suit at many an ITE exhibition opening, wearing bark shoes, bark Stetson and carrying a bark briefcase. He always brings along a collection of smaller bark shoes in a tiny portable showcase.
His giant birch-bark shoes
Comments
His outfit would come in handy if I needed kindling to start a campfire! I would start with the had and then the briefcase. The photo with the man holding the briefcase reminded me of The Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz.
agent j
agent j
Posted by agent j on 06/04/19 at 09:49 AM
Isn't that Jed Clampett ?
Posted by Virtual in Carnate on 06/04/19 at 09:55 AM
So instead of worrying about moths, he has to combat termites in his closet?
Posted by Phideaux on 06/04/19 at 10:28 AM
Gammelgarden Museum in Scandia, MN has items made of birch bark by Scandinavian immigrants.
Posted by Alicia on 06/04/19 at 03:18 PM
@Virtual - Definitely Jed Clampett, that was my first impression, too.
Posted by Fritz on 06/05/19 at 06:11 AM
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Category: Art | Fashion