Kiinteistö Oy Kaapelitalo (KAAPELI), which operates the cultural centres of Cable Factory, Suvilahti and N10, has selected the duo Alias & Niles from among the applicants to the open portfolio call. The Helsinki-based graffiti artists have been painting together for 15 years. Alias & Niles convinced the selection committee with their strong and skilful approach and their deep understanding of the tradition of graffiti. Their work focuses on the fundamental premise of graffiti, letters and their visual language. Their pieces combine the defining strengths of graffiti: compelling colour combinations, experimental forms and a fresh expression. Alias & Niles’s works represent graffiti at its most recognisable, yet are distinctly original. In addition to painterly skill, their work also demonstrates sensitivity to the surrounding environment.

Highlighting graffiti lettering

The duo’s concept for the Cable Factory is a work themed around deconstructing the anatomy of graffiti lettering; a piece that progresses as a timeline from the readable to the abstract. The aim is to reveal, piece by piece to those moving through the space, what the term graffiti encompasses, without losing its connection to its original essence.

– It is inspiring to have the opportunity to create a work in this kind of gallery environment for the first time, Alias & Niles say. – We find it important to highlight expression based on the visual language of graffiti lettering. At present, the atmosphere surrounding graffiti is more accepting than ever, but it is often appreciated only in its more representational forms, which from our perspective leaves the core of the art form in the shadows. We hope the work offers new perspectives both to those familiar with the genre and to those encountering it for the first time.

– Alias & Niles are an excellent fit for the profile of our new gallery. We expect their work to bring our basement lobby to life and to make an impact on its visitors. We also hope it will generate broader interest in graffiti art and attract new audiences to Cable Factory, says KAAPELI’s managing director Kai Huotari.

The Cable Factory graffiti gallery will open in the publicly accessible basement lobby of staircase C. The gallery will be established as a permanent part of the cultural centre’s activities, with the aim of providing a professional exhibition platform for graffiti artists, increasing the appreciation of graffiti art in Finland and offering visitors more open and continuously renewing art content.

The first work in the graffiti gallery will be on display for one year, after which the gallery will be renewed annually through an open call.

More information: Kai Huotari, Managing director, KAAPELI (Kiinteistö Oy Kaapelitalo), kai.huotari(at)kaapeli.com, tel. +358 50 384 1557 Photo: Alias & Niles, Kotka 2024