Visual artist Tuuli Mukka made a public update about Katariina Souri, in which she describes Souri as a lost part of “genuine light pornographic culture”.
Visual artist from Rovaniemi Wind Mukka published an update related to Katariina Souri in the X message service. The update consists of an image and written text dedicated to Souri.
– I made a genuine piece of pop art for you, Kata. It’s a tribute to you and the original playboy culture and bunny ears. I can’t imagine that I would see you in a Helsinki cafe as a visual artist, but as a lost part of genuine light pornographic culture, Mukka writes in X.
Mukka has attached pictures of Souri to the picture from the times when he has appeared in Playboy magazine.
Souri created for the Lux Helsinki art exhibition Bottom Touch – piece that has been in the news headlines for several weeks already. The Sámi-themed act and Souri were accused, among other things, of cultural appropriation.
With Mylläkä, the exhibition of the entire work at the Lux Helsinki light art event was at stake. However, the work was exhibited at Lux Helsinki, but with attention to the content.
Souri commented
Iltalehti reached out to Souri to comment on Muka’s update.
– Muka’s publication visually brings out what I feel I encounter more covertly in the attitudes of cultural circles even today. 35 years have passed, but it hasn’t changed terribly, Souri tells Iltalehte.
This is what Souri’s work at the Lux Helsinki event looked like. Antti Nikkanen
Souri says he hasn’t talked about the update with Muka.
– I have nothing to talk about with Muka, that is inferior, Souri says.
– When we talk about empowering women through open sexuality, how does this work? 35 years has not been enough for this to have turned into empowerment for me. Even women attack each other and this affects my career as an artist even today, Souri sums up.
Mukka commented
Iltalehti also reached out to Muka to comment on his update.
– In his art, Souri has appealed to the artist’s freedom and that his works are a tribute to the Sámi people. The representatives of the Sámi assemblies have expressed that Souri’s work is a stereotypical image of the Sámi. I know that too, since I live in Lapland in Rovaniemi, Mukka commented to Iltalehte.
Mukka justifies his update with the freedom of art.
– The purpose of the update was to show that if you want to appeal to an artist’s freedom, so can many others. Souri is a public figure and has become public with Playboy photos. It can be used as social criticism or criticism of women’s issues, Mukka continues.
Mukka later made an X update in which he apologized for the picture.
– I apologized to Sour and said in another update that I know it’s childish, mean and naive. I fully admit that it was offensive to the person, but the update has nothing to do with sexism, as Souri claimed. My update was just a counter-bet to Souri and the artist’s freedom, Mukka adds.
– There shouldn’t be any defamation here, because Souri is a public figure, Mukka concludes.
Katariina Souri thinks that Muka’s update is inferior. Jenni Gästgivar