RIP CURL PRO PENICHE 2012 - Supertubos

Gabriel Media (BRA) saying a prayer before going into the water.

Photographer getting ready.

Julian Wilson (AUS) doing it big.

Gabriel Media waiting for the results.

Rip Curl Pro Peniche 2012 winner: Julian Wilson

Ice hockey meets contemporary art: Making of Karri Rämö's mask

When thinking of an ice hockey goalkeeper’s helmet, colorful team logos with flames and tigers come to mind. They are usually painted with air-brush for cool blending and finer details. Creating a custom-fit mask using rough brushes, spray cans and oil paint would feel a bit out of place? Well, that's exactly what KHL goalie Karri Rämö asked painter Roy Hopiavuori to do. ”My friend has a couple of Hopiavuori’s hanging on his walls and I've always liked them a lot.” says Rämö.

”I think it was February this year when I got a new mask from the factory and had no idea how to illustrate it. When I played in Tampa I had this Nightmare Before Christmas-theme going and my current one has the team colors (Avangard Omsk) on it. I wanted something new and got this silly idea to ask Hopiavuori to paint it! Roy works with this kind-of-a-street-art style, rough stencils and bad-ass details. I thought the result would kick ass in a unique way compared to other guys’ masks.”

With no idea what to expect, Rämö gave Hopiavuori full artistic freedom. ”Yeah, I was a bit nervous but in a good way”, Rämö laughs. After the commision, the painter disappeared and didn’t answer his phone for weeks. Just a few days before the World Championship tournament in Helsinki, Rämö got the call. ”Hey, your mask is ready. Want to meet somewhere?” The artist had come out of his cave to meet that night at a rock bar in the heart of Helsinki.

”The music was loud. They were playing Ministry and other love songs. I couldn’t hear much of what Roy was saying. Taking the mask out of the box I only caught the words ‘hardest’, ‘Ostrobothnia’ and ‘balls’. That was about it. I mean, I am a hockey player. How do you respond to something like that?” Later, Hopiavuori disappeared somewhere into the night. Rämö walked home and went to sleep.

“It was only the next day when I really saw it. First you might think what a bizarre piece of work it is - but once you stare at it a while, the details just start popping out. I think you could take a chainsaw, split the piece in two and there would still be something new you didn’t see the first, or second time.” Rämö analyzes.

”All in all, I’m really happy about the outcome. I haven’t actually decided yet, whether I’m going to wear it on ice or put it up on the wall - maybe wait for the artist’s death in order to gain value to the artwork”, he smiles.

Hopiavuori & Rämö

 

Herrasmies Heinonen

Herrasmies Heinonen and Timi Lexikon shooting a music video for Heinonen's upcoming album at Sound Engine's studio with director Joonas Laaksoharju.

Viru Hotel KGB Museum

KGB Museum in Viru Hotel in Tallinn is a splendid place to visit. Just few rooms to walk around but the stories are unbelieveable. Our tour guide Marie had worked in the hotel herself during the years when KGB was present, meaning right from the beginning when the hotel first opened it's doors for guests in 1972 until 1991 when KGB personnels quietly walked out the front door. Of course, before the grand opening KGB spent two weeks "preparing" the hotel rooms and their own secret wiretapping room in 23. floor which officially didn't even exist.