The Squirrel's Nest is a podcast aimed at harvesting critical perspectives in Aalto University by developing conversations around contemporary life, and the ways knowledge and practice are built today and for the future. The dialogues, conducted by master’s students and held in Ariel Bustamante’s Conversation Room in Otaniemi, a sound sculpture, propose a channel for self-reflexivity of Finnish academia within a larger context of debate. They tap into stories and projects happening in Otaniemi, the potential unraveled by academic and artistic work, and the puzzling dilemmas that come with them.
Disseminating undertakings by researchers, artists and educators, these conversations bring about reflections connected to art, science, design, technology, and the main forces governing our contemporary reality. They follow through with Bustamante’s core question “Why do we do the things we do?” The podcast ventures to deeply listen to people’s insights and their unique ways of searching for answers.
The Squirrel’s Nest / Oravan Pesä podcast series was developed by curator and educator María Villa. Series 1 was produced for the Arts & Creative Practices initiative (2018), and series 2 was developed as part of the course 'UWAS Project: Why Do We Do The Things We Do?' (2022) as part of the final semester of UWAS (University-Wide Art Studies). The podcast site and production was published with the support of Aalto Studios.
The Squirrel Nest (Oravan Pesä, in Finnish) is a podcast aimed at harvesting critical perspectives in Aalto University by developing conversations around contemporary life, and the ways knowledge and practice are built today and for the future.
With multiple spaces across the Otaniemi campus and partnership projects each year, there are always dynamic exhibitions activities taking place at Aalto. Whether you are organising, researching or visiting exhibitions, this hub provides the key information, news and resources you will need.
UWAS offers all Aalto students an opportunity to explore art-based practices and processes beyond disciplinary boundaries.
Aalto Artist-in-Residence Ariel Bustamante is known for breaking the boundaries of traditional sound art.
