youth – Satu Miettinen

Let a Hundred Flowers Bloom: A Children’s Art Journey

The felted textile art piece "Let a Hundred Flowers Bloom," created through collaborative workshops with schoolchildren, was exhibited at Valo Gallery in Rovaniemi and previously at Vaasa Art Gallery. It promotes themes of tolerance and multiculturalism, allowing children to envision their unique flowers. The installation will also travel to Australia for further exhibition.

Arts-based research

Participatory Development: Art and Youth Engagement

The PARTY project focused on enhancing youth involvement in service development to combat unemployment in South Africa and Namibia from 2015 to 2019. It emphasized art-based methods for self-expression among the San youth, culminating in community workshops, poster creations addressing social issues, and performances that provided local solutions. Artistic and scientific outcomes emerged.

Arts-based research

Finding Wings: Storytelling Journeys Toward Empowerment

In 2016, the Wings to Fly workshop engaged youth in storytelling and textile art to explore personal histories, resilience, and empowerment. Through visual, verbal, and artistic expression, participants transformed experiences of loss, trauma, hope, and aspiration into a collaborative textile installation.

Exhibitions

My Dream World: Innovative Tools for Youth Inclusion

The My Dream World project engaged young people in Namibia and South Africa in creating services and visualizing their ideal environments through service design. It aimed to enhance inclusion and promote well-being by collaborating with various organizations and employing participatory tools. The project featured multiple exhibitions and published research papers.

Arts-based research

Storytelling as a Tool for Youth Empowerment

The Youth Empowerment installation, created during the 2014 Participatory Design Conference in Namibia, engaged youth in collaborative art to express their challenges and aspirations through storytelling. Led by Vikki du Preez and several universities, the project emphasized service design and empowerment, fostering dialogue on significant youth themes through creative installations.