The sounds of early summer fill the air, thanks to the birds. You feel a fly land on your left side. You nibble on grass and other edible plants. Walking slowly forward with your herd, your bodies all face the same direction. You observe your friends; the atmosphere is relaxed. No one is sounding any warnings of potential danger. You see widely, even into places where humans cannot see.
In the listening event the Hevosen silmin audio will be listened together, after which the Sokeiden kuunnelmaraati – the Blind Jury and the creators of the audio piece, Mia Takula and Ellen Virman will discuss about the work. The event is held in Finnish.
The audio piece Hevosen silmin (in Eng. Through the Eyes of a Horse) depicts how a horse experiences its environment, fellow species, and other animals – including humans. A horse is, in many ways, a different kind of animal compared to humans, yet it still lives in a human world. How well do we consider the needs of horses?
Horses share the same basic emotions as humans, and research shows that a horse can even interpret human emotions through images. The piece includes, for example, how a horse comforted the grieving para-equestrian Marja Mikola. Mikola also shares what it’s like to work with a horse while being visually impaired. Does a horse’s way of interacting with a visually impaired person differ from how other humans treat her?
Ethologist and equine researcher Verna Vilppula presents the latest research findings on horses’ experiences, senses, communication, and friendships. Did you know, for example, that horses see significantly fewer colours than humans?
The piece is interwoven with an effort to see things from the horse’s perspective. We hear various horse sounds, sounds that are part of a horse’s life, and music composed specifically for the piece. Hevosen silmin is the kind of work that even a horse would listen to and enjoy, based on the latest available research and experiential knowledge. However, there is one particular sound that horses do not find pleasant, even though it is a part of their everyday lives. Can you identify this sound in the piece? Why does this sound unpleasant for horses?
The piece consists of two parts: Equus Caballus and Kentauri.
Characters
Horses: Voltti, Vastaisku, Sisu, Heta, Juuso, Hippa, Fiina, Floris (Lauri), GK Sagittari, Aatu, Roosa, Wallu, and Masi
Humans: Marja Mikola and Verna Vilppula
As well as wild birds present by chance.
Creators
Script and Direction: Mia Takula and Ellen Virman
Journalist: Mia Takula
Sound Design and Composition: Ellen Virman
Photography: Mia Takula
Image: Katri Astala
Commissioned by: Baltic Circle
Thank you
All the people featured in the piece
Aira Melasniemi
Suvi Kettunen, Nybacka Dressage
Salli Saarela, Equestrian Federation of Finland
Terhi Kujala
Anna-Maria Vilkuna and Matti Harjuniemi
Johanna Perttunen
Moto the dog
Mia Takula (b. 1975) is a writer, documentarian, and journalist. She has worked in the arts and media fields for over 25 years. Takula’s main themes are the intrinsic value of animals, nature, the eco-crisis, and humanity. Despite these strong themes, Takula aims to encourage rather than blame. She sees the potential for change. Takula has worked on books, documentaries, TV series, hundreds of magazine articles, photography, and audio works. In September, her third book, The Survival Guide, addressing the eco-crisis and survival, was published. Her previous work, In the Land of Wolves, received the Pro Animalia award.
Ellen Virman works broadly in radio, performing arts, and music. Virman is interested in combining documentary and fantasy, as well as presenting social issues in an accessible form. The piece Animal Delusion – Animals Do Not Speak, created with Mia Takula, was Yle’s candidate for the Prix Europa competition in the category of Best Radio Documentary of 2023. In September, Virman’s sound-designed six-part audio series Taylor Swift (My Version), which explores the significance of the superstar to her fans, was released.
Sokeiden kuunnelmaraati jury annually listens to domestic premieres or first dramatisations broadcast on Yle radio channels and Yle Areena and selects the winner of the Blind Audio Drama Award from among them. The jury consists of blind and visually impaired individuals who are passionate about audio dramas and actively listen to them. The background organisation for the jury is the nationwide cultural association Näkövammaisten Kulttuuripalvelu (Cultural Services for the Visually Impaired).
The event is organized in collaboration with Näkövammaisten Kulttuuripalvelu and Näkövammaisten liitto (The Finnish Federation of the Visually Impaired).
Hevosen silmin is part of the international Radio that Matters project, which focuses on performing arts, radiophony, and acoustic inclusivity. The Creative Europe pilot project is a collaboration between Baltic Circle, Short Theatre Festival (IT), Festival Parallelen (FR), Errand Sound (DE), Radio Papessa (IT), and PAV (IT), and it builds partnerships between local radios, artists, and organizations promoting cultural diversity.