Ángel Yōkai Atā (Angel spirit house)

The angel spirit house is a temple-like structure protecting a soft soundscape within. Fragile, 3D-printed beings are visible in the windows, reminiscent of spirits, game avatars or temple offerings. According to the artists, the piece serves as a portal, or sort of entrance, into an alternate reality, a world of imagined angels and spirits.

The piece Ángel Yōkai Atā was inspired by spiritual places such as Thai roadside temples and home altars, as well as the opportunity the internet offers to craft a brand-new identity. The name of the piece combines Spanish, English, Japanese and Téenek – the language of the native Huastec people of Mexico: ángel/angel in English/Spanish; the Japanese word yōkai, meaning spirit; and the Téenek word atā, meaning house.

Keiken encourage the public to visit the piece with an open mind and simply be, listen to their body, and, if they wish, repeat the following mantra: A spirit is not just a spiritual thing, it is everything and to be a student of the invisible is the practice of compassion. Omoiyari.

The artist collective Keiken was founded in 2015 by Tanya Cruz, Hana Omori and Isabel Ramos and is based in London and Berlin. The name Keiken means ‘experience’ in Japanese, and the collective creates imaginary worlds using film, games, installations, extended reality (XR), block chain technology and performances. Using various means of expression, the collective explores the nature of consciousness and how societal introjection governs how we feel, think and perceive.

The work belongs to the City of Helsinki’s art collection, which is managed and curated by HAM.