2000. The year we’d all been waiting for. Everything was supposed to change. Flying cars, an end to world hunger, peace and unity for all humankind. Future. The artist was 16 years old. Everything looked bright and anything was possible.

It’s been 22 years. Humanity is on the brink of extinction along with most other species. The nuclear threat is still there, as is world hunger. Fascist regimes are on the rise. The artist has grown cynical. Where did our Future go? Or rather: who stole it?

’Future lost’ is the story behind the latter part of the pseudonym. It’s nostalgic and bewildered. Confusion will be my epitaph, sang King Crimson. At the same time, it reminds us of the hope we felt back then. Without hope, there is no will to change the world. And the world most certainly needs to be changed, fast. Therefore, we need to get political.  

Cultural studies is an academic field that examines the complex links between culture and power relations. It doesn’t see culture as fixed, but rather a process, constantly evolving and interacting with its surroundings. Using some of the methods of cultural studies, our purpose is to seek cracks in this capitalist and patriarchal glass bowl surrounding us. Then, we only need to act together to widen those cracks and let the rays of hope in.

Sounds do not have a fixed meaning. A sound that one finds soothing may seem annoying or scary to others. Culture is always subjective. Therefore, the second objective of this project is to increase connections, discussion and understanding. After all, we need to collaborate to accomplish our plan for worldwide change, too. This reminder of subjectivity is also present in the pseudonym. The artist has absolutely no clue about the pronunciation of ’2000’ in most languages. Which is also comforting. Still so much more to see and to learn!

The first part of the pseudonym? Lauri is just a typical Finnish name.