The Underground Forest
The Underground Forest
Image: Polina Choni
Original title: The Underground Forest
Title in Finnish: Maanalainen Metsä
Genre: 3D animation
Duration: 10 min
Director: Polina Choni
Phase: Research
Producer:
Jaana Denisova,
Tuuli Penttinen-Lampisuo
The Underground Forest grows from the Ukrainian steppe. The project rethinks the role of nature in the modern world and reflects on the historical influence of imperial structures on natural resources, ecosystems, and our knowledge about them.
The Underground Forest consists of a 3D animation work directed and created by artist Polina Choni, and an Impact Programme coordinated by producer Jaana Denisova.
Polina Choni is a visual artist exploring themes of ecology, sustainability, and the environmental impact of war. Working with natural materials such as plant-based dyes, bioplastics made from starch and flowers, and organic fibers, she creates installations, textiles, and sensory-based works that address the destruction of ecosystemsand cultural memory.
Jaana Denisova is a culture producer and coordinator. Her experience spans a diverse range of projects including exhibitions, Artist Talks, workshops, and participatory events. She is co-founder of Tampere-based Culture Cooperative TIcAS and the first producer selected for the Poike Productio’s Producer Incubator Programme.
Image: visualisation created by Polina Choni with the help of AI. The image gives a glimpse of what the contents of the 3D animation can look like but does not represent the final work.