Last week I unexpectedly received an invitation to the opening of an exhibition of photographs by Atelieri O. Haapala in the Finnish Museum of Photography. I was astonished at the crowds, but it turned out there were four exhibitions being opened, not just one: The Water Researcher's Daughter by Susanna Majuri, Mindscapes by Antero Takala, Ermitazhniki by Lucia Ganaeva, and finally - but closest to the entrance - the Atelieri O. Haapala project by Saara Salmi and Marco Melander. All were interresting, but I must confess my favourite was the Antero Takala retrospective with its exquisite tones of black and white.

 514 by Atelieri O. Haapala.

The invitation was the result of my having contributed to the project by being photographed in the Night of the Arts last August by Frau Haapala's faithful assistant Helmut.

The stylish Onyxei Haapala, a.k.a. Saara Salmi, used to be a co-worker, and I was most eager to have my picture taken when she advertised the opportunity before leaving her job last summer.

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The picture I call 'A Skivvy's Evening Off''  was also shown on the walls among hundreds of others.

At the vernissage I also met a couple of acquaintances and did some celebrity spotting: Peter von Bagh, who was there to give the opening speech, Kalle Holmberg, Anto Leikola, Pertti Roisko, Kari Peitsamo, and Juha Pentikäinen (who didn't recognize me, and anyhow, maybe doesn't count as a celebrity).

P.S. The slide show was fun.