Peter Doroshenko (USA):
Roi Vaara is a major European and international artist working in both performance and art happenings. Possessing an uncanny ability to elicit debate, Roi Vaara’s art touches the exposed nerve endings of a society with conspicuous dysfunctions and asks such elemental questions as: Are these works profound? Do they merit thoughtful consideration or can they be dismissed with a fast and easy response? Are the works really personal? What do they mean? At first glance, Vaara’s art appears to be well packaged events. But his rhetoric has an underhanded virtuosity, capable of producing unexpected effects with a bit of black humour tossed in discreetly to prevent the final ensemble. There is no one who deserves this award more at this time than Roi Vaara.
Peter Doroshenko (USA), Director for Institute of Visual Arts, Milwaukee; Contemporary Arts Museum, Houston; Everson Museum of Art, Syracuse (2005)