Two men wearing black suits and ties are hiking in the middle of Finland’s best-known landscape. They are Harri Piispanen and Aleksi Jaakkola, Kansallisromantikot (the National Romantics). According to our own definition, we carry out performative explorations. The method of these artistic endeavors is several days of hiking in the forest wearing suits.

We went to Koli in the North Karelia Region to find out what it is made of. What makes a national landscape? What does it look, feel, smell, or taste like? Can it be productized? Is it OK to laugh at it? And above all, to whom does it actually belong?

The National Romantics have now completed their first exploration. We hiked in Koli for four days in black suits amidst mosquitoes, rain, and tourists. During our time there we collected plant specimens to formulate our depiction of the iconic Finnish treasure. The outcome is “The Essence of Koli,” a concentrate of the national landscape. It is an extract, a luxurious elixir, and a miracle tincture—or simply snake oil.

With all the ingredients extracted after the exploration, we held a tasting ceremony at Angakoq III Performance Festival. During this event, we mixed “The Essence” on the spot taking turns adding ingredients one by one. First, each audience member was offered a cup of hot water. Then, a single drop of “The Essence” was added with a pipette. At this point no one was told what they actually had in their cups. As a backdrop for the performance, we looped a video projection of us singing a traditional lullaby inside the boulder cave Pirun kirkko (Devil’s Church). To conclude the ceremony we served a drop of “Essence” to each other, raised our cups and asked the audience to drink with us.