Asetelmaa

Asetelmaa is the partitive singular form of the Finnish noun asetelma, meaning arrangement, setup, or tableau. It refers to a specific arrangement of elements in a scene, composition in visual arts, or a planned scenario in a narrative or discussion. The term is common in art, photography, theatre, and literature when describing how objects, people, light, and space are organized to convey meaning or mood.

Etymology: Asetelmaa comes from asetelma with the partitive suffix -a, yielding asetelmaa, used when the arrangement is viewed as a portion or object of discussion. Grammatically it functions as a noun in the partitive case.

Usage: In practical terms asetelmaa appears in sentences such as "Taiteilija loi asetelmaa näyttelyä varten" or "Asetelmaa voidaan säätää paremman valaistuksen saavuttamiseksi." It can refer to tangible setups, such as a still-life arrangement or stage scenery, as well as abstract or strategic configurations, like a proposed narrative frame or political scenario. The word can be used for both concrete and figurative meanings.

See also: asetelma, asettelu, kompositio.