Ateneum - Silent Beauty

Kyllikki Salmenhaara, vase 1959

Silent Beauty Exhibition at Ateneum was a wonderful, immersive experience. The works were skillfully grouped in different halls and the combination of paintings, kimonos and ceramics had been carefully considered. After seeing the ceramics on display at the exhibition, I have a better understanding of what Minna Eväsoja and Beth Kempton said about wabi-sabi. It is true that 20th century Nordic and East Asian artists had many common sources of inspiration. I'm currently reading a Japanese book Shinrin-Yoku, The Art and Science of Forest Bathing by Qing Li - thank you for the tip Diane! I have not previously realised that in Japan there are so many forests and they are 'forest people' as we Finns. Nordic art is characterized by its silent contemplation and connection to nature. The same can be found in Japanese art. Beautiful and enchanting exhibition, well worth a visit.

The artists featured in the exhibition include Heidi Blomstedt, Shoji Hamada, Erkki Heikkilä, Rune Jansson, Aimo Kanerva, Carl Kylberg, Maija and Ahti Lavonen, Bernard Leach, Ufan Lee, Ulla Rantanen, Kyllikki Salmenhaara, Key Sato, Helene Schjerfbeck, Jaakko Sievänen, Per Stenius, Zao Wou-Ki and Samiro Yunoki. 

"Nordic and East Asian art share the idea of everyday beauty and a connection with nature. The exhibition juxtaposes visual art, ceramics, textile art and architecture by Finnish, Swedish, Japanese, Korean and Chinese artists." - Ateneum

Yoshitaka Yanagi, kimono 1977

This is a treasure that I have not seen photographed anywhere!

Helene Schjerfbeck, Trees in Wind 1918, private collection

❤︎

Bowl, Takea-Karatsu -ceramics, late 1700 - 1900

Haori, 1800s

Kimmo Kaivanto

 Zao Wou-Ki, Painting 1959

Shōji Hamada, Bowl 1956

Anitra Lucander, Stilleben 1954

Einar Ilmoni, Island 1910-1911

Key Sato, Birth of Stones 1958

Red art grouped in one hall. The text on the wall told the Japanese see
almost 10 different shades of red. Red symbolizes courage, joy, energy and blessings,
but also madness, stress and danger. In many cultures the sun is described as yellow,
but in Japan and Korea it is depicted in red.

I do not have information of all art works, it is worth visiting for yourself
and exploring this charming exhibition - if you happen to come to Helsinki.
Beautiful presentation and great works soothe the mind.

// WILLY-NILLY  
// LITTLE THINGS THURSDAY
// ALL SEASONS 
// MOSAIC MONDAY
// IMAGE-IN-ING

Strolling Along the Local River

I love to stroll along the banks of this Kerava river. Late July most wild flowers 

were on their way to withering, but I spotted a good variety of them.

The air was sweet of the fragrance of Filipendula ulmaria, turning brown...
The colouring was yellowish, August-like...

... Tanacetum vulgare ...

... some Calamagrostis ...

... Matricaria chamomilla ...

... Centaurea jacea, some Solidago ...

... a lot of Chamaenerion angustifolium ...

... Cirsium heterophyllum ...

I'm so greatful and happy that I can walk again. Last year in July
I used wheel chair after my bad ankle fracture. It took 10 months until
I could walk properly. The ankle has cured well, only going downstairs the stairs
the ankle is stiff and causes a bit trouble. But I don't complain!

// WANDERING CAMERA
// NATUR-DONNERSTAG 
// LITTLE THINGS THURSDAY

// THANKFUL THURSDAY

Sightseeing: Careless Capital

SURUTON KAUPUNKI - CARELESS CAPITAL at Hakasalmi Villa!

The beautiful setting, a former home of Aurora Karamzin in the center of Helsinki

was a great choice for this fantastic exhibition telling us about 1920s Helsinki

- characterized by prohibition, jazz and a whisper of short skirts & hair. 

It seems that the new decade put the whole city into turmoil. The Civil War was over and the fashions & news from the great world inevitably arrived to Finland, too. There was a prohibition in the country, but booze never ended. The recipe yielded cognac, whiskey and wines from the pharmacy and smuggling flourished; the restaurants served hard tea. In the exhibition you could listen to the drunken and boisterous crowds, and you could also see from the photo enlargements that the modern 20th century Helsinki jazz girl celebrated and drank in the same way as a man. All this was contrary to the restrained Christian values ​​of the late 19th century.

The rhythm of life was intense, people wanted to experience and live; money and spending became important. Music, theater and movies changed the whole entertainment scene. Dance restaurants appeared like mushrooms in the rain, as did dance schools. Charleston, shimmy, tango - young men and women conquered the city and had fun like it was the end of the world. Older people were worried about women getting drunk & smoking. Concerns about moral decline were not exaggerated as crime turned upward and prostitutes had plenty of customers. The lawmaker responded to the changed circumstances: premarital sex was removed from the criminal law in 1926, but if the other party was married, it was still a punishable offense. The Marriage Act of 1929 abolished the husband's status as representative of  his wife and declared the spouses legally equal.

Photo: Hakasalmi Villa

There were old records at hand and the public could choose what to listen!

Jazz came to Finland in the early 1920s via Berlin cabaret music, which gave it a Germanic,
slightly march-like flavour. Max Kuttner recorded this comic and risqué song in 1925:

Ich hab’ das Fräulein Helen baden sehn! - I have seen Miss Helen bathing!

I just loved the exhibition! Have also read Mikko-Olavi Seppälä’s book
with the same title - Suruton kaupunki - Careless Capital.

// WILLY-NILLY

// LITTLE THINGS THURSDAY

// MOSAIC MONDAY

// IMAGE-IN-ING

Taidehalli - Susanne Gottberg

The summer exhibition of Taidehalli The Third Factor includes 

Susanne Gottberg's (b. 1964) stunning glass studies and glazes on plywood, 

as well as this impressive installation At the Same Time Elsewhere 

created together with sculptor Markus Kåhre (b. 1969).

The installation consists of large sized plexiglas paintings hanging from the ceiling. Both sides have been painted describing everyday situations and looked at from a bit different standpoint or a moment later. This installation was very impressive, and the scenes or views of big-sized works (300 x 200 cm) were dreamy. In the dark hall when I passed through these surrealist characters the feeling was unreal or nightmarish. You can think that scenes are flashes from a city, perhaps from Helsinki; simultaneous scenes occur indefinitely. The child is swinging, the mother is waiting at the door, someone is run over by a car ... The idea and implementation of this installation was awesome.

This sympathetic room just called to step inside. The door was invitingly open.

Together 2019 & Together Later in 2019

In her paintings with restrained colour scheme Gottberg focuses on glass studies. Most of us recognize these cheap pressed glasses. Glass has inspired Gottberg to look at shine and reflections. In paintings the glass is alone or one inside the other, washed upside down in big piles ... The backgrounds are restrained, sometimes the glasses have a marimekko-like reflection. The exhibition also featured some objects on plywood boards, where the faults of the wood were perfectly visible.

Gottberg was awarded the Finnish Art Association Ducat Prize in 1991 
and she was elected Young Artist of the Year in 1994.

// WILLY-NILLY
// LITTLE THINGS THURSDAY
// MOSAIC MONDAY 
// IMAGE-IN-ING