Alrsumi, Parkkinen, Suomi: Alkumaisema

A group of three artists will bring their exhibition Alkumaisema (primeval landscape) with the theme of natural materials to the Stoa gallery. The exhibition will feature paintings, photographs and sculptures.

Anne-Mari Alrsum, Henna Parkkinen and Piia Suomi are a group of artists exploring their subject through the use of materials from nature. Their works are made from plants, fabrics dyed with vegetable dye and ceramics.

Anne-Mari Alrsumi
“I am a visual artist living and working in Helsinki. My works are created as a reaction to sensory experiences of the world around me. They bring an image to my mind, which I then work on through the material. Personal matter, intimate interaction and dealing with difficult emotions is a natural starting point in my work.

I am also a materialist, so the material often acts as an inspirational journey in the process of creating the work and becomes part of the object of study.
The use of clay and plants has brought in different aspects of temporality and made me reflect on the life cycle of the work. As a theme in my work, nature represents a kind of apocalyptic interpretation and refers to the tragedy of the depletion of natural growth, in addition to being the material that is processed.”

https://www.annemarialrsumi.com/
https://www.instagram.com/annemari.johanna
@annemarijohanna

Henna Parkkinen
“I am a designer and textile artisan. I am currently working on textile sculptures and photography. What fascinates me is the end result, which is not always entirely clear. I am also attracted by the grounding emotional state of making things and the experimentation and reflection that happens while working.

The core of my practice is to work with used materials to keep them in circulation in keeping with the principles of the circular economy. I want to minimise the waste generated by my work. I dye fabrics using avocado skins and seeds and onion and citrus peels. I’m fascinated by work that takes time: dyeing itself is an artistic process. In photography, the practice is experimental and random. I mainly shoot on film and record things that happen in life. I don’t want to influence the subject, I want to capture the subject as authentically as possible. I have combined dried plants with the photographs in the exhibition. “

https://cargocollective.com/hennaparkkinen
https://www.instagram.com/hennaparkkinen
@hennaparkkinen

Piia Suomi
“I am a visual artist and painter based in Helsinki. I paint landscapes and semi-abstract subjects using earth pigments. The theme of nature appears in my works as an attempt to sketch an untouched primeval landscape that has not been shaped by humans. In the midst of destruction, I try to create paintings that reflect themes of permanence and survival.

My works emphasise landscapes and the intertwining of space and time. I am fascinated by abstracting subjects in a way that blurs the boundaries between the perceived and non-perceived worlds, allowing access to imagination, emotion and sensation. In this way, I feel I am getting closer to a shared experience of humanity and to a space where communication takes place not so much through language but through immediate sensations.”

https://piiasuomi.com/
https://www.instagram.com/piiasuomi
@piiasuomi

Free entry