HAA Gallery presents the exhibitions Change of Scenery by Hanna Peräkylä and My life as a mushroom forest – paintings and drawings by Katja Skinnari September 28 – October 22, 2023.
Welcome to the exhibition openings on Wednesday, 27 September 5–7 pm!
Image: Hanna Peräkylä – Open (2023), braiding with a reused grid, dyed textiles (left) and
Katja Skinnari – Puolukka “Lingonberry” (2023), marker and wood colour on paper (right)
Hanna Peräkylä: Change of Scenery, textile installation (Hall 1)
Hanna Peräkylä’s collection of works Change of Scenery deals with the definition of the landscape and its modification, short-sighted patching and incompleteness. The name of the exhibition, Change of Scenery, refers to both the landscape and the scene – the artificial structure, rearrangement and layering of the landscape.
The exhibition consists of multidimensional textile works, the parts of which have been used in particular various found materials referring to the construction industry: electric cables, wires and various cargo cloths, which together builds a landscape installation to the gallery space. The latest works are three-dimensional landscape paintings, made from recycled textiles and random, twisted steel frames.
With the exhibition ensembles, Peräkylä has been looking for new ways to develop her work in a more spatial direction. She strives to create a layered image from the painting, which is equally affected by the viewing angle, environment, depth and partly movement. The collection of works has been on display at Taidekeskus Itä in the spring of 2023, but some of the HAA Gallery’s works are on display for the first time.
TaM Hanna Peräkylä (born 1984) is a visual and textile artist from Kouvola. Her works have dealt with the themes of consumption and one’s material relationship, defining a place and incompleteness. Peräkylä’s works are characterized by multiple reuses of different textiles, a strong sense of material and sculpturality. Her objects of interest are the space, the diversity and the shape of the painting.
Peräkylä graduated from Aalto University’s School of Arts and Design in 2013 with a master’s degree in textile art. She lives in Voikkaa, and works in her studio at Kuusankoski’s Taideruukki. Peräkylä’s works are included in the collections of Kouvola Art Museum Poikilo and the University of Namibia. Peräkylä was awarded the visual artist award of the city of Kouvola for the years 2023–2025. With the recognition, the artist will hold a solo exhibition at Kouvola Art Museum Poikilo in the spring of 2024.
Peräkylä’s work is supported by the Finnish Cultural Foundation’s Kymenlaakso Regional Fund. The exhibition has also been supported by Kymin Osakeyhtiön 100-vuotissäätiö.
Katja Skinnari: My life as a mushroom forest – paintings and drawings (Hall 2)
The paintings in the exhibition have been completed over the past year. The pandemic, the war right next door and Finland’s uncertain political times cannot but affect them. Everyone who is in a weaker position, has a low income and belongs to the non-white population must be on their toes thinking about what the coming years will bring.
More and more people have to question who has the right to a dignified life and whether human dignity is measured by economic productivity or the color of the skin. The exhibition is not meant to be political, but mentioning these things seems necessary because the themes of the paintings feel more relevant now than ever.
These are pictures of people, cats, pots or just colours and shapes. It doesn’t matter what’s in the picture. The most important thing is feeling, humanity, empathy and a questioning look in the eyes. The paintings are studies of the human mind and praise for the diversity of humanity. They are not directed against or on behalf of anyone in particular. The works have the right to live their own lives and show themselves in a personal way to every viewer.
The paintings are made on paper by combining ink and acrylic painting and drawing. They are at the same time delicate ink paintings and, on the other hand, pictures made with strong graphic shapes, colors and drawing. The image surface plays an equally important role as the subjects. The purpose is to create contradictions and occasionally even go beyond the decorative side. Sometimes the expression can be very subtle and scarce, always aiming to support the mood of the painting.
”In ancient times a plague called money was invented. It has no emotions and no mind of it´s own that can break. It has no parents to ask why my life is not as valuable as someone else’s. But it has power. And it blinds a person.”
HAA Gallery
Suomenlinna C1, 00190 Helsinki
Tue–Thu 12–18, Fri–Sun 12–16