Mikko-Pekka Hyvärinen:
𝑴𝒖𝒐𝒗𝒊𝒌𝒌𝒐 (𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒂 𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒔)

Mikko-Pekka Hyvärinen’s artistic practice has developed through multiple phases, evolving from expanded painting toward sculptural forms, while consistently maintaining a connection to notion of painting. As the last step, the painting part has condensed into an abstract expression of colored filler and polystyrene dots amongst recycled material, where he relies on a minimalist aesthetic.  

Surface layers in Hyvärinen’s works serve as a structural link to painting. His formal language also aestheticizes the flowing quality and droplet-like texture of (dirty white) paint material – its very substance and state. In these works, polystyrene is used to construct an “illusion” that detaches associations from the raw material toward impressions of something organic. Polystyrene is simultaneously fully exposed and capable of evoking a wide range of associations.  

The concept behind Hyvärinen’s works is rooted in the idea of the traces of the Anthropocene era specifically plastic waste in sediment layers. He works in a metaphorical archaeological manner, sanding away layers of his combined raw versions in search of a form resembling something organic. The dialogue between the layers of polystyrene and the grey-toned filler evokes geological strata. A material that is originally repulsive – here, construction site-recycled polystyrene – becomes inviting, even haptic. Recycling emphasizes the immaterial, conceptual side of the works, as material that is already classified as waste does not fundamentally create value for the works. For his material recycling process, Hyvärinen collaborated with the construction company Jatke Oy. 

In the exhibition, plastic – as a byproduct of oil – may evoke alternative meanings in the viewer’s mind and prompt reflections on critiques of fossil capitalism, even though the works do not explicitly underline this. Through subtle transformation, synthetic materials often described as repulsive, meaningless, or cold are shaped into forms that are delightful, tender, or calming – occupying a space between the familiar and the strange.