Kirsi Julku :
On the way

The exhibition On the way by Helsinki-based visual artist Kirsi Julku will be on display at the Malmitalo Gallery from 19 November to 12 December 2026. In the exhibition, Julku explores humanity, identity, and the body through the medium of oil painting.

In Julku’s paintings, skeletons have become a visual language through which she explores life and death simultaneously. The skeleton does not appear solely as a metaphor for death or an endpoint, but also symbolises the passage of time, movement, and life.

In On the way, the relationship between the human being and the surrounding world takes centre stage. When all external attributes are stripped away, the surrounding environment and its elements become more prominent. In Julku’s works, the human being and the environment form an ever-changing relationship of interaction. The skeleton serves as a metaphor for both human similarity and individuality, transcending cultural and temporal boundaries.

Kirsi Julku (b. 1993) lives and works in Helsinki. She graduated as a visual artist from Kankaanpää Art School in 2023 and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Fine Arts at the University of the Arts Helsinki. In 2024, Julku won the Young South Ostrobothnian Artist of the Year competition, coordinated by the Regional Council of South Ostrobothnia. Her work has been exhibited in numerous solo and group exhibitions across Finland.