Stronger Than Death – Meri Pauniaho and Katariina “Mannio” Turunen

We are young women, both active members of the Rauma Printmakers’ Association. We work in the shared spaces of the Rauma Printmakers, sometimes together and sometimes separately on our own projects. However, we have often noticed that we end up contemplating the same themes without knowing it. In addition, we both often use relief printmaking techniques, such as linocut or woodcut. When we meet, it has become a habit to engage in active discussions, unafraid of criticism, about our own and each other’s unfinished and completed works. We find this analysis to be a productive and beneficial way to deepen our creative processes.

This led to the idea of organizing a joint exhibition, and Poriginal Gallery in our neighboring city gave us and our works an excellent opportunity to continue our dialogue within the same exhibition space.

Meri Pauniaho discusses her works:

Over the years, the central theme of my work has been to reflect on the fundamental questions of life, the human experience, and emotions, contemplating life, death, and the afterlife, along with their mysteries. In my works, I have depicted many personal emotions, from joy to sorrow, anger, and bitterness to great love. My latest works are again odes to love, tributes to this form of humanity, which in its power even surpasses death. I have drawn inspiration for my works from the wonders nature offers us, art history, which I study as a hobby, and most importantly, from my own family. In my works, regardless of the theme I am addressing, I have always aimed for the beauty of the image. I don’t want to preach to the viewer; I may hide symbolism or hints in my works, but at the same time, I want to give the freedom to simply see the beauty of the image.

Katariina Mannio discusses her works:

My series of works depicting underwater views tells of my longing for distant, warmer waters and my interest in its inhabitants, the most wondrous creations of the creator. I wanted to try to capture this magical “other world” in images. Last autumn, I had the opportunity to work in New Zealand, and through this journey, my works gained entirely new meanings after seeing these places with my own eyes and becoming, even if only for a moment, part of this underwater world. Another series of works is related to the loss of close loved ones and the mourning process that follows. The journey to the other side of the world seemed to be the necessary distance for me to gain the courage to turn my grief into images.

This text was created with AI assistance