Outi Särkikoski and Johanna Turunen
Outi Särkikoski
In the exhibition, Outi Särkikoski presents ceramic sculptures that form thematic groups based on their subject matter. The works are united by minimalist forms and a simplified color palette. In addition to black and white, only “Karelian red” glows in a single ornament-themed piece. The minimalist wall piece “Forest” depicts rows of straight-trunked pines, while the black-and-white “Stone Pillars” represent quiet speech in a noisy time.
Outi Särkikoski comes from a background in graphic design, which is clearly reflected in her work. Simple elements, geometric shapes, and black-and-white color schemes create the image of three-dimensional graphic art. Living in North Karelia, close to nature, with the darkness of winter and the whiteness of snow, has influenced the content and form of her pieces. The artist is currently fascinated by the exploration of three-dimensional form and the addition of a graphic “message” to her works.
Outi Särkikoski lives and works in Joensuu. She has been a ceramic sculpture instructor at various institutions and has participated in numerous exhibitions both in Finland and abroad.
Johanna Turunen
Variations
The “Variations” series originated from the atmosphere of the small village cemeteries near Barcelona. The series contains about twenty color print photographs.
Death and cemeteries are a frightening and distant subject for many people. Confronting death is a shock for a person pursuing a career, and perhaps it has not been addressed in advance.
In my own life, I have recently thought a lot about death and aging. I participated in my first art rehabilitation program in Finland and made good friends with older artists who were also part of the group. Our group is tight-knit, and we continue our discussions about art and life within the framework of future group exhibitions, even after the rehabilitation year ended.
Finnish cemeteries, compared to Catalonian ones, look very different to my eyes. Finnish cemeteries are full of trees, birches, and pines; the land is flat, and the deceased are buried in the ground. Flowers are planted at graves, and a stone marks the name, birth, and death dates of the deceased.
In the villages of Catalonia, and in Barcelona as well, the deceased have a grand final resting place on a mountaintop, from which they can observe us, the living. The graves are stacked on top of each other in wall-like formations. The graves are decorated with photos of the deceased and plastic flowers that withstand the scorching heat.
While moving through the cemeteries in Catalonia, I noticed that beautiful white marble statues are everywhere — these statues are almost nonexistent in Finland. The sculptors have worked for countless hours creating angels, saints, and depictions of Jesus. I admire their craftsmanship and wanted to photograph these works from multiple angles and create a new environment for them with my own art.
It is fascinating to observe the reflections of light and shadow on the statues. I had hoped for a cloud to cover the sun during the photo sessions. The smoothness of the marble surface, combined with pollution and bird droppings, provided an intriguing opportunity to photograph an immobile subject.
The tranquil atmosphere of Barcelona’s cemeteries — despite the photography ban — offers a pleasant and free experience for a tourist who is not interested in beach holidays.
The experience has been so positive that I will continue collecting statue images in the future, next in Paris. My most recent cemetery photos were taken in Munich. Early in the morning, I had a new experience at a German cemetery: there were people jogging and Nordic walking!
This text was created with AI assistance