SHARED LIGHT – Elena Kervinen and Mastuset

Elena Kervinen (born 1970 in Iisalmi, currently living and working in Barcelona) captures unreal moments—moments when reality transforms into something akin to a mystery. Painted rays of light on white marble and black granite seamlessly blend into the base material, the stone. On the other hand, with the subject matter, the three-dimensional, stony painting surface becomes ethereal, like the sky.

In Elena Kervinen’s works, exotic woods, copper, silver, and gold have been featured before. Now, the gold pencil used in the drawings is made of gold thread, which leaves a pen-like mark on the marble, but from the side, one can see the shimmer of gold. In the work l’U, there is a piece of this precious metal, which has been called “mineral light.” The light radiates from the gold and is simultaneously gold itself, everything formed from the same substance.

Elena Kervinen’s works have been exhibited at the Miró Foundation as well as in galleries in Finland, Spain, England, and Belgium.

Mastuset (born 1954 in Linyola, Catalonia) paints large works on copper. Unlike fabric, copper does not absorb color, and it feels as if the metal, breathing beneath the oil paint, is itself light. In Mastuset’s paintings, copper reflects an inner light. His color palette is ascetic, often using only three colors: blue, yellow, and brown. In brown-toned paintings, copper glows golden, while in blue-toned ones, it shines with a silver light.

Jukka Yli-Lassila wrote about his latest exhibition in Helsinki, describing the paintings as strikingly elevated. He saw in them similarities with Rembrandt’s light and shadow, and his reverent sacredness.

In his new works, Mastuset depicts landscapes or places from the Old Testament, such as the Tower of David, the historical existence of which is not fully confirmed. In these new paintings, rich golden and blue hues dominate.

Mastuset’s works have been exhibited at the Girona Art Museum as well as in galleries in Finland, Spain, and England.

This text was created with AI assistance