IMAGO – Arja-Riitta Ihalainen and Leena Passilahti

The life cycle of an insect consists of four stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. At the end of the pupal stage, the adult insect, the imago, breaks its way out of the cocoon. The newly emerged winged insect must still straighten and dry its wings before it can start moving.

Imago (Latin: imago, image) also refers to the self-image or impression a person or company presents.

In this exhibition, imago is displayed in its many meanings. The works in the exhibition portray the impressions given by the wings of insects, but at the same time, they are stories of rebirth: glimpses of when wings begin to curl beneath the skin, or when they unfold and catch the air – but there are also fragments of broken wings.

Leena Passilahti’s abstract oil paintings are inspired by the imaginary patterns and colors of butterfly wings. They are impressions of a butterfly. In contrast, Arja-Riitta Ihalainen’s works focus on the form of wings. They seem to be pieces torn from a larger, referentially Renaissance-themed whole.

The audience will have the opportunity to take a “profile photo” of themselves with wings in the exhibition, allowing them to search for their own imago.

Translated with ChatGPT