Dislocation, Strain, Fracture – Virpi Vesanen-Laukkanen, Silja Puranen, Leena Illukka

The starting points of this group exhibition by three artists are the dislocations occurring in societal structures and practices, the stretching of truth, and the fractures between the past, present, and future. A society driven by economic profit grows increasingly complex and fragmented, while consumption exceeds the Earth’s carrying capacity. These changes inevitably affect individual lives.

Through their works, Illukka, Puranen, and Vesanen-Laukkanen comment on the short memory of history, the responsibilities and obligations of generations toward one another, and the fundamental need for connection. Alongside a pessimistic vision of the future, their artistic practice also embraces comfort, warmth in human encounters, and the possibility of new attempts.

Silja Puranen’s video works are dystopian narratives of a world where catastrophic mistakes have already been made. They examine issues such as the overuse of natural resources, waste, and global violence while advocating for the rights of future generations. Leena Illukka’s works are installation-based compositions created from recycled materials and traditional craft techniques. Her pieces explore primary human emotions—loss, vulnerability, fear, intimacy, and uncertainty—as well as social interaction. Virpi Vesanen-Laukkanen’s works, which delve into childhood and memories, engage in dialogue with Illukka’s installations. In her art, the proportions of soft, textile-sewn hands stretch unnaturally, the faces of small dolls in photographs reveal surface fractures, and in a video, an uninvited guest arrives at a dollhouse.

Artists

Leena Illukka (b. 1962) earned her Master’s degree in Fine Arts from Saimaa University of Applied Sciences in 2015 and her Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from the Lahti Institute of Fine Arts in 2011. Her works are included in the Finnish State Art Collection and various international collections. She lives and works in Helsinki.

Silja Puranen (b. 1961) is a visual artist based in Tuusula. She has held solo exhibitions and participated in numerous group exhibitions both in Finland and abroad. Her works are part of domestic and international collections. Puranen is currently finalizing her Master’s degree in the Visual Culture and Contemporary Art (ViCCA) program at Aalto University.

Virpi Vesanen-Laukkanen (b. 1957) holds a Master’s degree in Fine Arts. She has presented solo exhibitions in Finland and internationally, participated in numerous group exhibitions, and created commissioned works. Based in Helsinki, her art is represented in both Finnish and foreign collections.

Translated with ChatGPT