MAALLE – Markku Haanpää

The works in the MAALLE exhibition feature elements of painting and drawing, executed with an expressive approach. I have aimed for simplification, with materials and colors being stripped down. The context of the exhibition is the land, starting with the material of paint. Almost all the works use clay from Kurikka as the main material.

The clay comes from my grandparents’ land, along the shores and embankments of the Kyrönjoki River. There has been settlement in the area since the Stone Age. This fact has brought a sort of time fold into my work and reflections on the development of humankind. Throughout history, the land has provided nourishment for living beings. The current concern is the disrespectful use of the land. Moderation has been lost, the human population has exploded, and the land, along with other life forms, suffers. The earth’s crust is torn open for various reasons, and consideration and respect have been replaced by short-sightedness and economic gain.

The MAALLE exhibition is part of a larger series I am currently working on (water, fire, earth, and air). The themes involve an environmental protection perspective, and the exhibitions also include actions aimed at nature conservation. The environmental action in this exhibition is my painting series Savimaat, which consists of individual small paintings, with the main raw material being field clay. Visitors to the exhibition can choose to acquire a painting from the series by donating its price to the Nature Heritage Foundation. The foundation uses the donation funds to purchase natural areas and protect them permanently. The clay lands can become old-growth forests; it depends on our will and actions.

Translated with ChatGPT