A SHARED HORIZON – Ville Räty and Milla Kuisma (Curated by Veikko Halmetoja)
THE LANDSCAPE POSES A QUESTION
– An exhibition at Poriginal Gallery explores the relationship between nature and culture
Milla Kuisma and Ville Räty are a visual artist couple. They have worked in the same studio for years but have primarily exhibited their works in solo and group exhibitions. They have only had one previous joint exhibition, in Raahe in 2016. Now, their second joint exhibition is opening in Pori at Poriginal Gallery, and it will be open to the public from Saturday, August 15th, at 11 AM. Welcome!
Kuisma and Räty paint boldly and without excessive refinement. Their works deal with landscape representation. Kuisma refers to imagined landscapes, as seen in decorative art and dreams. Räty, on the other hand, romanticizes wastelands, abandoned areas, and buildings. Their shared horizon is found in the meta-imagery of landscapes, in the representation of mental images.
The exhibition is curated by Veikko Halmetoja, who has curated major national exhibitions such as the Mänttä Art Festival. He has posed the following questions to Kuisma and Räty: “What is our perception of beauty? How does the contemporary landscape communicate with the Romantic era’s concept of landscape? Where is the boundary between nature and culture?”
Räty’s landscapes are often urban but not straightforwardly cityscapes. They are either in the process of being built or falling into ruin, existing on the threshold. They are either melancholic or reaching toward the future. Seldom does Räty depict places with vibrant habitation—people are either about to arrive or have already left.
In Kuisma’s landscapes, fantasy plays a larger role. Her works contain dreamlike visions, symbols, and details that draw more from decorative motifs than real landscapes.
The exhibition is a powerful statement in support of our living environment. It suggests that we should pay more attention to landscapes and understand what they reveal about history and the future. The background of the works reflects the artists’ shared excursions into nature and abandoned buildings, as well as the sense of place derived from these experiences.
The paintings are arranged rhythmically, with sizes ranging from relatively small to very large. Works by both artists are interwoven, with bold juxtapositions carefully constructed. A dynamic painting style referencing contemporary graphic aesthetics and street art connects the works. As a result, the exhibition maintains stylistic coherence and balance. The color palette often unites the pieces, and there is no need to deny that working in the same studio has left its mark. However, their individual styles remain distinct—both recognizable and powerful in their own right.
Translated with ChatGPT