IMAGES OF CHANGE – Jury 2023

The Poriginal Gallery exhibition jury consists of three representatives from the Pori Art Museum and three artist members nominated from the Satakunta art scene. The artist members of the 2023 jury present themselves in the Poriginal Gallery through a group exhibition featuring three Satakunta-based artists. These artists represent three local artist associations and were responsible for peer-reviewing the applications submitted for the gallery’s 2023 exhibition slots.

All three jury artists explore themes of change in their work, making it a natural starting point for a collective exhibition. Each artist brings their own perspective and approach to the theme, adding depth and multidimensionality to the exhibition. Change is an inherent part of human existence, nature, and art itself.

KATI VALKONEN, Pori Artists’ Association

There is often a contradiction at the core of my works. This contradiction rarely finds resolution—sometimes, it only leaves more questions. I paint in layers, covering and wiping away, over and over again. At times, I also use older works as the foundation for new ones. Through this process, a painting undergoes transformation, yet previous layers and their influence remain embedded in the final outcome. I like the idea that the creation of a painting mirrors the transformative processes of human life, which can often be painful. The journey we take shapes us more than we may wish to acknowledge. However, regardless of our starting points and the paths we take, a positive outcome is always possible, and every experience along the way becomes a part of who we are. My works in this exhibition are abstract tempera paintings.

MERJA ALA-OLLA, Rauma Printmakers’ Association

Red sunsets are beautiful, yet they also signal environmental change. The viewer admires the scenery, and the vibrant hues of the sunset divert thoughts away from the air pollution that turns the sun red. A similar contradiction exists in our perception of dandelions. They are edible, and their fluffy seed heads are often blown in celebration photos as symbols of a new future and hope for a better tomorrow. Yet, most people see dandelions as an annoying weed. Their ability to grow and spread freely, however, contributes to biodiversity. In my works, I have combined these two subjects that evoke conflicting emotions. My works are unique woodcuts with some details added using acrylic ink.

EVE ALASAARELA, Nyte

I love the word creation—creating connections, creating movement in the snow, shedding old skin. Creation is change. Often, change can feel terrifying, but resisting it ultimately hinders life itself, as life is change—an ever-moving flow of energy. It is only natural that being human is a process, a continuous transformation. Surrendering to change is allowing free flow, and that is precisely what painting is for me. My work is rooted in physicality. I feel the rhythm of my breath, I open myself to sense the life buzzing through my cells, I let myself be carried by the current—I paint.

Translated with ChatGPT