Ceramic Sculptures and Reliefs – Maija Kantanen

I am a ceramic artist from Rauma, and this is my third exhibition at PORIGINAL GALLERIA. Previous exhibitions have been in 1995, titled “MYSTIC CAROUSEL”, a 1998 exhibition as a stipend recipient of the SASKIA association in Pori, and a group exhibition with the Rauma Artist Association in the spring of 2003. The reception in Pori has been very positive.

It is therefore a pleasure to bring my new works to Pori once again for viewing and experiencing. In addition to exhibitions in Finland, I have had exhibitions in Dublin, related to my time as a guest artist with RaumArs in Ireland in 1999, and in the Russian twin city of Rauma, Kolpino, in 2002. This exhibition in Kolpino was part of the city’s 280th anniversary celebrations. I have also worked as a ceramic sculpture instructor at the Rauma Adult Education Centre, the Ikaalinen Handicraft and Industrial Art School, and in Dublin during my time as a guest artist.

Materials
My material is high-fired stoneware clay. It is a reliable and durable material for creating even large sculptures. Sometimes, I combine other materials with ceramics, such as wire, felt, copper wire, feathers, and the like. The color schemes of my works are primarily black and white, along with earthy glazes and engobe colors (engobe = clay slip). In recent years, I have also created visual art through felting wool.

This Exhibition
This exhibition could be seen as a continuation of the “IMPULSES FROM PRAGUE” exhibition held last year at the Lönnström Art Museum studios in Rauma. I spent a month in the Satakunta Art Committee residency in Prague, creating pencil and watercolor sketches, which later inspired the ceramic works. Theater, in many forms, was one of the inspirations for this exhibition.

My new works mainly consist of black-and-white figures and forms, impulses from the journey and life. The sketches were also worked on in Prague during last August. The exhibition also includes works from the previous year. I have aimed to simplify the shapes in my works and use black-and-white coloring to create sharper contrasts.

This time, the exhibition does not have a title, but as I review the collection, the thought comes to mind: I’m here now, in life and on the world map. The exhibition collection feels like a “red dot” on the map, which typically indicates where we are. I also studied maps while in Prague, so this metaphor likely comes to mind. I want to give space for the viewer to find their own interpretations of my works, and I explain fewer details. The majority of the works in the exhibition are from this year’s production.

This text was created with AI assistance