Helene Schjerfbeck: (1862–1946): Silence, 1907, oil and tempera on canvas, Art Foundation Merita. Photo: Seppo Hilpo

One hundred years, a thousand meanings

June 9th – October 10th, 2017 This exhibition shows a selection of significant Finnish artwork from between the 1800’s to the 2010’s. These pieces are presented from a new perspective which is made through a variety of different interpretations. Fine art helped build Finnish identity but do we interpret those images differently today.

The exhibition content is approached from four different themes: Finns in Images, The War Within Us, Citizen Imagery, and Emotional Landscapes and Feelings. What do portraits reveal about people? How is the national imagery of bubbling rapids, dead trees, threatening clouds and national landscape interpreted today? What kinds of feelings does the artwork communicate? And do Finnish people compare their own war memories with contemporary situations of refugees and fear? The exhibition visitors are encouraged to consider these questions as they observe the artwork.

FAMILIAR AND NOT SO FAMILIAR

This exhibition primarily features paintings but there are also sculptures and industrial art. The exhibition includes Eero Järnefelt’s From Koli Fell (1927) and Finnish Landscape (1903), Akseli Gallen-Kallela’s Wilderness Lake (1892) and The Forging of the Sampo, sketch (1893), Helene Schjerfbeck’s Silence (1907) and Rose-Cheeked Girl (1927), Aukusti Tuhka’s Kollaanjoki River (1964), Alvar Cawén’s Pietá (1927), Fanny Churberg’s Burn-Beaten Landscape in Uusimaa (1872), Pekka Halonen’s Winter Landscape (1923), Unto Pusa’s Joie-de-vivre (1955), Rafael Wardi’s Still-Life (1984) and Rut Bryk’s Stream (1987) as well as Ville Lenkker’s A Stray Man (2010–2014) and Reima Nevalainen’s Cuirass (2014).

This collection of art work, from the collections of the members of the Association of Finnish Fine Arts Foundations (STSY) is here, shown together for the first time outside of Helsinki. The exhibition was produced by the Jyväskylä Art Museum in collaboration with the Association of Finnish Fine Arts Foundations .

The exhibition includes work from Alfred Kordelin Foundation, The Fortum Art Foundation, The Gösta Serlachius Fine Art Foundation, Signe and Ane Gyllenberg Foundation, Art Foundation Merita and UPM-Kymmene Cultural Foundation.

One Hundred Years, A Thousand Meanings is produced by the Jyväskylä Art Museum in collaboration with the Finnish Art Foundation Association (STSY). The exhibition is curated by Seija Heinänen, FT, from the Jyväskylä Art Museum. The STSY member representatives collaborating in this exhibition are Director Anna-Maria Wiljanen from the UPM-Kymmene Cultural Foundation, Head Curator Nina Zilliacusfrom the Villa Gyllenberg Art Museum and Head Curator Laura Kuurne from the Serlachius museums.