May 6–28, 2017
Exhibition Laboratory
Merimiehenkatu 36 C & E
00150 Helsinki
Project Room
Lönnrotinkatu 35
00180 Helsinki
HAM Corner, Tennis Palace
Eteläinen Rautatiekatu 8
00100 Helsinki
Open from Tuesday to Sunday, 11am to 6pm. Free admission.
#kuvankevät2017
The Kuvan Kevät MFA degree show of the Academy of Fine Arts of Uniarts Helsinki will be held in Helsinki from May 6 to May 28. This year´s MFA Degree Show showcases works by 46 emerging artists who are about to receive their MFA degrees. Their art will be exhibited at the galleries of the Academy of Fine Arts in the centre of Helsinki, Exhibition Laboratory and Project Room, as well as the Helsinki Art Museum’s HAM Corner in Tennis Palace, and a temporary exhibition space in Punavuori. The Master’s students participating in the Kuvan Kevät 2017 exhibition represent all four subject areas at the Academy of Fine Arts of Uniarts Helsinki: Sculpture, Painting, Printmaking and Time and Space Arts.
Kuvan Kevät 2017 sets the scene for art that deals with current and topical issues and represents thoughts which have developed in the context of a university of free art. The exhibition provides an overview of various perspectives, techniques and experimentations arising from the independent thinking of the graduating artists. Although the exhibition does not have a specific theme, Suvi Lehtinen, Lecturer in Exhibition Studies and Spatiality and the curator of the exhibition, says that the artists have paid particular attention to the challenges posed by populism in their works.
Should we make art that is similar to populist discourse in the sense that it would also offer accessible, easily digestible ideas—ideas that would nevertheless offer a clear counter-narrative to it? Or should art be considered a space and means of experimenting with ideas, objects and visions that are complex, maybe even ultimately unknowable?
Participating artists: Titta Aaltonen, Dylan Ray Arnold, Andrey Bogush, Otto Byström, Olga Dmitriev, Elissa Eriksson, Pernilla Grönberg, Lilli Haapala, Miikka Halonen, Matti Harju, Hanna Hyy, Saara Hyvärinen, Merja Isomaa-James, Kim Johan Jotuni, Emma Jääskeläinen, Iiris Kaarlehto, Minna Kangasmaa, Liisa Karintaus, Yassine Khaled, to kosie, Inka Kynkäänniemi, Eva Kärki, Arja Kärkkäinen, Maija Lassila, Tuomas Lauriala, Atro Linnavirta, Iisa Maaranen, Reija Meriläinen, Fatmir Mustafa-Karllo, Kalle Mustonen, Aino Mäntynen, Anita Naukkarinen, Akuliina Niemi, Tero Niskanen, Olga Novola, Okku Nuutilainen, Siiri Pohjolainen, Eeva-Maija Pulkkinen, Iona Roisin, Gregoire Rousseau, Mia Seppälä, Pauli Tapola, Ona Taskinen, Justin Taylor Tate, Anniina Vainonpää and Virpi Viljanmaa.
Curated by: Suvi Lehtinen, Lecturer in Exhibition Studies and Spatiality
The Academy of Fine Arts of Uniarts Helsinki is an international art academy focusing on the fine arts—the only one of its kind in Finland. It offers first-class instruction in Moving Image, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, Site and Situation Specific Art and Sculpture, and is a pioneer in artistic research. The Academy of Fine Arts has trained artists since 1848. The University of the Arts Helsinki was launched in 2013 upon the merging of the Academy of Fine Arts, Sibelius Academy, and Theatre Academy Helsinki.
