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Marja Patrikainen and Samppa Törmälehto share
an interest in using paint, one paints interpretive art, the other abstract
art. The artists explore the relationship between heavy and light surface
of paint, based on the terms of the materials used. The aim is towards
lightness, but not at the expense of the contents. The artists are not
content with a strict imitation of reality, the forms and shapes in
the art work is free and endogenous. The artists have in common a continuous
exploration of new painting styles and visions, and distancing from
more conventional expression. They want to avoid any unnecessary pathos
and instead concentrate on making art for the joy of it.
Patrikainen finds that pleasant surprises are produced by endogenous
forms alongside geometric shapes and patterns. He wants to bring motion
into the space, create force and counterforce, as well as infinity or
a sense of it in the painted surfaces. Patrikainen's images are ethereal,
dreamlike interfaces, something produced by the retinae when your eyes
are closed. The paintings can be viewed as snapshots of microscopic
or satellite images.
The basic idea in the sculptures is the simultaneous moving and keeping
still. Upholstered bus seats from scrap metal symbolizes motion. Using
scrap metal involves an important element in the art work. What was
it that happened when scrap become scrap? Did the material get old in
use, was there an accident?
Patrikainen's paintings and sculptures create an entity where a slightly
threatening atmosphere contains unexpected, lighter elements. The motion
in the paintings meets the motion of the sculptures.
Törmälehto's paintings are imaginary urban landscapes telling
stories of asphalt, vehicles and moving. The time and the place are
imaginary, even though some references to the real world can be found
(for example Supermarket car park, Honka-log cabins, and so on.) “Automarket”
- the painting portrays a current phenomenon; haste, velocity, profit
hovering above it. And yet, there are no people in the picture. The
space is been built for use, but it has an eerie, haunted emptiness.
Törmälehto does not make any attempt to offer clear, simple
answers to any questions. They are more like cut off scenes from movies
- the ones that went drastically wrong, or the camera did not make it
to join the picture.
Marja Patrikainen • CV
•
website
Samppa Törmälehto • CV
Press images
The exhibition Route 8 and Blueberry is a part of the Summer
Light City -project.
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