Amos Rex attracts over half a million visitors during its first year

“I wonder if any other Finnish art museum has attracted half a million visitors during its first year? This is a clear attest to the meaning of art and museums for people,” says Museum Director Kai Kartio.

Petri Ala-Maunus was voted visitors’ choice of the Ars Fennica exhibition

Amos Rex’s first year concludes with the announcement of the Ars Fennica exhibition’s visitors’ choice. A total of 77 300 people visited Amos Rex's first summer exhibition. Visitors had the opportunity to vote for their favourite work by using glass marbles on a humouristic marble track.

The visitors’ choice of Ars Fennica 2019 exhibition is Petri Ala-Maunus. Amos Rex will reward the favourite by acquiring an artwork by the artist into its collection.

"I’m really happy that the public has liked my work. It is a huge recognition to be chosen as the visitors' choice from amongst a group of such great artists. I’m particularly delighted that it was awarded to paintings, when the death of painting has long been discussed in connection to contemporary art," Ala-Maunus comments.

The candidates of Ars Fennica 2019 were Petri Ala-Maunus (FI), Miriam Bäckström (SE), Ragnar Kjartansson (IS), Aurora Reinhard (FI) and Egill Sæbjörnsson (IS).

By the decision of Roland Wetzel, Director of Museum in Tinguely in Basel, the Ars Fennica Award was granted to artist Ragnar Kjartansson in August.

The marble race of the Ars Fennica exhibition was designed by prop artist Maikki Pekkala.

Amos Rex is closed from September 9th due to a change of exhibition and will open again October 11th with the exhibition “Birger Carlstedt: Le Chat Doré”. In the large retrospective exhibition, visitors can step into a prohibition-era café designed by Birger Carlstedt. The café called Le Chat Doré, which operated on Unioninkatu, has been reconstructed for the exhibition.

Attachment: Artist presentation

Press images: https://amosrex.fi/en/press/