EMMA receives a significant donation of works by photographic artist Marjukka Vainio
Marjukka Vainio was an experimental pioneer of Finnish colour photography remembered especially for her inventive interpretations of botanical themes. Her images of peonies, hyacinths, and other flowers from her garden, as well as the seeds and roots of various plant species are visual intriguing, but also rich in allegory and autobiographical allusion.
“This donation marks an important addition to our collection of photographic art. The public will have a chance to enjoy Vainio’s work in forthcoming EMMA exhibitions and through art loans from our collection. Some of her works will also be placed on display in public places around Espoo,” states EMMA’s Chief Curator Henna Paunu.
The earliest works in the Vainio collection bear witness to the artist’s experimental mindset. In the 1980s, Vainio studied at the International School of Photography in New York, where she developed her distinctive style and technique. Some works from the 1990s are photograms made without a camera by placing objects directly onto photographic paper and exposing it in the darkroom.
The most significant part of the donation is a series of photographs shot on the shores of Lake Onega and the White Sea. In the 2010s, Vainio and her team travelled to the Republic of Karelia many times to photograph petroglyphs believed to have been carved by ancestors of the Finno-Ugric peoples thousands of years ago. These ancient artists adorned the waterfront escarpments with images of hunters and other scenes from everyday life, but also more esoteric subject matter such as the soul’s journey to the afterlife. Vainio’s photographs are valuable in yielding new insights about these unique rock carvings left to posterity by our ancient predecessors.
The Vainio collection is accessible online via the Finna search service. EMMA joined Finna in spring 2021, and the museum’s collections are now accessible digitally via Finna’s website. EMMA’s overarching theme for 2021 is the power of art. In line with this theme, our museum wishes to offer audiences the opportunity to connect with art via digital platforms. Via Finna, you can view our entire collection of art and design from the comfort of your home whenever you wish.
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Iris SuomiMarkkinointiviestinnän suunnittelija / Marketing Communications Designer
Tel:+358447601930iris.suomi@emmamuseum.fiImages
About EMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern Art
EMMA – Espoon modernin taiteen museon kokoelma- ja näyttelytoiminta profiloituu kotimaiseen ja kansainväliseen modernismiin, nykytaiteeseen sekä designiin. EMMA sijaitsee Espoon Tapiolassa, professori Aarno Ruusuvuoren suunnittelemassa betoniarkkitehtuuria edustavassa Näyttelykeskus WeeGeessä. Näyttelytilat ovat pinta-alaltaan Suomen suurimmat, ja pelkistetty moderni arkkitehtuuri tukee EMMAn, Saastamoisen säätiön ja Tapio Wirkkala Rut Bryk Säätiön kokoelmien sekä vaihtuvien näyttelyiden kokemuksellista esittämistä. Tervetuloa!
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Latest releases from EMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern Art
INBJUDAN till media: Presskonferens för utställning Tschabalala Self: Från samma kvarter, tisdagen den 7 maj kl. 10 på EMMA23.4.2024 13:30:00 EEST | Kutsu
EMMA i samarbete med Saastamoinen Stiftelsen är stolta att kunna presentera Från samma kvarter, den amerikanska konstnären Tschabalala Selfs första utställning i Finland. Varmt välkommen på presskonferens för att höra konstnären berätta om utställningen.
INVITATION for media: Press event for Tschabalala Self: Around the Way on Tuesday 7 May at 10 am in EMMA23.4.2024 13:30:00 EEST | Press Invitation
EMMA, in collaboration with the Saastamoinen Foundation, is delighted to present Around the Way the first solo exhibition in Finland by the US artist Tschabalala Self. Warmly welcome to the press preview at EMMA to hear about the exhibition from the artist.
KUTSU medialle: Tschabalala Self: Samasta korttelista -näyttelyn tiedotustilaisuus ti 7.5. klo 10.00 EMMAssa23.4.2024 13:30:00 EEST | Kutsu
EMMA ja Saastamoisen säätiö ylpeinä esittelevät yhdysvaltalaisen taiteilija Tschabalala Selfin ensimmäisen näyttelyn Suomessa, nimeltä Samasta korttelista. Lämpimästi tervetuloa tiedotustilaisuuteen kuulemaan näyttelystä taiteilijalta.
Offentliggörande: I Japan ses för första gången en omfattande separatutställning av Tapio Wirkkala. Utställningen turnerar på flera olika utställningsplatser under 2025–20269.4.2024 11:30:00 EEST | Tiedote
Tapio Wirkkalas första separatutställning i Japan, The Sculptor of Ultima Thule, turnerar på flera olika utställningsplatser under 2025–2026. Utställningen erbjuder en bred översikt över Wirkkalas ikoniska produktion, unika designprocess och landskapen i Lappland och Venedig som inspirerade honom.
Announcement: First major solo exhibition of Tapio Wirkkala set to tour in Japan in 2025–20269.4.2024 11:30:00 EEST | Press release
Tapio Wirkkala: The Sculptor of Ultima Thule exhibition will be seen in several venues in Japan during 2025–2026, marking the first major solo exhibition of Wirkkala in Japan. The exhibition will present a complete picture of the iconic Finnish designer, centring on Wirkkala’s unique creative process, with a special focus on his creative mind and the environments that inspired him.
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