Treasures from the National Gallery of Duckburg at the Ateneum

"The classics of Finnish art live and influence our visual culture every single day. Memorable works of art such as the Mona Lisa or, say, The Fighting Capercaillies, have always inspired other artists and lent themselves to new interpretations. The works from the National Gallery of Duckburg are a delightful example of this", says the museum director, Susanna Pettersson.

"The Aku Ankka (Finnish for Donald Duck) magazine has been published in Finland since 1951, and has during this time quacked its way deep into Finnish culture. In the past, we have focused on playing with language; this has been a fun opportunity to play with the national imagery that all Finns are familiar with", says the editor-in-chief of the Aku Ankka magazine, Aki Hyyppä. 

The National Gallery is Duckburg's leading art museum and the cradle and home of Duckburgian art. The exhibition visiting the Ateneum offers a representative sample of pieces from the Golden Age of Duckburgian art, when works like these helped build the city's avian identity. The subject matter touchingly reflects the ducks’ relationship with one another and the surrounding nature. Art experts have always been fascinated by the connection between Duckburgian and Finnish art. 

The National Gallery of Duckburg boasts artists such as Albert Eiderfelt, Antti Pheasant, Audubon Gander-Kallela, Arvid Le Loon, Anser Watervale, Hookbill Simberg and Ferdy von Wren. The gallery's most famous works include Duckling with a Crow; Gladstone Gander, an Idler; Towards Evening and Poverty; Ducklings Playing on the Shore; and The Fighting Waterfowl. A total of 12 works will be on display.

The works of the National Gallery of Duckburg have been realised as a collaborative effort by Finnish cartoonists at the Aku Ankka magazine and artists with the international editions of Donald Duck: Daan Jippes, Kari Korhonen, Kati Kovács, Don Rosa and Ulrich Schröder. In the archive hall of the Stories of Finnish Art exhibition, visitors can explore the original sketches of the works of the National Gallery of Duckburg. Throughout the exhibition, Donald Duck's car will also be on show in the Ateneum atrium, and free for anyone to sit in.

Guided tours and workshops will be held in conjunction with theNational Gallery of Duckburg exhibition. More information will be available later. The weekend of 20 and 21 January 2018 will feature a programme for the whole family.

Opening hours
Tue, Fri 10am–6pm | Wed, Thu 10am–8pm | Sat, Sun 10am–5pm | Mon closed

Admission
Adults €15 | Concessions €13 | Under 18s free admission | with S-Etukortti card €14

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