OPENING TONIGHT!!!

From a Distant Galaxy by Matilda Palmu 

1. - 14.6.2023 at Galleria Loisti, Luotsikatu 13, Helsinki

Exhibition opening: Thu 1.6.2023 18-20

Exhibition open:

Tue - Thu 14-18

Fri - Sun 12-15

From a Distant Galaxy exhibition tells a story about the flower creatures from outer space and their intervention in the current situation of our world. It is a fantasy-like scenario, an alternative reality through which you can observe today's problems and phenomena from a utopian future.

Through the flower creatures and their making, I take a stand on the extensive phenomena and problem areas of the moment from the point of view that the grievances have been resolved and a change for the better has taken place - the body of work is as if rewriting the direction of our future. Through my art, I explore the birth of a new world when in 2020, the flower creatures descended from outer space and came with peaceful intentions to change the world. Wherever the creatures went, nature and people flourished in their wake. In 3020, parents tell this creation story to their children. No one has seen the flower creatures for hundreds of years, but one can see their traces everywhere.

In my artistic work, I am interested in the contradiction between the content of the work and its appearance. I use a happy and naive-looking approach through which I can talk about challenging issues. With the help of the flower creatures, I have been able to deal with the collective feelings of anxiety and fatigue that the corona years, climate change, and war have brought to the surface. The creatures have also become a crucial part of my identity as an artist; they help me to talk about difficult and very personal things softly and safely. My thoughts about change for the better are crystallized in the flower creatures.

The exhibition is supported by the Arts Promotion Center Finland.

FLOWER CREATURES FROM A DISTANT GALAXY

My fantastical anthropology about the mythical flower creatures will have its second show in June at Galleria Loisti in Helsinki. I’ll share more information soon!!!

PORTRAIT

Photo by Maï Antila

I was happy to be part of this portrait project in which Maï Antila took photos of me surrounded by my artworks. Here’s one cropped sneak peek view and you can check the full project here :)

FROM A DISTANT GALAXY

Water Nymph in progress :)

Last year I started to work on a new project called “From a Distant Galaxy” which is the second part of the story about these flower creatures and their friendly invasion to Earth. I had an exhibition in May 2022 of the first part of the story “They come in peace” at Galleria Uusi Kipinä in Lahti. I’m very grateful that I got Taike’s Public Display Grant for this project. Now, I’m finishing the artworks and slowly getting ready for the exhibition that I’ll have in Helsinki next Summer (more info coming closer to the exhibition)!

IDENTITY EXHIBITION

I’m so grateful that I was invited to be part of the Identity exhibition in Lapinlahen Lähde. The exhibition was curated by Noora Leinikka who is the founder of the Finnish Spirit. You can read more about the exhibition and Finnish Spirit here

Yesterday evening we had a wonderful panel discussion about art and identity in the exhibition and I felt really happy and honoured to be one of the panelists. It was really interesting to hear other people's thoughts on identity and art. It also made me realise that I want to do this more often; be part of public conversations, it was so much fun!