1.4. – 31.5.2026, Muu Window (Välimerenkatu 15, Jätkäsaari, 00180 Helsinki)

The exhibition opening will take place on Wednesday 1 April 2026 klo.17:00 to 19:00 at the window exhibition space on the corner of Välimerenkatu and Messitytönkuja streets. The celebration will continue in the building’s club room and rooftop terrace until 21:00.

Opening words: Timo Tähkänen, member of exhibition committee

Welcome!

The work deals with life’s transitions through the metaphor of a train station, where each station represents a turning point in life – a moment before a new beginning or the end of an old one. The waiting people embody the universal experience of uncertainty: we have all stood on the platform of our own “station”, wondering whether the right train is ahead, the right choice.

Departure and arrival are intertwined into a continuous movement, where each endpoint is also a new starting point. The station is not just a physical place but a mental space – that familiar mixture of uncertainty and expectation when life is changing but the direction is not yet clear.

The emotional core of the work is condensed in the woman in the hat and the child in the foreground. The connection between them evokes a personal memory: the grandmother’s firm grip on her hand while walking through the city, that feeling of absolute safety. This handshake represents intergenerational trust and protection – the certainty that an adult can give a child in the midst of chaos and change.

The work reflects on how many times in life the same situation repeats itself: we stand on a platform, suitcase in hand, looking towards the tracks. Sometimes we are the child who needs a safe hand. Sometimes we are the adult who offers certainty in the midst of uncertainty. And sometimes we stand alone, facing our own choice, hoping that intuition will lead us in the right direction.

Outi Martikainen is a textile artist who lives and works in Helsinki, Finland. She graduated from the University of Art and Design Helsinki, now part of Aalto University, in 1999.

Currently, Outi Martikainen primarily works with digital Jacquard weaving. Her artworks often depict human experiences, frequently include landscapes. In addition to the themes of her works, she aims to highlight the unique character of weaving as one of the oldest craft techniques. By incorporating new materials, such as reflective fibers, into her work, she redefines the way we perceive weaving as an artistic medium.

Her works have been exhibited in both solo and group exhibitions in Finland and internationally. She is represented in both Finnish and foreign collections. In 2006, she received an honorary mention as Textile Artist of the Year. In spring 2025, she worked at the Cité Internationale des Arts residency.