7.10.–30.10.2022

The exhibition Everloving deals with many of the themes continuously relevant to Särkijärvi as an
artist. The paintings analyse the relationship to the land, i.e., to nature and the environment, but
also to one’s roots, i.e., identity and humanity, as well as to thinking, i.e., existence. “Due to the
multi-layered nature of my own northern identity, I depict in my art humanity from a world of
experience, where different ethnic identities and geographical diversity are part of the undercurrent
of the works. It is also important for me to create art through the feminine gaze, as a counterweight
to the (cis) male gaze, which has been the mainstream in the arts throughout history. All of these
themes come together in the painting Transcription 85 (Everloving), 2022 and in it is a description of
the era in which I have made interpretations and observations.”
“Through my expression, I try to deal with difficult-to-define feelings and experiences related to
humanity and psychological complexity. The paintings primarily depict the inner worlds, identity,
and psyche of the characters. The energetic painterly nature of the works, and the dialogue of
colours combined with the figurative images aim to bring out human consciousness as well as the
presence of mental states and the subconscious. I am interested in studying and describing many
simultaneous internal and external phenomena in people condensed into a single ‘moment’. Within
a moment, several moments can be layered on top of each other, and time is not linear.”
The painting Transcription 87 (Erased) To the memory of indigenous victims of residential schools,
2022, comments on the past treatment of indigenous peoples. (Erased) is a reminder from the
period when the children of indigenous peoples were forced into dominant cultures, i.e. assimilation
was carried out in order to integrate by very unethical means in different countries. For example,
year after year in Canada, indigenous children were taken from their parents and forced into these
prison-like schools. I also want to highlight the inadequacy of decolonization and lack of
understanding of how to protect the last cultures and regions where indigenous peoples still live. For
example, the new Mining Act, which is currently under consideration in Finland, does not take
enough account of the special significance of the protection of Sámi lands. The homeland of the
Sámi people has not been demarcated outside of the activities according to the Mining Act.
Sirpa Särkijärvi (b. 1974) graduated from the Turku School of Fine Arts in 1997. After graduating, she
has participated in numerous group exhibitions and held solo exhibitions regularly. The last private
exhibition was in June and July at the Joseph Nease Gallery in Minnesota. Her works have been
exhibited at the Turku Art Museum, Wäinö Aaltonen Museum of Art, Rovaniemi Art Museum, and
the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Kansas City, Missouri, USA. Särkijärvi’s works are
included in the collections of the Wäinö Aaltonen Museum of Art, the Turku and Tampere Art
Museums, the Malmö Art Museum, and the Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation, among others. She
lives and works in Turku.