by Rita Vargas
18.10. – 3.11.2024
Opening/Avajaiset 17th of October 18.00 – 20.00

Embedded within the artist’s professional journey and cultural upbringing lies a profound connection to the aesthetics of the Italian, Portuguese, French, and Dutch Renaissance. This rich tapestry of influence, further enriched by diverse cultural encounters, including immersion in Japanese traditions and fifteen years residing in Finland, forms the foundation of the artist’s expression. The artist’s work serves as a conduit for nostalgia, drawing viewers into a realm where classicism in art intertwines with echoes of childhood memories, intimacy, motherhood, and responses to trauma stemming from abandonment and loss.

Guided by revered masters like Dürer, Rubens, and Van Dyck, the artist seeks familiarity while simultaneously assimilating into the Finnish cultural landscape where she creates and resides. When searching for meaningful reminders of Portuguese identity, there’s a deliberate shift towards a universal perspective—an exploration of the fragility of our shared natural resources. This exploration is inspired by the artist’s creative pilgrimage, which leads to the Iberian Atlantic coastline, particularly the Southwest Portuguese landscape, revisited every two to three years alongside her son. This region, a natural reserve, hosts unique plant species and holds sentimental significance as her family owns a parcel of land there. Within this familial enclave, generations gather in a house built from shared resources, embodying continuity across time.
This continuity becomes an incessant search. Herein lies the heart of the artist’s process: the gathering of small plants from the surroundings, transported back to Finland where they undergo an alchemical transformation. Through meticulous etching techniques, these botanical specimens find permanence on copper plates, immortalized through print. This ritual serves as a poignant link to family roots, fostering connection amidst physical distance.

The convergence of classical influence and nature representation has been a steadfast motif throughout the artist’s practice over the past fifteen years, a testament to the enduring resonance of her creative journey.