Anu Tuomi, b. 1950, grew up in a working-class home and graduated as an artist in the strongly political era of the 1970s. In the 1970s, Tuomi’s art was stylistically influenced by Social Realism. Tuomi did not portray workers in an idealised manner, but her style was rather realistic and compassionate. Expressive and perceptive portraits took central stage in Tuomi’s early career.
During the 1980s, Tuomi’s focus shifted towards depicting phenomena in the surrounding nature based on direct observation. Eventually she moved onto depicting the ways in which we experience and see nature, and colours repeated in nature. Since the start of her career, Tuomi has been defined as a colourist. Tuomi’s interest in colour has manifested itself throughout her career as an active research into colour and an inexhaustible source of artistic inspiration.
In the 1990s and 2000s, Tuomi’s art became increasingly abstract, often taking colour perception as a starting point. Tuomi frequently used natural materials in her works and tested the boundaries of painting by breaking the conventional methods and forms of expression. The paintings turned into large installations and works of art climbing along walls or spilling onto floors. In the 2010s, the artist began to increasingly use textiles, rug wefts and yarns alongside acrylic painting. A number of Tuomi’s abstract works ended up being highly self-biographical through her use of recycled textiles that had once belonged to her family.
In addition to her long career as an artist, Tuomi has worked as a teacher at the Turku School of Fine Arts and later as Principal Teacher of Visual Arts at the Arts Academy of Turku University of Applied Sciences. She has also been very active in the art scene of Turku as an influencer and member of ARTE Association. She was also involved in establishing ARTE Association’s Joe’s and Titanik galleries.
The exhibition was curated by Exhibitions Curator Maria Huokkola.
