Finnish naïve art has a long-standing tradition, and its artists are well organized. To raise awareness of naïve art, promote the work opportunities of artists, and encourage exhibition activity—while also aiming to be more international—the nonprofit association Finnish Naivists (Suomen Naivistit Ry) was founded in 2012. The association currently includes 36 leading naïve artists from across the country, with 26 of them exhibiting nearly a hundred works now on display at the Jakobi Gallery in Tartu.
Finnish naïve art stands out distinctly from that of the rest of the world. It is typical for Finns to depict animals handling human affairs. Winter seems colder, and the white summer nights longer. Urban landscapes are much rarer than scenes of nature. It is certainly a form of art that does not require deep contemplation—the stories are either everyday or fairy-tale-like. The images are timeless, seeking and offering hope and joy for life. The artists firmly believe that their art has a healing effect, possibly even releasing happiness hormones. This is supported by audience feedback as well as commercial success. According to the association’s members, their work holds meaning not only for the artists themselves but also for the public, who return to their exhibitions year after year.
Artists exhibiting at the Jakobi Gallery: Kia-Maria Aho, Kaarina Alsta, Sirpa Hammar, Marja-Muusa Hämäläinen, Stig Jansson, Maija Kanerva, Ritva Korhonen, Pirjo Laaksonlaita, Kyllikki Lahtinen, Matti Laine, Minna Lehväslaiho, Esa Leppänen, Anna Luostarinen, Talvikki Lusa, Salla Lylynoja, Hilla Löytynoja, Luciana Mariano, Markku Mäki, Virve Niemi, Raija Nokkala, Kikka Nyrén, Marjaana Orkoneva, Marja-Leena Pulkkinen, Tarja Rinta, Pirkko Pullinen-Valtonen ja Aimo Vuorinen.
The exhibition is supported by the Finnish-Estonian Cultural Fund.
