MERJA SALONEN DI GIORGIO

Merja Salonen Di Giorgio is a painter who explores the layeredness of history and the traces left by humans in our cultural heritage. Roihupelto–Pompeii is a series of paintings featuring two places that hold personal significance for the artist: a 1970s semi-industrial precinct in east Helsinki and the ancient city of Pompeii on the slopes of Mt. Vesuvius. The paintings were inspired by the dialogue emerging between these two places which, upon closer examination, have surprisingly much in common. Salonen Di Giorgio examines her theme through the lens of loss, from a future perspective – looking back after irreversible change and destruction have already occurred. The text is authored by architect and visual artist Anu Kaisa Koponen, who reflects on the connections between the paintings and architecture. Her essay is accompanied by art historian Synnöve Malmström’s interview with the artist, which takes an in-depth look at how the paintings came into being.