The abundance of decorative elements and the mass production-like essence of the digitally printed fabrics highlight the “superficial” nature of the fabrics. The watercolor paintings provide a contrast to them as they, through their fragility, remind us of the uniqueness and sensitivity of an image, all the while using the same visual language as the digitally printed fabrics. The fabrics and paintings are a sort of hybrid in which different production methods and materials contrast and blend with each other, making the concept of decoration a theme of the images as such.
Through the works, I explore the blurred boundary of the traditional “decoration vs. art” division and how an image can be read in many ways depending on its intended use, material and form. What happens when an image is printed on fabric in relation to the original watercolor?
The decorative surface of the fabrics in relation to the paintings offers exhibition visitors an opportunity to dive into different dimensions and eliminate some of the boundaries built in the visual culture.
The exhibition has been supported by the Finnish Cultural Foundation.
Mikko Luostarinen (b. 1993) has a Master of Arts degree from the Academy of Fine Arts. Luostarinen mainly works with watercolors and textile design. He has had solo exhibitions, for example, at Project Room in Helsinki, Galleria Uusikuva in Kotka and Galleria Ars Libera in Kuopio. He has also taken part in several group exhibitions in Finland and abroad. From 2016 to 2017, Luostarinen spent a year in Japan as an exchange student at the University of Tsukuba.
Mikko Luostarinen
mikkoluostarinen.wordpress.com
