Many, who have lived on the shores of the Baltic Sea or otherwise spent time remember decades ago how the sea water was clear and through it could be seen to the bottom. Nowadays, you can’t see much deeper than the surface in the Baltic Sea. How we treat nature is often equal to how we treat ourselves, as well as everything living – including other people. In the invisible depths of the subconscious, a lot of things accumulate during human life that we are not aware of, unless for some reason they have to be brought up separately. Our subconscious mind is like the Baltic Sea, under the surface of which huge amounts of different things have accumulated over time.
The Under the surface exhibition features the views of a total of sixteen artists from three countries, with discoveries emerging from different depths beneath the surface, presented through various means of art. Paintings, sculptures and media art are included. The exhibition is a co-production of the Helsinki Artists’ Association, the Estonian Painters’ Association and the Lithuanian Artists’ Association.
Artists:
Ilai Elias Lehto, Kirsi Kivivirta, Marjukka Korhonen, Siina Levonoja, Tiia Matikainen (Finland)
Liisi Eelmaa, Elis Saareväli, Angela Soop, Edgar Tedresaar, Alar Tuul, (Estonia)
Eglė Ganda Bogdanienė and Jolanta Vazalinskienė, Patricija Gilytė, Agnė Jonkutė, Julija Pociūtė, Lolita Tučinskaitė (Lithuania).
Curated by Satu Kalliokuusi (FI), Eeva Muona (FI), Tiiu Rebane (EE) and Evelina Januškaitė (LT).
This exhibition is the beginning of a three-year collaboration between three countries, which will be developed in the future to convey diverse know-how. Export, exchange and brokering activities in the visual arts include residencies, symposia, seminars and workshops in three countries in addition to exhibitions.
John Nurminen Foundation – The Foundation has been awarded for its work as a conveyor of culture and producer of marine content.
At the same time, in the summer months, the John Nurminen Foundation is implementing an exhibition called The Unknown Baltic Sea in the Suomenlinna Record Hall. Other events, such as workshops, have also been planned in the implementation of which the Helsinki Artists’ Association is involved. The exhibition, through art and science, draws attention to a valuable issue called the Baltic Sea, which must now be saved. The Under the Surface exhibition is also an independent part of the Unknown Baltic Sea entity.
N.b. The Under the surface exhibition is part of the Art Fair Suomi Goes Galleries festival. Art Fair Suomi invites the public to enjoy art in the gallery spaces of the festival, which will be held on June 6–18, 2023, across Finland. In total, there are 28 participating galleries from 12 locations.
