Gangsters and gods, 2025

Oil on canvas 

My work “Gangsters and Gods” takes us into a world of contradictions where the main character of the story tries to deal with her dark sides and father issues. Humor and drama are at the heart of the work and are dressed in strong, bright colors.

The god-like figure emerging from cigarette smoke, haunting the woman’s shoulder, represents a kind of superego or even the voice of her deceased father. The burning tree in the background is both a family tree and a carved by lovers. 

The sun flowers refer to the male geniuses of art history. In my painting, the hero is a woman, an autobiographical self-portrait. Femininity is often associated with the idea of harmony, gentle smile, and taking care of others. The female figure in my work is presented as genuine, strong, broken hearted, problematic, and yet girlish.

The work was on display in Kuvan Kevät Master’s Degree Show 17.5.–15.6. in the KuvaTila gallery of the Academy of Fine Arts in Helsinki.