‘Helsinki School – The Nature of Being’ group shows in Berlin and Fotografisk Copenhagen

The Helsinki School, representing a selected group of photographers from Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture, opens two group exhibitions based on the latest book publication ‘The Nature of Being’, the Helsinki School series volume 6 by Hatje Cantz. 

As a part of CHART Art Fair, Persons Projects represents several female Helsinki School artists 28 – 30 August at the Fotografisk Copenhagen. CHART Art Fair is the leading contemporary art fair in the Nordics, showing in its 2020 edition only women artists from the participating galleries. Persons Projects will show a further selection of works from ‘The Nature of Being’ 27 June – 5 September in both of their spaces Lindenstr. 34 and 35 in Berlin. 

The exhibition focuses on how selected artists from the Helsinki School use their internal compass to intrinsically measure and guide their perspective in interpreting the landscape they live in. Historically, Nordic culture abides by the power generated by the changing of the four seasons. Each of these natural time periods either by its wrath or grace, notches its mark upon its passing, leaving a reminder in its wake of how fragile our human presence is within it.

The exhibition explores the nature of a landscape by conceptualizing it from an internal perspective based upon our sensibilities. In other words, how to visualize and define nature beyond the physical world of animals, plants and sunsets by using those essential qualities that characterize who we are. This is most evident in the works of Elina Brotherus, Ulla Jokisalo, Janne Lehtinen, Ville Lenkkeri, Anni Leppälä and Jari Silomäki, who create situations where the images reflect a specific attitude or emotional condition that’s somehow universal for all of us. On the other hand, Sanna Kannisto, Sandra Kantanen, Riitta Päiväläinen and Jorma Puranen focus their themes on a more poetic interpretation, by using the natural elements to compose moments for self-reflection on where the human condition is within it. Yet all share a common thread with Eeva Karhu, Jyrki Parantainen and Santeri Tuori, whose works measure time passage by how we collect, layer or move through it. Joined together all of these selected artists share a notional approach in how to photographically capture those complex emotional attributes that determine what our personal natures look like. 

The accompanying exhibition A Fresh Breeze from the North! Images of Nature in the Helsinki School at Kunsthalle St. Annen in Lübeck features some of these artists as well and takes place until July 26 2020.

Helsinki School – The Nature of Being

Berlin Lindenstr. 34 and 35
Opening: 27 June 2020, 12 – 8pm
Exhibition: 27 June – 5 September 2020

Fotografisk Copenhagen / CHART Art Fair
28 – 30 August 2020