This series highlights Finnish sculptures in their own paintings, all interconnected by blue abstract lines. Each painting is also accompanied by removable magnetic 3D components (not shown) that playfully interact with the painted subject matter. The goal is kitschy, ironically ugly, and bright, it brings new life to the solemn statues and allows me to add a little bit of myself. The artists represented include Walter Runeberg, Eemil Halonen, Emil Wikström, Carl Eneas Sjöstrand, and one unknown sculptor. This body is not yet completed and will include a total of nine original paintings, see below two more additions to the body.

These two pieces are included in the same body of work as the above five-part series. The pink and orange piece is a nod to the woman at the base of Elias Lönnrot's monument, sculpted by Emil Wikström. She represents the songs of the Kalevala. The blue and teal piece depicts the goddess of art (specifically painting) that is present as a caryatid on the façade of the Ateneum, Finland's national gallery in Helsinki. She is one of four. 

Finn is a painting that references the wood carving Tyttö (Finnish), Flicka (Swedish), or Girl by Eemil Halonen circa 1908. The color palette of the piece is meant to evoke nostalgia and compliment the wood tones of the muse. Tyttö was made during a phase of Halonen’s life when he would use Finnish wood, to carve the likeness of Finnish commoners. To me, she is the allegorical Finn; modeled from a product of the land, she epitomizes “Finnish roots.” She is placed in front of the Finnish sky and to me represents Finnish pride in the most Finnish way possible; solemnly, silently, and sternly.

Acrylic on canvas 3'x2'

Saint Lucia is a painting of the Italian martyr from 4th century Sicily with the same namesake. Due to Christianity’s impact in Scandinavia, Saint Lucia Day is a popular holiday in Sweden, celebrated on December 13th. I depict the Saint in a rather gruesome way, a disembodied skull, as multiple times throughout history her head has been separated from the rest of her body; including theft in 1981 where only her skull was left behind. 

Acrylic on canvas 3'x4'

The Vasa was a ship that sank on August 10th, 1628. It sat at the bottom of the Stockholm harbor for 333 years. The vessel was recovered in 1961 and now resides in a Stockholm museum.