Kuvan Kevät 2021 starts on 12 May
Kuvan Kevät, the annual master’s degree show of the Academy of Fine Arts, will once again be organised at the end of the spring term. This is the second time the exhibition takes place during the COVID-19 pandemic, and this year the visitors can come and see the exhibited works in one of our gallery spaces or enjoy a virtual tour of the exhibition in our online gallery.
Kuvan Kevät introduces works by 46 visual artists who are about to graduate from the Academy of Fine Arts of the University of the Arts Helsinki. The exhibition features artworks by students from each of the four subject areas of the Academy of Fine Arts: painting, sculpture, printmaking, and time and space arts.
“Compared to the past few years, this year’s exhibition includes fewer paintings. On the other hand, there is an abundance of sculptures and spatial art”, says Sakari Tervo, Lecturer in Exhibition Studies.
Materiality and working with one’s own hands are prominently featured in the exhibition. Ecological topics are also an important theme, but instead of overtly expressing their views, the artists have allowed nature to take centre stage in their works.
Preparations for the exhibition have been underway for the entire year in the shadow of the pandemic. The opening of the exhibition and its closing date were postponed by one week to give the artists an opportunity to hang their artworks under safe conditions. Fortunately, thanks to the restrictions that came into effect earlier in the spring, the anguish caused by the pandemic has gradually subsided both in Helsinki and the entire metropolitan area, and we are delighted to be able to open the exhibition to the public.
The exhibition is organised in three galleries in the centre of Helsinki. Exhibition Laboratory and Project Room are the regular galleries of the Academy of Fine Arts, and a temporary gallery space has been set up next to the Exhibition Laboratory. You can also visit the exhibition in a virtual environment: an online gallery will be launched soon after the opening of the exhibition.
Exhibition Laboratory will permanently close its doors after Kuvan Kevät. The forthcoming exhibitions of the Academy of Fine Arts will be organised in the new premises of Uniarts Helsinki on Sörnäisten rantatie. Occupying nearly 750 square metres of space on the ground floor of the building, the new gallery space is versatile and full of light.
“This year’s Kuvan Kevät will be the last exhibition organised in Merikortteli. Because of the upcoming relocation, we were able to make some changes to the high gallery space of the Exhibition Laboratory. This will surely take the audience by surprise”, says Tervo.
The inaugural exhibition of the Merikortteli gallery, “Kesken kaiken”, was curated by Professor Maaretta Jaukkuri in 2013. The gallery was initially called Kuva/Tila, and it soon became known as a venue for new art. During its seven years of operation, the gallery has hosted many exhibitions, public lectures, and other events.
The artists at Kuvan Kevät 2021:
Miina Aho, Timo Aho, Riikka Anttonen, Aino Autere, Miia Autio, Anna Bredenberg, Ignata Elana, Maija Fox, Paola Fernanda Guzmán Figueroa, Natalie Hamada, Taru Happonen, Sjors Hoogerdijk, Shirin Hotta, Einari Hyvönen, Essi Immonen, Jari Kallio, Veera Kopsala, Joni Kärkkäinen, Amanda Lono, Zagros Manuchar, Aleksi Martikainen, Anna Matveinen, Kristiina Mäenpää, Jenni Niskala, Elina Nissinen, Mikko Paakkonen, Arvid van der Rijt, Anne Roininen, Pavel Rotts, Oskari Ruuska, Kerttu Saali, Niko E. Saari, Verneri Salonen, Inari Sandell, Nora Sederlöf, Eetu Sihvonen, Aino Sinda, Saimi Suikkanen, Pekka T., Anssi Taulu, Nils Titus, Jere Vainio, Lasse Vairio, Valo Vairio, Jade Vesto, Man Yau
There will be no opening reception due to the pandemic. If the situation improves, we will organise events for small groups during the exhibition with due attention to health and safety considerations.
Kuvan Kevät – The master’s degree show of the Academy of Fine Arts 12/5–6/6/2021
Exhibition Laboratory, Merimiehenkatu 36 B & 36 C, 00150 Helsinki
Project Room, Lönnrotinkatu 35, 00180 Helsinki
Open from Tuesday to Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Free admission.
We recommend that you check the current COVID-19 restrictions on the exhibition website before your visit.
Read more about the exhibition, artists, and programme at www.kuvankevat.fi