JUKKA RUSANEN (born 1980) says that he “drifted” into being an artist through his attendance at children’s art schools, an art-oriented high school, the Turku School of Fine Arts and the Arts Academy. He has worked as an independent artist since 2007. His works are included in the collections of the Sara Hildén Art Museum and the Helsinki Art Museum.

Rusanen works mainly with oil paints and describes himself as a searching type. “It’s difficult to find a specific work method, a method that would meet my needs year after year. That’s why I rely on my feelings so much. I also have to rely on coincidence in order to find the right meaning and work method,” he says. “In addition to oil paintings, I have done video works, but they have also had the thought of painting behind them.”

Rusanen’s works mix images and momentariness. “Recently I haven’t restricted the theme, but rather done gesture paintings, intuitive gestures. My aim has been to get rid of the original images so that the use of the color and method was enough. The viewer can find a reference in the pictures or look at the picture without a reference.”

“As a general rule, I do three sets of works when I prepare for an exhibition,” Rusanen explains. “I reject the first ones, the second ones are getting there and the last ones are used in the exhibition. I create the final works in a couple of months before the exhibition. Although I hope that the situation changes in the future,” he laughs.

The cooperation between Rusanen and Gallery Kalhama & Piippo Contemporary has been going on for quite some time now. The exhibition held from November to January is Rusanen’s second personal exhibition at Kalhama & Piippo. The exhibition includes one video work as well as paintings that interact with the video.

“Gestures are important in these paintings as well. I have also thought about a painting being touched and the presence of the artist through the works.” †

 

 

 

Jukka Rusanen: Eject, 18 October 2011 – 8 January 2012. Gallery Kalhama & Piippo Contemporary, Bulevardi 10, 00120 Helsinki. www.kalhamapiippo.fi

Text Heini Lehtinen

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