BY THE RIVER 5 – HOMMAGE À MAIRE GULLICHSEN

PRESS RELEASE

The annual By the River exhibitions at the Pori Art Museum aim to explore the current state of contemporary art through diverse themes. In 1987, the museum has a special reason to dedicate the By the River exhibition to showcasing contemporary Finnish art, as it celebrates the 80th birthday of Professor Maire Gullichsen, the museum’s founding donor.

The exhibition features artists already closely associated with the museum’s collection, as well as a number of younger painters and sculptors who are investigators of color and form. This intergenerational dialogue provides a fresh perspective on the segment of Finnish art that Maire Gullichsen has consistently supported over several decades.

In addition to works from the museum’s collection, the exhibition includes pieces by the following artists:

Martti Aiha, Sakari Alanen, Tor Arne, Juhana Blomstedt, Kari Cavén, Carolus Enckell, Jorma Hautala, Matti Kujasalo, Lauri Laine, Ernst Mether-Borgström, Lars-Gunnar Nordström, Paul Osipow, Mari Rantanen, Silja Rantanen, Raili Tang, Kain Tapper, Timo Valjakka, Sam Vanni, and Reijo Viljanen.

The exhibition also extends beyond the museum walls. In honor of Maire Gullichsen’s birthday, sculptor Harry Kivijärvi’s gray granite work Lokki (Seagull) will be unveiled on June 17, 1987. The acquisition of the sculpture was made possible through a public fundraising campaign organized by the City of Pori and local art associations.

Exhibition planning team: Hilkka Kuusijärvi, Ben af Schultén, and Marketta Seppälä.