EXPRESSIONISTS FROM THE 1940S

PRESS RELEASE

On January 13th, an exhibition on Finnish expressionism in the 1940s opened at the Pori Art Museum. Part of the The Fine Arts Academy of Finland’s touring exhibition series, the display features works by 16 artists, including painters such as Helge Dahlman, Sven Grönvall, Aimo Kanerva, Unto Koistinen, Åke Mattas, and Yrjö Saarinen, as well as sculptors Oskari Jauhiainen, Sakari Tohka, and Aimo Tukiainen.

The art of the 1940s represents an intriguing chapter in Finnish art history. Despite the mental fatigue and material scarcity brought by the war, a strong spirit of innovation emerged. Two prominent artistic currents can be identified from this period: classicism, increasingly defined by Unto Pusa, and French-inspired colorism, exemplified by artists like Sam Vanni; and expressionism, which emphasized the primacy of emotional experience.

The expressionism of the 1940s ranges from the colorful and painterly richness of Yrjö Saarinen to the more structured approach seen in the works of Erik Enroth. In sculpture, expressionism did not gain significant traction, and the output of sculptors in general remained relatively sparse during the decade. A notable exception is Aimo Tukiainen, whose works directly reflect the harsh realities of the era. Three of his sculptures are included in the exhibition.

Overall, the innovative movements of the 1940s were characterized by a renewed interest in European modernist influences after a long period of isolation.

As noted in the foreword by Soili Sinisalo, the exhibition does not aim to provide a comprehensive overview of the expressionism of the 1940s. Instead, it seeks to illuminate the defining features of this artistic direction within Finnish art.