11th International Cairo Biennale

Born 1976, lives and works in Helsinki.

Own Experiences / General Observations

I use myself as the research method in my art. Analysing my own feelings, shame, and painful experiences, I rework them into an image which I then endow with general references and symbols that hopefully make the work intelligible and functional also at a general level.
I often combine my own experiences with my general observations in the same work. This juxtaposition results in a lightening effect and creates a humorous conflict between the actual subject matter and the surface structure of the work.
Even if my characters are, to some extent, self-portraits, painted and reanimated with the help of a mirror, they are also fuzzy investigations into the ideas about value and beauty that prevail in our society. At times, these characters also address the issues of sex and equality using black humour. This kind of coating the work with humour is essentially the only way for an artist - me at any rate - to translate her difficult experiences into a form that gives them a more universally applicable contexts and distances them from her self and private life to a sufficient extent.
One important theme in my work is challenging conventional gender roles and sexual stereotypes in a way that results in a complete reversal of male and female roles. I am also interested in the animality of human beings, the way they adopt behavioural patterns, intuitive gestures, and facial expressions characteristic of the animal world. Yet another theme of my work is the shame and embarrassment that still accompany erotic fantasies and sexuality. Finally, my work is about power, the all-pervading, problematic component of every human relationship.
My portrayal of women is, admittedly, somewhat grotesque. While painting, I make use of a small mirror, which makes it impossible to capture my complete reflection on the canvas at the same time. Instead, the image is shattered into a quantity of details that are not brought together until the work is finished. Because of this approach, the dimensions of my objects are often distorted and a certain kind of exaggeration is especially well articulated.

The titles are an integral part of my works and vital as to their contents, elucidating my intention and emphasising the message. The distinctive irony that is peculiar to my art is ultimately clarified by the titles.
For the most part, I work with the traditional media of drawing and painting. On a personal level, I consider this craftsmanship involved in my work very important, as in today's society, effectiveness and productivity appear to be only acceptable way of doing things. My hope is that by repeatedly exposing myself to my own inquiring gaze, I will at some point be able to capture something essential about human nature and humanity.