Riitta Nelimarkka
“A little wooly work which
is both entity and relationship,
both substance and method, both material and putting in question. The centre of everything.”
Meet the artist
Welcome to the world of brilliant colors, freely flowing figures and gentle, intelligent irony of Professor Riitta Nelimarkka. Regardless of the form her art takes – whether it’s paintings, photomontages, woolen reliefs, books, glass art or animated films – the artist has always chosen her very own, unique path.
Riitta Nelimarkka has studied painting in Paris and Helsinki, animation film in Stockholm and piano performance at the Sibelius Academy, Helsinki. She has a doctorate degree in the arts DA (Aalto University Helsinki) and she has received the Honorary title Professor from the president of Finland.
”My art emerges from real life, reflecting its joys and sorrows, conflicts and shocks, its normality and its chain of coincidences. I use parallels drawn from literature, film and music, but it’s always the personal experience which wins the process,” the artist reflects.
During the years Nelimarkka has had numerous large exhibitions from Los Angeles and Bruxelles to Stockholm, Monaco, Moscow and Lima. Many of Riitta Nelimarkka´s big art works have found homes abroad, especially in Finnish embassies and consulates in several cities all around the world. A remarkable work is the huge, 13-meter art textile Con Calore I – II commissioned for Mäntyniemi, the official residence of the President of Finland.
Riitta Nelimarkka resides in Helsinki, Finland. She swims all year round, no matter how cold the water in the sea is, and has a hunting license. She loves yoga and never underestimates the power of a good laugh. ”I work every day but I also party every day in some way or another. Life can be tough and raw, but there’s no point in wallowing in it,” she ponders.
CV
EDUCATION
2001 Doctor of Art (DA) / The University of Art and Design Helsinki (UIAH)
2000 Self Portrait, Elise’s Dissertation Variation of a Variation (pdf)
1998 Master of Art (MA)
1972 Graduate Art Teacher
1958 – 1967 Studies in Sibelius Academy Helsinki
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2024 Gallery Naeil / Seoul, South Korea
2024 Montserrat Contemporary Art / New York
2024 Anima Mundi – Visions / Venice
2024 Jelmoni Gallery / Milano
2023 Art Center Salmela / Vuohijärvi, Finland
2023 Spazio Tadini museum / Milan, Italy
2023 Monteoliveto Gallery / Paris, France
2022 Art Pappila / Sastamala, Finland
2022 Nelimarkka Museum / Alajärvi, Finland
2022 Rome international Art Fair / Rome, Italy
2022 Dacia gallery / New York
2021 Florence Biennale, Italy
2021 MyMicroGallery / Milan, Italy
2021 Camden Image Gallery / London, UK
2021 MyMicroGallery – V I R T U A L
2021 Santa Eufemia Gallery / Venice, Italy
2020 – 2021 Helsinki Music Centre (Musiikkitalo) / Finland
2020 Galerie M Beck / Homburg + Durbach, Germany
2020 Camden Image Gallery / London, UK
2020 Erkkola / Tuusula, Finland
2020 Amsterdam Whitney / New York, USA
2019 Florence XII International Biennale of Contemporary Art / Florence, Italy
2019 Kimmo Pyykkö Art Museum / Kangasala, Finland
2016 Preludes, a video visualization for Debussy’s Preludes concert at the Helsinki Music Centre, together with RSO and Hannu Lintu
2015 Elise & 7 petits frères / Institut Français de Finlande
2011 Les Sept frères / Bruxelles Anima festival, Berlin Film market
& Meknes film festival
2011 International Polo Tournament, Klosters
2010 An international art project sponsored by prince Albert / Monaco
2000 Hannover World Exhibition
During years, Nelimarkka has also had major museum exhibitions at venues including Amos Anderson Art Museum, Helsinki; Wäinö Aaltonen museum, Turku; Kunsthalle Helsinki; Onni Museum Joensuu, Hallwyl Museum, Stockholm; Museo de la Nacion, Lima; the Russian Academy of Arts’ Tsereteli Art Gallery, Moscow; FIDM Museum, Los Angeles and Maison de l’Europe, Paris.
WORKS IN COLLECTIONS
Riitta Nelimarkka’s works are in numerous public and private and collections, including Tampere Art Museum; Onni Museum, Joensuu; Ari Tolppanen collection; Timo Miettinen collection; French Institute in Finland; Hallwyl Museum, Stockholm; FIDM museum Los Angeles; Seoul Design centre South Korea – and Finland’s embassies in e.g. Brussels, Tokyo and Mexico City.
TITLES OF HONOR AND PRIZES
2021 Florence Biennale / Premio Lorenzo il Magnifico – arte tessile quinto premio, for the large wool sculpture relief My Very Determined Grandma
2016 The distinction of Officier des Arts et Lettres,
awarded by the Order of France
2016 Honorary membership of the Aleksis Kivi Society
2014 Animation Hero Award / Animation Clinic
2011 Animation film 7 Brothers II, Grand Prize, Yerevan International Film Festival
2008 The honorary title Professor awarded by the President of the Republic of Finland
Throughout her versatile career Riitta Nelimarkka has received multiple other awards such as the Risto Jarva prize of the Finnish Film Foundation in 1985, Jury’s Special prize at Giffony, Italy in 1980. Made several films, f.i. the first feature animation of Finland, 7 Brothers, chosen by ASIFA (International Animated Film Association) the one of the best animations in Europe 1980. The Jussi honorary award (the Finnish “Oscar”) in 1979, honorary award by the Union of Finnish Critics in 1974 and the State quality award for motion pictures in 1972, 1973 and 1979.
SELECTED BOOKS AND FILMS
Riitta Nelimarkka has published numerous art, poetry, non-fiction and children’s books. Among others Apollon & Heloise (2023), Suun & silmäin iloja – Ravissements culinaires & artistiques (w. Jarmo Kehusmaa 2022), Antti & Neles (2019), ELISE´S WORLD (2014), Seitsemän Veljestä (2009), Elisen epämuistelmat/Elise´s unmemoires (2008), Self portrait : Elise’s dissertation: variation of a variation (2000), Babylonia (rewarded in Bologna and in Brno 1992), Karmelian ABC (rewarded in Bologna 1990), Sammon ryöstö (rewarded e.g. by the Finnish Society of Kalevala 1974).
Nelimarkka has made numerous films, many of which with Jaakko Seeck. To mention a few, Eero Nelimarkka – per aspera ad astra (documentary 2017), The Birth of Rabula (musical animation of creation 1995), Seitsemän veljestä – The Seven Brothers (the first Finnish full-length animated film, w. Jaakko Seeck 1979), Piispa Henrik ja Lalli (short animation 1975), Bagatelles op. 1 – 13 (semi-sad human fates in the nut shell 1972-1974), Sammon tarina (animation series, based on the Finnish national epic Kalevala 1972-1974).
