HASSUNA EXHIBITION IN AN OLD STONE BARN

Riitta Nelimarkka’s exhibition Hassuna (engl. “As funny”) was showcased in an old stone barn at Art Pappila in Sastamala, Finland, during the summer of 2022.

The exhibition’s name, Hassuna, referred to an ancient city in Mesopotamia (circa 6000 BCE). The name also captured the spirit of the enchantingly color–rich exhibition. “The more dire the state of life and the world in general, the more important it is to find joy. Otherwise, we face spiritual ruin,” Nelimarkka summarizes.

Art critic and non–fiction author Timo Valjakka gave the opening speech for the exhibition, where he, among other things, analyzed Riitta’s working methods and talked about her sources of inspiration and connections to art history.

Despite the profusion of influences, one very personal one seems to endure: “My father would never succumb to wearing black shoes,” Riitta Nelimarkka says. “He was constantly reminding me about the diversity of the world. So why should I follow in existing footsteps?” 

Nelimarkka’s art is cheerful and sunny, in fact sunnier than we know life actually to be. A closer look does reveal darker tones and fractured furrows beneath the brightly coloured surfaces. ‘I am an idealist, and I don’t want to give in,’ Nelimarkka says. Pain exists, but you don’t have to work on everything through pain.“