Paavo halonen

Bio / Curriclum Vitae Paavo Halonen

Väinölänkatu 17 B 17 00610 Helsinki +358456302052,

paavohalonen@gmail.com

paavohalonen.com

Photo by: Elina Simonen

 

I am a contemporary artist and designer based in Helsinki, Finland. Originally, I come from a small rural municipality of Enonkoski, located in Southern Savonia. My eastern Finnish origins appear in the materials I use, as I apply what I find from the forests and lakefronts of my homestead surroundings. Sometimes objects, elements or components lay forgotten in the corner of the woodshed, until picked up and becoming a part of my creative process. Even though I return to these intimate and safe environments, I filter my works through diverse and versatile cultural layers as well, and in the recent years I have spent long terms e.g. in Vietnam, Hong Kong, Paris and Tatarstan. Thus, in my works a feather from Hanoi easily merges with the crane downs found from Finnish marshlands.

 

I studied visual arts first in Savonlinna Senior Secondary School of Art and Music, and continued my studies in Turku Arts Academy. From the teachers who came across, Ismo Kajander made a big impression.  Since then I have educated myself in e.g. glassblowing, lithography, woodcutting and gilding. Many times, the best training has resulted from practice. For instance, designing patterns for the Finnish lifestyle brand Marimekko, visualizing books and arranging photo shoots have brought new dimensions to my creative practice.

 

As an artist, I am simultaneously fast and slow, thoughtful and impatient. Sometimes the materials that end up in my works have been with me years before finding their right place. On the other hand, works may come into existence fast when building an exhibition, at times when the mind is open and responds to external stimulation without hesitations.

 

When creating exhibitions, I look for exhilarating spaces and aim to create entities that stir from features of the space and complement its characteristics. I gladly present my work also in places, that are not usually considered as exhibition spaces. Occasionally, materials found from the space itself turn into works that create connections and ties between the exhibition being built and the current place. It is a creative and adaptive process, a venture.

 

The list below introduces a selection of exhibitions that I personally find meaningful and significant, including exhibitions, collaborations, performances and print art.

 

To explore my works further, please visit paavohalonen.com

 

Selected exhibitions, collaborations and performances:

2018 Sideways music festival. Helsinki, Finland.

2018 Vieno Motors performance. Stereoleto festival. Saint Petersburg, Russia.

2018 Photographs by Elina Simonen, displaying my pattern art for Marimekko. Hotel Punkaharju.  Punkaharju, Finland.

2018 Display of original sketches and ready products for Marimekko. Australia.

2018 – 2015. Paris Fashion Week. Pattern designs for garments part of Marimekko fashion shows.

2018 Lusto, the Finnish Forest Museum. Punkaharju, Finland.

2018 Art and Museum Centre Sinkka. Kerava, Finland.

2017 Gallery GGG (ginza graphic gallery). Tokio, Japan.

2017 Gallery Sculptor. Helsinki, Finland.

2017 Vieno Motors performances in Villa Lante, Rome, Italy.

2017 Several Vieno Motors performances in Finland.

2017 Kuriiri-pattern design for art fabrics and products. Commissioned work for Ars17 exhibition held in the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma, Helsinki, Finland. Collaboration between Marimekko and Kiasma.

2017 Ararat. Gallery Vanha Kauppalaisentalo. Porvoo, Finland.

2016 ARTag Gallery, Helsinki, Finland.

2015 Valtio+, Kakola (former The Kakola Central Prison) Turku, Finland.

2015 Haihatus Art Center. Joutsa, Finland.

2015 Gallery Titanik. Turku, Finland.

2015 Several Vieno motors performanes, e.g. the grand opening of Helsinki Art Museum

2014 Forum Box gallery. Helsinki, Finland.

2014 Cultural Kitchen. Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

2014 Yhdeksän elämän museo, Vieno motors performance. Sinne gallery. Helsinki, Finland.

2013 Unisieppari. Vihreä Makasiini. Lappeenranta, Finland.


2012 Söderskär’s Lighthouse. Söderskär island, Finland. 


2011 Kluuvi gallery. Helsinki, Finland.

2010 Enonkoski locality museum (Enonkosken kotiseutumuseo). Enonkoski, Finland.

2009 Arkaia. Sinne gallery. Helsinki, Finland.


2008 Kaave. Huuto gallery. Helsinki, Finland.

2004 Suru. Gallery Katariina, Helsinki


2012 Metsien miehet. Salo Art Museum. Salo, Finland.

2009-2010 Luonto antaa, luonto ottaa. Kajaani Art Museum and K.H. Renlund museum (Kokkola, Finland). Curated by Tuula Karjalainen.

2009 Mänttä Art Festival. Curated by Tuula Karjalainen

2009 Quartair gallery. Curated by Kaisa Heinänen. The Hague, Netherlands.

My works are included in several collections, e.g.:

Kiasma Collections, the Collection of State Art Commission, Art and Museum Centre Sinkka collection, Turku Art Museum collection, Wihuri Art Collection, Helsinki Design Museum, Finnish Art Society collection, Helsinki Art Museum (HAM) collection, Pro Artibus art collection, City of Salo, Altia Plc, Lars Swanljung.