Leena Luostarinen: Sopeutumaton

Leena Luostarinen (1949–2013) is one of the most significant Finnish painters, who left an indelible mark on the Finnish art scene. The exhibition presents for the first time as a single whole the monumental paintings in the HAM collection, which Luostarinen made during the period known as the artist's golden age, the 1980s and 1990s. Luostarinen made her breakthrough in 1981 with a solo exhibition that presented large-scale big cats. She became known for her powerful paintings, on whose surfaces the traces of working are visible, along with the use of the palette knife and clear brushstrokes. In 1988 Luostarinen was chosen Artist of the Year. Despite wide appreciation, the artist experienced feelings of outsiderness, not belonging and maladjustment. A longing for somewhere else drove Luostarinen to travel around the world. She absorbed influences from different cultures into her art and developed a powerful, recognizable expression that does not unambiguously fit within the frameworks of any one style. The exhibition's architecture takes its colours from Luostarinen's paintings and subtly echoes the symmetrical ground plan of an imaginary temple. The big cats guide visitors through the exhibition, in which the paintings do not proceed in chronological or thematic order.