Kalle Turakka Purhonen
A1 – Self Portraits In Denmark
Galleria Huuto Uudenmaankatu
11.4.–22.4.2007
In the fall of 2006 I spent three months as a resident artist at Gaestatelier Hollufgård, Odense Denmark. There I found a pile of left- over, shiny A1-size paper and drawing self-portraits took over.
It has been about ten years since I have drawn actively. I was
studying at the art academy and had plans of making comics. Then rough visiting teachers from the Repin -Institute, St Petersburg, and the Institute of graphic art and comics in Angouleme, France, where I studied a semester, took away my self esteem and apetite for drawing. And then I stumbled straight into the wonders of contemporary art.
Essential in the making of the portraits for this exhibition has been slowness and perception. There are no easy gains in this line of work. In a self study it is important to be humble but also to avoid self pity. Not to freeze because of the demands of the long tradition you try to enter. The scetches of the actual portraits are independent works. With them I allowed my self freer expression, wich is enjoyable and natural for me, but not satisfying enough in the actual portrait study.
My wife Pauliina Turakka Purhonen has painted portraits and self portraits for several years and her work has a strong influence on this exhibition.
It was very nice to draw again. I hope it happens again soon. I want to thank all the wonderful people at Hollufgård.
Tel.040 0909757 kalle.purhonen(at)opaksia.inet.fi
