Aino Jääskeläinen
From the edges
6–30 March 2025
Great anguish and inner drama. Why am I doing this? Why these images and monotypes? Why am I not doing it like that? These kinds of anxious thoughts are recurring – and probably familiar to many artists.
The exhibition consists of two parts or astonishment. So-called regular monotypes and radically altered, torn works. First, I started playing with the idea of what a work is and what is left over. What happens when a work is “nice”? It is indeed an irritating situation that often calls for action. Perhaps tearing the work into smaller pieces or using a shocking color.
One day I was at my studio, rolling up the torn edges of prints and realized something. They were so beautiful and delicious! I wanted to bring them to my exhibition. I decided to highlight the edges and scraps. I have put the protective paper and the edges of my prints in the spotlight. I have turned everything upside down.
When making prints, surprises often come out of the press. A wonderful mark is left on the protective paper. Much nicer than what is on the other side, on the “right” side. Sometimes the color does not stick to the printing paper as intended, which is both frustrating and fascinating.
I am showing you the protective papers and edges, the reverse sides and scraps. All the things that are usually not shown, that are hidden away before the exhibition. They are also interesting and beautiful, just like the real, intentionally created works. The other part of the exhibition focuses on the joy of a smooth work process and a thriving dialogue between me and the paper.
Aino Jääskeläinen
Aino asked me to discuss her upcoming exhibition at Galleria Huuto. She pulls out monotypes from a drawer. The recognizable landscapes and female figures from her earlier exhibitions have turned into color surfaces and close-ups of eyes with the eyelids being either open or closed. It turns out that there is, among other things, red cabbage in the works. Instead of depicting nature, it is embedded in the paper. The staring eyes look back and draw attention to myself, like an all-seeing eye.
Visual artist and doctoral researcher, Timo Tähkänen
Aino Jääskeläinen (b. 1980) is a Helsinki-based artist. She graduated from the Lahti Institute of Fine Arts in 2005 (Bachelor of Culture and Arts) and from the Academy of Fine Arts in 2008 (Master of Fine Arts). She mainly works with monotyping and other printmaking techniques. She has called monotyping the love child of painting and printmaking. A monotype is created by applying color onto a plate by painting, rolling or other methods and then pressing the plate against the paper. In addition to printmaking, Aino has worked with clay. At her first exhibition at Galleria Huuto about ten years ago, Aino presented monotypes and a large number of works printed on clay. “From the Edges” is Aino’s fourth exhibition at Galleria Huuto.
—
Contact details
Visual artist Aino Jääskeläinen
040 750 9623
ainojaaskelainen (a) gmail.com
www.ainojaaskelainen.com
