Anu Haapanen
Monsters’ Paradise
25.4.-19.5.2024
30 April the exhibitions are open until 4 pm.
May 1 and on Ascension Day May 9 the gallery is closed.
I have drawn inspiration for my works from classical mythology and literature and made use of elements from both art history and religious symbolism. My works are, in particular, based on the stories of mythological female characters, on which I have built my own visual mythology. A recurring element in classical mythology is a narrative in which a woman, as a result of an unfortunate incident or ill-treatment, is turned into a grotesque monster with animal features. The works depict characters like Medusa, sphinxes, Furies and harpies that are part-woman and part-animal and often have a destructive role linked to men’s actions. I have created new fates and utopias for these characters and examined how monsters are born and what kind of characters and things seem grotesque to us.
Anu Haapanen (b.1981) graduated as a visual artist from the Lahti Art Institute and holds a Master of Arts degree from the ViCCA programme at Aalto University and from the Department of Art Studies at the University of Helsinki. Her work engages with themes such as myths, memory and impermanence. Haapanen uses a wide range of media in her work, from oil and ink painting to charcoal drawing, moving image and installation. Haapanen’s works have been featured in numerous exhibitions, most recently at the Aine Art Museum in Tornio, the Museum of Visual Arts Malva in Lahti, Galleria Laiku in Tampere and the Supermarket art fair in Stockholm.
Contact details
anu.i.haapanen(a)gmail.com
anuhaapanen.com
Instagram: anu_haapanen
