HISTORIA
“History”
The exceptionally cold weather of December 1978 – the coldest during the entire 20th century in many regions of Finland – continued until late January 1979. Krister Gråhn was born at the Turku University Hospital on 13 January. The strongest earthquake ever registered in Finland took place on 17 February, 1979, in Alajärvi, Ostrobothnia. By that time, Krister Gråhn’s parents were already living there. Gråhn went to daycare when he was seven months old, and started the first grade of elementary school when he was seven years old.
At the age of sixteen, Gråhn asked his mother to call the Alajärvi Upper Secondary school and let them know he was not coming. This was two days before the beginning of the term. For two years, Gråhn lived in Northern Ostrobothnia and attended the Liminka School of Arts. Everything he needed at the time could be found within 400 meters.
When living in South Karelia, Gråhn walked over ten kilometers every day. The official downtown Imatra only exists on paper – in practice, you have to walk five kilometers to get from one area of habitation and services to either of the two other ones. In 2001, Gråhn graduated from the art department of the then South Karelia University of Applied Sciences.
The new Occupational Safety and Health Act was ratified in Finland on 23 August, 2002. Krister Gråhn moved to Tampere the same day. On 4 October, 2002, the main Finnish newspaper, Helsingin Sanomat, published an article about the shortage of male stem cells in cell banks. New donators were pleaded to come forward. Gråhn was turned down.
In the spring of 2005, the migratory birds returned later than usual. From the fall of 2005 until the spring of 2008, Gråhn studied at the sculpture department of the Finnish Academy of Fine Arts. In 2009, he graduated as Master of Fine Arts.
On 15 February, 2009, an occupational health seminar was held in Tampere. Krister Gråhn did not participate. He did, however, take part in the Mänttä Art Festival and the Nuorten näyttely exhibitions for young artists in 2006 and 2009. In addition, he was a member of several artist groups, the latest of which was introduced at the Forum Box gallery in Helsinki in December 2009. Between 2003 and 2010, Krister Gråhn has had nine solo exhibitions.
Since 2008, Gråhn has been the chair of the editorial staff of the “1/2” paper, published by the Rajataide ry art association. Krister Gråhn is a member of the Association of Finnish Sculptors.
Krister(at)kristergrahn.com
