PRESS RELEASE
PIIA LEHTI (1973) opens her personal exhibition Silkscreen on Plywood in Draakon gallery at 5pm on July 20, 2015.
Piia Lehti has obtained a BA degree in the department of printmaking at the Estonian Academy of Arts and a MA degree in the University of Art and Design, Helsinki. She has also studied art in Mexico. Since 2001, the artist has participated in numerous exhibitions both in Finland and elsewhere in Europe, in China and in the United States of America. Her works belong to the art collections of the State of Finland and the art collections of the cities of Helsinki, Oulu, Turku and Salo. Current exhibition in Draakon gallery is Piia Lehti's seventeenth personal exhibition (fourth one held in Estonia). Previously, Lehti has held a more substantial personal exhibition in Tallinn Art Hall Gallery in 2001, in the Finnish Institute (Tallinn, Estonia) and Kondas Centre (Viljandi, Estonia) in 2010.
Piia Lehti:
„Making art is just like a puzzle with its own rules for me. While picking various parts, testing and installing them here and there, I mix my drawings with photographs and copies after which I apply printmaking techniques. I play with roles and bodies while diffusing the borders between human beings, animals and plants. The most important theme in my artwork is the relationship between men and nature: a human being as a part of nature and vice versa.
I have been contemplating a lot on the similarity between a man and a tree. An old tree has formed itself according to the way the surrounding environment has treated it and the way the tree has had a chance to grow. Its branches have been bent by the wind and some have been even broken by a strong storm. Even an old gnarled tree is beautiful and should be respected. Similarly, human development is to some extent affected by the surrounding environment, also depending on various opportunities and other people's attitudes towards the developing person. Just like trees human beings also need light for growth as we stretch out towards the spot we have enough space to grow.
I enjoy toying with the idea that every living organism has got conscience, feelings and senses. People and nature are magically connected, and the connection cannot be touched nor measured. How could this be possible? How to express the human-nature relationship through the thoughts, existence, living and the universe? In my artwork I visually interpret such relatedness, identification and the sense of belonging. Human beings are not alone nor above nature – they are equal to everything that surrounds them. I also study the concepts of holiness and sublimity; however, I don't relate this to any religion or belief.“
Exhibition will be open until August 8, 2015.
Exhibition is supported by Varsinais-Suomi Regional Art Committee.
Exhibitions in Draakon gallery are supported by Estonian Ministry of Culture and the Cultural Endowment of Estonia.
PIIA LEHTI
Born 21.09.1973, Halikko, Finland
Lives in Teijo village, Salo, Finland
www.piialehti.com
Education:
1999-2001 University of Art and Design (Pallas, MA), Helsinki, Finland
1995-1999 Estonian Academy of Fine Arts (printmaking, BA), Tallinn, Estonia
1995 Varsinais-Suomi People’s College, Paimio (illustration), Finland
1993-1994 Toluca Fine Art School - Escuelas Bellas Artes, Toluca, Mexico
1992-1993 Kuusamo People’s College (photography), Kuusamo, Finland
Solo exhibitions:
2014 Gallery Kapriisi, Tampere, Finland
2014 Gallery Lillan, Salo, Finland
2013 Gallery Joella, Turku, Finland
2013 G12, Helsinki, Finland
2010 Finnish institute, Tallinn and Tartu, Estonia
2010 Kondas center, Viljandi, Estonia
2010 Gallery Lillan, Salo, Finland
2009 G12, Kuopio, Finland
2008 Gallery Duetto, Finland
2007 Gallery Joella, Turku, Finland
2006 Islandic Printmakers’ Association gallery, Reykjavik, Island
2006 Salo Art Museum, Salo, Finland
2005 Gallery Duetto, Helsinki, Finland
2004 Gallery Joella, Turku, Finland
2004 Galleria Leonardo, Tampere, Finland
2001 Galleria Duetto, Helsinki, Finland
2001 Arthall gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
2001 Art goes kapakka, restaurant Helmi, Helsinki, Finland
2000 Perhekuvia, Galleria Maria, Helsinki, Finland
2000 Omat Juhlat, Gallery Just, Turku, Finland
2000 Kuinka sinä muistat minut, Hämeenlinna Cultural Centre, Hämeenlinna, Finland
1999 Sikahyvä valtakunta, Salo Art Museum, Salo, Finland
1998 Kooslus, Gallery of the Estonian Academy of Arts, Tallinn, Estonia
1997 Aamuyön päiväunia, Mööpelin kaveri, Tampere, Finland
Group exhibitions:
2015 Art Center Salmela, Mäntyharju, Finland
2014 Otte finske grafikere, GrafikGalleriet, Naestved, Denmark
2014 Uusi Lehti, summer exhibition of The Association of Finnish Printmakers, Gallery G, Helsinki
2014 Kosketuksia, Neliö gallery, Oulu, Finland
2014 S-Art competition, 2014 - 15 best works, S-Gallery, Helsinki, Finland
2013 Lainaa vain, SKjL invited exhibition, P-Gallery, Pori, Finland
2013 Salon of Maila Talvio, Hartola, Finland
2013 Grafiikan kesäjuhlat - Turun taidegraafikot Outi Heiskasen vieraana, Oheistaidekoti, Vehmaa
2012 BLOMart, Exhibition Center of Turku, Finland
2012 Yksityiskohtia, Teijon Masuuni, Salo, Finland
2011 Puun taju – contemporary art event, Hyvinkää, Finland
2009 ArtAroundSalo, travelling exhibition of Salo Artists’ Association, Finland
2009 ArtAroundSalo, travelling exhibition of Salo Artists’ Association, Vilnius, Lithuania; Anija,
Estonia; Nagykanizsa, Hungaria (2008); Puccheim, Germany (2007)
2008 Tusina, Town Hall Gallery, Turku, Finland
2008 Kakolasta koiliseen, Wäinö Aaltonen Museum of Art, Turku, Finland
2007 Art Center Salmela, Mäntyharju, Finland
2006 Halikonlahti Green Art, Westers, Kemiö, Finland
2005 Dialog, Salo Art Museum, Salo, Finland and Petrozavodsk Art Museum, Petrozavodsk, Russia
2004 Salon of Maila Talvio, Hartola, Finland
2004 Musta tuntuu, Rauma Art Museum, Rauma, Finland
2003 65th annual exhibition, Union of Finnish Art Associations, Varkaus Art Museum, Finland
2003 Pyhäniemi summer exhibition, Hollola, Finland
2003 Estradilla, Pyynpivo art house, Perniö, Finland
2003 Aistillisesti, 30th anniversary exhibition, Salo Artists’ Association, Salo Art Museum, Finland
2003 GRR, 70th anniversary exhibition, Turku Printmakers’ Association, Wäinö Aaltonen Museum of
Art, Turku, Finland
2002 107th Exhibition of Finnish artists, Arthall Helsinki, Finland
2002 Exhibition of drawings, Arthall Tallinn, Estonia
2002 Grant winners of Salo Art Museum, S-gallery, Helsinki, Finland
2001 Pyhäniemi summer exhibition, Hollola, Finland
2001 106th Exhibition of Finnish Artists, Jyväskylä Art Museum, Finland
2000 Pallas, Otso galleria, Espoo, Finland
2000 Sinu peitetud elu, prints, Arthall Tallinn, Estonia
2000 +81, final project exhibition, Rottermanni Saltstore, Tallinn, Estonia
2000 Tehis-id, Artist house Tartu, Estonia
1998 Trajektor, exhibition of kinetic art, Rottermanni Saltstore, Tallinn, Estonia
1997 Igavesti koos, drawings, Tammsaare Museum, Tallinn, Estonia
1994 Profanando la vanalidad, Toluca, Mexico
International Exhibitions:
2015 Guanlan International Print Biennial, Guanlan, China
2015 Parallax Art Fair, London, England
2014 Premio Combat Prize 2014, Livorno, Italy
2013 Guanlan International Print Biennial, Guanlan, China
2013 XV International Biennial Festival of Portrait, Tuzla, Bosnia and Hertzegovina
2004 Miniprint Finland 2004, 5th International triennial of miniature prints, Lahti, Finland
2004 Contemporary Finnish Printmaking, Nordic House Gallery, Krakow, Poland
2001 Nordic Postmodernism, Fayerweather gallery University of Virginia, Charlottesville, U.S.A.
2001 Miniprint Finland 2001, 4th international triennial of small prints, Lahti, Finland
2001 Tallinn XII Print Triennial, Estonia
2001 2nd International Small Engraving Exhibition, Cremona, Italy
2000 International Student Art Triennial, Istanbul, Turkey
1999 10th International Print Biennial Varna, Bulgaria
1998 V Biennal Internacional de Grabado Caixa Ourense, print triennial, Ourense, Spain
1998 Grafinnova, triennial of young printmakers, Vaasa, Finland
Works in collections:
The Collection of Finnish State Art Commission, Helsinki City Art Museum, Salo Art Museum, Wäinö Aaltonen Museum, Oulu Art Museum, Finnish Parliament's Art Collection, Wihuri Foundation, Viljo Hurme Foundation, Kristiinakaupunki Art Collection, The Art Collection of the City of Turku, Salo hospital
Grants and scholarships and residencies:
2015 Varsinais-Suomi Regional Art Committee, Artist Grant
2014 A special mention of the jury in Graphic arts category, Premio Combat Prize, Livorno, Italy
2014 Recidency, Casa Finlandese, Grassina, Italy
2013 National Council for Visual Arts, project grant
2007 Recidency, Casa Finlandese, Grassina, Italy
2001 Scholarship, Finnish Cultural Foundation
2001 Residency, Lademoe kunstnerverksteder, Trondheim, Norway
1999 Scholarship, Salo Art Museum, Finland
Memberships:
Finnish Printmakers’ Association
Turku Printmakers’ Association
Helsinki Artists’ Association
Salo Artists’ Association
Other artistic activity:
Founder member of Children’s Sunfestival since 2004. Children’s Sunfestival is a new concept for providing children education in art, design and environmental knowledge by across artistic and scientific workshops.