• London Art Fair showcases three young Finnish artists this year. Riikka Hyvönen, Josefina Nelimarkka and Maija Tammi are all exhibiting their work at the event 20 – 24. January 2016.

    Riikka Hyvönen’s (b.1982) ‘Roller Derby Kisses’ bums have already caused a worldwide stir since her graduation show at Goldsmith’s and a follow-up exhibition at the Finnish Institute in London 2015. She has been praised internationally by art press from Russia to Argentina in publications including Huffington Post, Dazed&Confused, TimeOut and Artlyst, to mention but a few. Her work; part paintings, part sculpture, have also since been exhibited in Paris, Bryssel, Helsinki and London. Hyvönen’s work is shown at the fair as part of the XL Caitlin Art Guide that brings together the latest and visionary graduate art talent in the UK.

    “I am incredibly excited to participate in the art fair this year. It's genuinely an amazing chance to see and to be seen. Really looking forward to finding all sorts of new forms of collaboration! Most people who have seen my work have seen the bruises on the internet. It's delightful to exhibit the derby kisses in all their three-dimensional, tacky elegance for everyone who’s got a moment to drop by,” Hyvönen enthuses.

    Josefina Nelimarkka (b.1982) is a London-based visual artist currently studying MA painting at the RCA and finishing her MFA studies at the Academy of Fine Arts Helsinki. She is presenting her installation work within the Arts Projects section of the London Art Fair 2016 with Ncontemporary. At the LAF16 Ncontemporary will show a number of works from Nelimarkka's series "Deferentials" as well as a site-specific installation aimed at exposing one of the many processes the artist uses to create her works. Josefina Nelimarkka’s practice takes inspiration from natural elements; in her canvases and installations the artist aims at reproducing imaginary gardens or landscapes in an attempt to bring the outside world in a direct dialogue with the contemporary art practice.

    “The ontology of wet painting explores the material, natural and conceptual fluidities. A wet painting is energy as much as a method,” Nelimarkka says of her work.

    Maija Tammi (b.1985) is a Finnish artist and researcher currently based in Helsinki, Finland. Tammi’s photographs and sculptures converse on topics around science and aesthetics, disgust and fascination. Her works have been exhibited in Finland, Croatia, France, Japan and USA. Tammi is currently working on her practice based PhD at Aalto University of Arts, Design and Architecture in Helsinki.

    London Art Fair is one of the UK’s largest Modern British and contemporary art fair. Established in 1988, the fair encompasses over 100 selected galleries presenting a mix of Modern British and international contemporary art.

    More information:
    riikkahyvonen.com
    josefinanelimarkka.com
    maijatammi.com

Wednesday, 20th January 2016