Sirpa Särkijärvi Returns to the Joseph Nease Gallery in Duluth

Finnish painter Sirpa Särkijärvi was in Duluth this weekend to give an artist talk to a strong turnout at the Joseph Nease Gallery (JNG) here. This is Särkijärvi's second visit to the JNG here in Duluth, the first being with a powerful exhibition titled Transcriptions in 2019.

I was able to sit with her for a few minutes before her artist talk Saturday to discuss her current work and career. Sirpa, who is tall and slender, was wearing a pastel yellow dress with a Mickey Mouse image on the front. Her gentle appearance seems almost at odds with the volcanic force of her work, which she said emerges from within.

She talked about the psychological aspects of how the mind works, and about relationships, and how we learn about who we are through interactions with others. "Every person is different," which brings out different aspects of our selves.

detail from painting below

It was interesting to learn how Finland supports its artists and covers their expenses when they have exhibits abroad. It is as if the nation is proud to showcase its talents. 

Her current show has six pieces that are similar in power yet more complex than her 2019 show. Within the figures there are many other things happening as you can see here. I asked how this came about.

She replied that in 2005 she was doing something similar in that she had other things happening within the images beyond the images themselves. These new works, all created in 2022, draw from and incorporate some of that exploration. "I don't plan too much," she said, adding that she relies a lot on instinct.

The artist is originally from Northern Finland, in the vicinity of Lapland near the arctic. She now lives in the south, about 200 km from Helsinki.

When I asked about the influence of having come from such a cold, remote region, she said something that made me think of a conversation I had with Native American photographer Vern Northrup. Both Sirpa and Vern said the same thing: you have to prepare for winter. You don't take it for granted.

In Sirpa's case, she compared her painting approach to that very notion of preparation. She described what is involved with getting her acrylic paints to have a precise consistency. Her style is fluid so the paint must be very liquid. 

I said that it seemed her paintings had a bit of Francis Bacon influence, and she confirmed that there was some of that. And though quite different from Willem de Kooning, there's a sense of the same energy being released in the process. "I have to work quick," she said with regard to her own process. 

detail from painting above

"Because I'm a reasonable human being, when I paint I have to lose myself," she said. There a conscious side to her painting (preparation) and an unconscious side. "That's why I relax and connect to myself. There are no rules."

* * * 

Notes from Her Artist Statement

Sirpa at the JNG with Tara Austin
works in background

Särkijärvi (b. 1974 in Muonio) is currently based in Turku, Finland. She's interested in approaching her subjects from the perspective of literary deconstruction or critical reading, revealing hidden conflicts of meaning. She seems very in tune with the ideas that we are not isolated individuals. We cannot escape each other's' influence.

Her paintings are inspired by our motivations, needs and the inconsistency of our actions, which together form the complex entity that the artist attempts to reflect in her work. What is between the lines is also important.

Intertextuality, everything that has been experienced, seen and learned influences the artists's interpretation. Finally, viewers also receive and interpret everything in the painting through their own backgrounds and experiences.

Beginning of presentation at the JNG

Särkijärvi creates her paintings in several long and methodical painting sessions. Her method is technically demanding as she uses dozens of pre-mixed colors and it requires a lot of preparation, and development of the idea. Särkijärvi says that her goal is to immerse herself in the work so that painting becomes a tool for thought and contemplation. She paints with fluid acrylics onto a horizontal canvas where the paint flows and mixes to form planes of color, movements and strokes, and the fragmented structure creates illusions that change depending on the distance they are viewed from.

The vibrant and explosive material turns into considered and controlled images of humanity. The paintings seem at the same time out of control and closely controlled, just like the human mind often is.

Sirpa Särkijärvi lives and works in Turku but she was born in Muonio in Lapland. Her family's long history and deep roots in northernmost Finland have left their mark on her identity and influenced her visual approach.

* * *

Related Link
Sneak Preview: Sirpa Särkijärvi
Joseph Nease Gallery  home page