Jenni Rope, Valo Vairio

Jenni Rope: Knitches

Knitches are a bit like knots and a bit like stitches, though they are neither. They’re not thread but paint. I bind, stitch and knit paint until it grows into a living painting. The knitches form patterns which take over the whole painting. They are strong and want to push everything else away. Little by little the knitches evolve, form new rhythms, live their own lives. One knitch has fallen down. I’m removing the staples and taking the painted canvas off the wooden stretcher. I try to form a rounded fold, it becomes a bundle.

About the artist

Jenni Rope (b. 1977) works in a diverse range of disciplines, from painting to mobile sculpture, pattern design, book art and public art projects. In her work she challenges the limits of fine art and design, as well as exploring the abstract space between painting and sculpture. Rope has been studying at Free Art School, The University of Arts & Design Helsinki and London College of Printing. She is currently pursuing a master degree in painting at The Art University’s Academy of Fine Arts in Helsinki. Her works have been shown in various exhibitions in Finland and abroad since 2004.

jennirope.com

Valo Vairio: Sculptures

I remember a huge office fish decor from Twin Peaks. When I was a child, I was familiar with hunting and fishing. In my childhood home’s storage, we had a deer antler given as a gift. The deer antler decor was in the storage until someone threw it away during a move. From my grandparent’s place, I remember shiny fruit decorations which you were not allowed to touch. Or do I even clearly remember? Have I put my fragmented memory in place where I think it belongs?

1. I once won a trophy, coming in fourth place in paper plane competition.
2. I caught my first pike when I was 7 years old; it was 1,5 kilos.
3. Everybody won a prize, a sweatband, and a clock at a housing company’s skiing competition I attended.

I think I am more of a collector than hunter, competitor, or a winner. I used to collect ice hockey cards, bottle caps, and stickers when I was a child. I don’t have those anymore. Those were collected because they were fancy, rare, worthy, and because others collected those as well. Nowadays I collect all kinds of useful material such as stones, wood, and pieces of metal. From those, it is possible to sculpt new things to the world.

About the artist

Valo Vairio (b. 1989) works with painting, sculpting, and moving picture. Lately, his works have mainly focused on metal casting. Vairio graduated as a Bachelor of Arts from Academy of Fine Arts in 2019. He is currently finishing his master’s degree where Sculptures is the second part of his master thesis.

In 2021, Vairio's works were shown in various exhibitions in Helsinki such as in Full Moon exhibition at Kalasataman Seripaja, in Kuvan Kevät degree exhibition at Exhibition Laboratory as well as in This isn’t even my final form exhibition at Space for Free Art. Vairio’s works were also shown in II group exhibition at KLAK gallery in Inari.