Past / Present / Future

ONGOING
8.2.2024 – 14.11.2024, Group Show: Visiting Art/ists 2024: Ich finde dich in allen diesen Dingen, The Finnish Institute, curated by Mika Minetti, Berlin (DE)

3.3.–2.6.2024, Group Show: The Senses of Plants, Villa Merkel, Galerie der Stadt Esslingen, curated by Julia Katharina Thiemann, Esslingen am Neckar (DE)

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BIO

Elsa Salonen produces all the colour pigments for her works by grinding a wide variety of raw natural materials, such as meteorites and seashells, as well as by extracting colours from plants and algae. Salonen thinks that each of the materials stores a special knowledge and views the pigments as collaborators whose 'experiences' define the conceptual message of each work. Her oeuvre is marked by the artistic interpretation of alchemy, which explores the universe through natural materials, and of animism, especially the Finnish nature worship.

Salonen’s art has been exhibited internationally with institutions including, KINDL Centre For Contemporary Art and Schwartzsche Villa in Germany; Art Sonje Center in South Korea; Kunsthal Aarhus and Kunsthal Viborg in Denmark; Galleri F 15 in Norway and Miguel Urrutia Art Museum in Colombia. Her artworks are included in collections including Wäinö Aaltonen Museum of Art (FI), Saastamoinen Foundation (FI), and Lissone Museum of Contemporary Art (IT). Salonen is represented by Ama Gallery in Finland and Galerie Jochen Hempel in Germany.

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CV

ELSA SALONEN
Born 1984 in Turku (FI)
The studio is located in Berlin (DE)

Education

2007 - 2008
Exchange Student, Berlin Weissensee (DE)
2004 - 2008
BA, Fine Arts Academy of Bologna (IT)

Solo Exhibitions

2022
Solve et coagula, Galerie Jochen Hempel, Leipzig (DE)
2021
Distilling the Essence of the Seas, Ama Gallery, Helsinki (FI)
Buni Buana (Hidden World), WAMx, Turku City Art Museum, curated by Ece Pazarbaşı, Turku (FI)
2019
Stories Told by Stones, Schwartzsche Villa, curated by Christine Nippe, Berlin (DE)
2017
Studies of the Eternal Cycle, Ama Gallery, Helsinki (FI)
2016
Guided by the Stars of the Southern Hemisphere, Acud Macht Neu, curated by Johannes Braun, Berlin (DE)
2015
La natura (mai) morta, Adiacenze, Bologna (IT)
2013
Alkuaineissa rukouksen kaltaista kajoa, Ama Gallery, Helsinki (FI)
2012
I Walk in the Forest as in a Temple II, Galerie Suvi Lehtinen, Berlin (DE)
I Walk in the Forest as in a Temple I, Grimmuseum, Berlin (DE)
2010
Muuttolinnun kaksi auraa, Ama Gallery, Helsinki (FI)
2008
When My Loved Ones Were an Hour Ahead, Ama Gallery, Helsinki (FI)
2007
Her Illness Changed Her Way (to Comprehend), Neon Campobase, Bologna (IT)

Duo and Trio Exhibitions

2022
Bodies of Water (with Hannelore Nenning and Enar de Dios Rodríguez), Kunstpavillon, curated by Petra Poelzl, Innsbruck (AT)
2018
New Materialism (with Eemil Karila and Jarkko Räsänen), Fata Morgana, Berlin (DE)
2011
Falling Levitation (with Keiko Kimoto), Kartüche Gallery, Berlin (DE)

Selected Group Exhibitions

2023
The 45th Tendenser Biennial: Abundance, Galleri F 15, curated by Ki Nurmenniemi, Moss (NO)
Minimalism-Maximalism-Mechanismmm Part 4, Kunsthal Aarhus, curated by Mikkel Elming, Aarhus, (DK)
2022
nature morte - still alive, Stadtgalerie Kiel, curated by Ritva Röminger-Czako, Kiel (DE)
Når vi har smøget livets lænker af, Sydhavnstation, curated by Hartmut Stockter, Copenhagen (DK)
Landscapes of Belonging, KINDL Centre For Contemporary Art, curated by Christine Nippe and Kathrin Becker, Berlin (DE)
Minimalism-Maximalism-Mechanismmm Part 4, Art Sonje Center, curated by Mikkel Elming, Seoul (KR)
2021
Wachsende Formen - Organische Prozesse in der Kunst, Heidenheim Art Museum, curated by Marco Hompes, Heidenheim (DE)
The Brief History of a New Perspective in Painting, Lissone Museum of Contemporary Art, curated by Alberto Zanchetta, Milan (IT)
Inhottava mysteeri, Ama Gallery, Helsinki
 (FI)
We are not sure if the show will still be open tomorrow, Galerie Jochen Hempel, Leipzig (DE)
2020
you've got mail!, Mail Art Project, curated by Julia Katharina Thiemann, (DE)
2019
Ocean Dwellers, The Nordic Embassies in Berlin, curated by Solvej Helweg Ovesen, Berlin (DE)
Polisemia, Galerìa del Colombo Americano de Medellín, curated by Ricardo Moreno, Medellín (CO)
2018
Polisemia, El Parqueadero - Miguel Urrutia Art Museum, curated by Ricardo Moreno, Bogotá (CO)
IXION, Lissone Museum of Contemporary Art, Milan (IT)
2017
Corridor III: Valdemar Daa, Viborg Kunsthal, curated by Insitu Collective, Viborg (DK)
The Seekers, tȇte, Berlin (DE)
Transitions Ep. 2: Excavations, Galerie Dada Post, curated by Sheena Malone, Berlin (DE)
Corridor II: Pachamama, Insitu, Berlin (DE)
2016
It’s all natural, Nassauischer Kunstverein, curated by Evelyn König, Wiesbaden (DE)
Approaching Plant Consciousness, Prinzessinnengärten, Berlin (DE)
Dolosa Oscura, Schillerpalais, curated by Filmouflage, Berlin (DE)
Pilgrimage, The Finnish Institute, curated by Sabine Meister, Berlin (DE)
2015
Muodonvaihdos, Turku Book Fair, performance with poet Katariina Vuorinen, curated by Art Promotion Centre Finland, Turku (FI)
2014
Bilder zwischen den Zeilen, part II, The Finnish Institute, curated by Eemil Karila, Berlin (DE)
Bilder zwischen den Zeilen, part I, Salon Dahlmann, curated by Eemil Karila, Berlin (DE)
Ghostwriter Project, Action #1, Alt Kindl Brauerei, curated by Greta Rusttt, Berlin (DE)
Ciò che l'apparire lascia trasparire, Lissone Museum of Contemporary Art, curated by Alberto Zanchetta, Milan (IT)
Levottomuudet, Salo Art Museum, curated by Veikko Halmetoja, Salo (FI)
2013
Pyhäniemen kartanon kesänäyttely, Pyhäniemen kartano, curated by Riikka Latva-Somppi, Pyhäniemi (FI)
2012
Premio Lissone, Lissone Museum of Contemporary Art, Milan (IT)
2010
Between Two Cities, G11, Berlin (DE)
2009
Anonyme Zeichner N°10, Kunstraum Kreuzberg / Bethanien, Berlin (DE)
Tunteiden ekologia, Mänttä Art Festival, Pekilo, curated by Tuula Karjalainen, Mänttä (FI)
2007
The Memories, Night of the Arts, curated by Suvi Saloniemi, Helsinki (FI)
Con -the Serie of Five, Imaginaria Film Festival, performance with Francesco Cavaliere, Bari (IT)
Hdemia Contemporanea, Chiesa del San Paolo, Modena (IT)
2006
Drawing As a Source of a Sound, Galerie En Marge, performance with Francesco Cavaliere, Paris (FR)
Digital Fringe, Melbourne (AU)
Portrait of the Artist into the Objective, Acciaiolo Castle, curated by Pietro Gaglianò, Florence (IT)
2004
The Anniversary Exhibition of the Art Guild of Turku, Gallery Just, Turku (FI)

PERMANENT PUBLIC ART WORKS

2023 –
The Village Elder, In the Quiet Room of Meilahti Bridge Hospital, curated by Taru Elfving, Helsinki (FI)

WORKS IN COLLECTIONS

Art Association of Finland (FI)
Finnish Literature Society (FI)
HUS Art Collection (FI)
Italian Ministry of Education (IT)
Lissone Museum of Contemporary Art, Milan (IT)
Paulo Foundation (FI)
Saastamoinen Foundation (FI)
Wäinö Aaltonen Museum of Art, Turku (FI)

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

2023
Let's Get Sustainable – Art, Design and Architecture
2019
Elsa Salonen, Stories Told by Stones
2012
Elsa Salonen: I Walk in the Forest as in a Temple

AWARDS

2006
Premio Nazionale delle Arti (National Art Award for Art Students), The First Premium of Communication (IT)

Grants

2024
Alfred Kordelin Foundation
Art Promotion Centre Finland
2023
Art Promotion Centre Finland
2022
Art Promotion Centre Finland
Frame Contemporary Art Finland
2021
Art Promotion Centre Finland
2020
Art Promotion Centre Finland
2019
Finnish Cultural Foundation
Art Promotion Centre Finland
Frame Contemporary Art Finland
2018
Art Promotion Centre Finland
2017
Art Promotion Centre Finland
2016
Finnish Cultural Foundation
Art Promotion Centre Finland
2015
Frame Contemporary Art Finland
2014
Finnish Art Society
Art Promotion Centre Finland
Cultural Board of the City of Turku
2013
Art Promotion Centre Finland
2012
Alfred Kordelin Foundation
Finnish Cultural Foundation
Paulo Foundation
Frame Contemporary Art Finland
Turun Saskiat
2011
Cultural Board of the City of Turku
Regional Arts Council of South-West Finland
2010
Finnish Cultural Foundation
2009
Alfred Kordelin Foundation

Residencies

2018
Puerto Contemporáneo / El Kruce, Cartagena (CO)
2016
Lugar a Dudas, Cali (CO)
2014
Sewon Art Space, Yogyakarta (ID)
2013
Künstlerhaus Schloß Wiepersdorf (DE)
2007
Student Residence, Nosadella.due, Bologna (IT)

Curatorial Projects

2017
Science and Mysticism, talk, screening and lecture with Ph.D. researcher Nina Kokkinen (specialised in esotericism in the Finnish art) and emeritus professor of space astronomy Esko Valtaoja, Ama gallery and Ursa observatory, Helsinki (FI)
2016
Approaching Plant Consciousness, mini-conference in collaboration with Filipe-Guilherme Pirl, Regina Rørstad and Aniella Tiedje, Prinzessinnengärten, Berlin (DE)
Thinking Like a Forest, screening event in collaboration with Lauren Reid, Acud Macht Neu, Berlin (DE)

Lectures and Teaching Assignments

2020
Lecture: Historias contadas por las piedras y otros relatos, H-Residency, Calama (CL)
Lecture: Veden väelle – For the Water Sprites, in collaboration with folklore scholar Kaarina Koski, Aboagora, Turku (FI)
Lecture: Afloat Assembly, curated by Christian Lübbert, (DE)
Lecture: Creative Ecosystem; Soul, Art, Animism and Sisterhood, Studio Emmi, London (UK)
Workshop: Natural Colours: Focus Sea, Muthesius University of Fine Arts and Design, Kiel (DE)
2019
Lecture: How to Enlarge Your Bubble?, University of Fine Arts Poznan (PL)

Memberships

Finnish Painters' Union (FI)
Saloon Berlin (DE)