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Maaria Märkälä 
I am a bicycle woman and a landscape painter living in Espoo, next to Helsinki, and having a studio at Cable factory, Helsinki. I used to travel to discover inspiration but nowadays I feel like flying is bad for the planet and air travel is usually the largest component of the carbon footprint of frequent flyers. That makes me enjoy more and more of all the extreme seasons that Finnish nature has to offer: everything between the warmest summer, midnight sun and the arctic darkness, quietness and snow. Nature is in a constant state of change. It is a gift from the first light green plant to appear after snow to the great explosion of autumnal reds, browns and yellows before winter comes. My work of arts are seen in several public and private collections in Finland and abroad.
Pessi Rautio The Editor-in-Chief of Taidelehti, Finland: extracts from the book Places For Being Happy:
"That is why Märkälä's method of painting, reminiscent of expressionism (one of the centres of which Berlin happens to be) is consistent; the thick, almost edible, colour in her paintings manifests that the painting is not trying to hide in the background. The paint as a substance, the form of which reveals the speed in which it was spread, manifests in every fraction of a second of the viewing session that what we see here is a part of the world reconstructed with paint, possibly improved: witness the miracle of the illusion. The magician shows her tricks, and, oddly enough, this is exactly what makes the trick so impressive, as in puppetry when the puppeteers are visible ".
"Paintings created in a studio may contain several layers that the viewer knows nothing about; in the bottom there may be, for example, bursts of frustration familiar to everyone, forming a base for the landscape. Märkälä wants to paint, to bring out the good on the top, so the process must end in something hopeful, full of oxygen and life, light, even what is beautiful ".
"To Märkälä, the world includes objects, good ones that simply must be depicted through painting, not least because they make such good paintings".
(Leea) Maaria Märkälä
050-567 9969
Espoo
Contact us
Education
- School of Free Arts 1999-2000, 2002- 2003
- Academy of Pekka Halonen 1997-1998, 2000-2002
Selected solo exhibitions
- Starry Night, Merikeskus Vellamo, Kotka 2020
- Vähän lisää Shampanjaa, Galleria Pihatto, Lappeenranta 2019
- Galerie Pleiku, Berliini, Germany 2019
- Galleria Saskia, Tampere 2019
- Pink Birch, Galleria A 2, Helsinki 2018
- Paintings, Kakslauttanen Art Gallery (with Mia Hamari) Arctic resort, Lapland Finland 2018
- Forbidden Paintings and Destroyed Photos, AVA gallery, Helsinki, Finland October 2017
- Hello Sunshine- Antidote to Melancholy, Kondas’ Museum, Viljandi, Estonia 2016
- The Apocalyptical Pictures, Gallery Katariina, Helsinki, Finland 2016
- There are so many Ways to Kiss the Earth, Instituto Iberoamericano de Finlandia, Madrid, Spain 2016
- Es gibt so Viele Wege die Erde zu Küssen, Galerie Pleiku, Berlin Germany 2015
- There are so many Ways to Kiss the Earth, Gallery Jangva Helsinki, Finland 2014
- Denk ich an Berlin, Galerie Pleiku, Berlin Germany 2013
- Cést la Vie - I've been painting Light, Hyvinkää ArtMuseum, Finland 2012
- River deep, Mountain high- I've been painting Light, Gallery Aarni, Espoo 2011
- Kari Hakli cycles the Forum pass- and other Helsinki-paintings, AVA gallery, Helsinki, Finland 2010
- Dreaming about Berlin, Varkaus ArtMuseum, Finland 2010
- Dreaming about Berlin, Kouvola Art Museum, Finland 2008-2009
- Helsinki-Paintings, Finnland-Zentrum, Berlin Germany 2009
- Helsinki- Paintings, Fundacao Dr. Luiz Araujo Galeria, Porto, Portugal 2008
- From Russia with Love, Drawings from Siberia, South Karelia Art Museum, Finland 2008
- Paintings, Gallery BE 19 Helsinki, Finland 2007
- Dreaming about Berlin, The Hall of Art in Seinäjoki, Finland 2007
- Paintings, Landscapes from Rio and Helsinki, AVA gallery, Helsinki Finland 2006
- Helsinki- Paintings, The Gallery of Casa de Cultura Laura Alvin Museum, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 2005
- Dreaming about Berlin, The Hall of Art in Porvoo, Finland 2005
- Paintings of Berlin, Gallery Katariina, Helsinki, Finland 2004
- Paintings and Drawings of Berlin, Malmitalo Cultural Centre, Helsinki 2003
- Paintings of Love, Zaza, Helsinki Art Association’s Exhibition space Helsinki, Finland 2001
- Paintings of Love, Galerie Oljemark, Helsinki Finland 2000
Selected group exhibitions
- Art Goes Kapakka, Helsinki, Finland 2016
- Fresh Legs, Galleri Heike Arndt, Berlin, Germany 2016
- C_A Gallery Helsinki Finland 2015
- Novosibirsk Art Museum, 6th Biennial of Graphic Arts, Novosibirsk, Russia 2009
- EKT 40 years, Rovaniemi Art Museum, Rovaniemi, Finland 2009
- Skjl08, Mikkeli Art Museum, Mikkeli, Finland 2008-2009
- MUBE, Museu Brasileiro Da Escultura, Sao Paulo, Brasil 2008
- Finland-Portugal Art Festival Casa de Cultura de Gaia, Porto, Portugal 2007
- Arte vida Arte, Museu Texeira Lopes, Porto, Portugal 2007
- Arte vida Arte, Galleria 9 Colonne, Bologna, Italy 2007
- Arte vida Arte, Galerie Mansart, Paris, France 2007
- Arte vida arte, Väsby Konsthall, Stockholm, Sweden 2007
- Arte vida Arte, Galeria Porto Vivo, Porto, Portugal 2006
- Centro Cultural Justica Federal, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil 2006
- Arte vida Arte, Espaco Cultural Candido Mendes Grande Galeria, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil 2005
- Nordtrondelag Fylkesgalleri 2004, Namsos, Norway 2004
- Telemark Fylkesgalleri, Notodden, Norway 2003
- Veszprém, Alsöörs and Balatonfüred, Hungary 2002 (Painters' Union)
Selected Group Exhibitions
- Liwa lives, Art Hub Gallery, Abu Dhabi, UAE 2019
- Maila Talvio Salong, Hartola, Finland 2019
- Travel-altar, Altar- Group, Finland Institute in Madrid, Spain2019
- Travel-altar, Altar- Group, Hamburg Seamen's Church, Germany 2019
- Travel-altar, Altar- Group, Brussels Art Chapel, Belgium 2019
- Abstract in Painting and The Space, OOO-Group, Gallery Lapinlahti, Helsinki 2018
- Travel-altar, Altar- Group, Hyvinkää Art Museum 2018
- Wanderers, Drawing Class-Group, Gallery Kellokas (Lappi Artists Association) Ylläs, Lapland, Finland 2017
- Alltogether, Drawing Class-Group, Kondas’ Museum, Viljandi, Estonia 2016
- Abstract in Painting and The Space, OOO-Group, Gallery Mältinranta, Tampere, Finland 2016
- Abstract in Painting and The Space, OOO-Group, Gallery HUUTO Jätkäsaari, Helsinki Finland 2016
- At the Altar of Contemporary Art, Tuusula Art Museum, Nykytaiteen alttarilla, Tuusula Finland 2014-2015
- Drawing Class-Group, Palikkaooppera, Curatored by Kristian Smeds, Kerava Art Museum, Finland 2012
- Moscow State Exhibition Hall New Manege the House of Chekhov, Art Ugra-Group, Moscow, Russia 2008
- TM-gallery, Drawing Class-Group, Helsinki, Finland 2005
- Pro Kapteenskanmäki, Malmitalo Cultural Centre, Helsinki 2002
Funding and awards (selected)
- Arts Promotion Centre Finland, Covid-19 Grant 2020, 2021
- Espoo City Cultural Council 2020
- Finnish Cultural Foundation, one-year working grant 2016
- Alfred Kordelin Foundation 2015
- Arts Promotion Centre Finland, Project Grant 2014
- Espoo City Cultural Council 2014
- Arts Council of Finland: Public Display Grants for Visual Artists 2012
- Arts Council of Finland, Project Grant 2012
- Espoo City Cultural Council 2011
- Arts Council of Finland: Public Display Grants for Visual Artists 2010
- Oscar Öflund Foundation 2010
- Arts Council of Uusimaa 2009
- Finnish Fund for Art Exchange (FRAME) 2009
- Finnish Fund for Art Exchange (FRAME) 2008
- Arts Council of Finland, Travel Grants 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
- Arts Council of Finland: Public Display Grants for Visual Artists 2007
- Laureate of Originality, Khanty-Mansiisk, Western-Siberia, Russia 2007
- Finnish Cultural Foundation, one-year working grant 2005
- Oscar Öflund Foundation 2005
- Hollos Foundation 2005
- Oscar Öflund Foundation 2004
- Working Grant for Künstlerhaus Schloss Wiepersdorf, Finnish Cultural Foundation 2004
Memberships
- Finnish Painters' Union: 2001- (President 2008-2016)
- The Artists' Association of Finland , Board 2010-2016
- Finnish State Art Commission 2008
- Helsinki Artists' Association 2000- (Board 2004-, vice chairman 2005- 2008)
- Espoo Visual artists, member 2006-
- Akseli Gallen-Kallela Museum Foundation, Board 2017-
Artworks in collections (selection)
- Kymenlaakso museum 2020
- Finnish National Gallery 2016
- The Finnish State Art Collection 2007, 2009
- HAM, Helsinki Art Museum, Finland
- Hyvinkää Art Museum, Finland
- Kerava Art Museum, Finland
- Tuusula Art Museum, Finland
- Stiftung des Kulturfonds, Germany
- Museu Texeira Lopes, Porto, Portugal
- The State Art Collection in Portugal
- The Igoshev Art Museum, Khanty- Mansiisk, Western-Siberia, Russia
- The Native Museum of Narikary, Western-Siberia, Russia
- Fundacao Dr. Luiz Araujo, Portugal
- Museum of Laczkó Dezsö, Vesprém, Hungary
- Jussi Eiramo Foundation, Lapland, Finland
- Ari Kupsus Collection, Hungary
- Intrum Collection, Finland
- Novo Nordic Collection (several), Finland
- Private collections
Selected residencies
- Künstlerhaus Schloss Wiepersdorf, Suomen Kulttuurirahasto 2004
- Uudenmaan taidetoimikunta, Berliinin residenssi 2005
- ART UGRA, Jugran autonomisen tasavallan Kulttuuriministeriön kutsumana Siperian residenssi, Khanty Mansia, Venäjä 2008
- Näyttelyresidenssi Galerie Pleiku, Berliini Saksa 2019, 2015, 2013
- Art Hub LIWA residency Abu Dhabi, Yhdistyneet Arabiemiirikunnat 2019
Selected publications
- Places for being Happy - book, Parvs publishing 2014
- New book: Pink Champagne, 2021