Dialogues: Virpi Lehto & Kristian Venäläinen

Gallery 7.3.–12.4.2026 

The gallery’s spring exhibition programme presents two contemporary artists from Central Finland at a time. The exhibitions offer an opportunity to examine the artists’ working processes and artistic thinking side by side, opening up new perspectives on both the diversity of contemporary art in Central Finland and the work of well-established artists. During the programme, volunteers from the art museum will host artist talks, where visitors can learn more about the artists’ practices and career paths.

In the second exhibition of the series, Riddles, watercolours by Virpi Lehto, who works in Joutsa, are presented alongside ceramic sculptures by Kristian Venäläinen, who works in Laukaa. Although the artists differ in their materials and working methods, they are united by a recurring exploration of the human condition in their work—approached either through personal narratives or through metaphor.

Virpi Lehto (b. 1957) is known for her richly coloured, symbolist works. Her artistic style has been described as expressionist, surrealist, or as a form of ethnographically inspired art imbued with a magical dimension. Lehto has drawn inspiration from her travels abroad, particularly in India. While painting is her primary medium, she has also created textile sculptures and spatial installations based on textile materials. The gallery exhibition features her watercolour and ink paintings.

Female figures often take centre stage in her works. “The subjects of my paintings are stories about important events, people close to me, dreams and hopes. Often they seem almost like premonitions. When something weighs on my mind, I cannot let go of it until I have painted it out and cleared my thoughts.”

Lehto, who works in Joutsa, studied fashion design at the Lahti Institute of Design, painting at the University of Barcelona, and art history at the University of Jyväskylä. Her works have been presented in numerous exhibitions in Finland and internationally, and are included in several collections.

Kristian Venäläinen (b. 1969) is a sculptor and designer whose career of more than 25 years extends both within Finland and internationally. He has worked as a designer, ceramicist, sculptor, lecturer, principal lecturer, and dean. Venäläinen currently lives and works at the Järvilinna Art Centre in Laukaa. In his practice, design and sculpture run parallel and frequently intersect. In recent years he has focused primarily on sculpture, working mainly with ceramics. He also boldly combines other materials in his works, including metal, glass, wood and bronze. The dialogue between materials and the process of making by hand guide the artist’s practice.

Venäläinen’s sculptures range from abstract forms to large, human-scale works. His pieces explore humanity in various ways: some address social injustices, while others examine life and the human condition with gentle humour. The artist’s imagination and life experiences take shape through the process of craft.

Venäläinen graduated as a designer from the Kuopio Academy of Design. He has worked at the Rosenthal design department in Germany, as Professor of Ceramic and Glass Design at the Kuopio Academy of Design, and as Dean of the School of Art and Design at Finlandia University in the United States. In 2006 he established his own studio, after which he has focused primarily on his independent artistic practice. His works have been exhibited widely in Finland and internationally.