COLOUR– A Collection Exhibition of Central Finland’s Art

24.1.–26.4.2026 

Jyväskylä Art Museum, Museum of Central Finland. In collaboration with Keuruu Museum and Saarijärvi Museum
 

COLOUR is a major collection exhibition highlighting the central role of colour in Finnish modern art. The exhibition presents abstract art from Central Finland—paintings and sculptures—spread across two museums: the Jyväskylä Art Museum and the Museum of Central Finland.

The exhibition focuses particularly on the manifestations of colourism and concretism in the region’s art. Colour is viewed both as a structural and emotional element—a means of constructing space, rhythm, and meaning. The exhibition also emphasizes informalism and its influence on artists in the region.

At its artistic and historical core, the exhibition centers on the profound influence of Sam Vanni (1908–1992), who was not only a respected art teacher but also a leading proponent of concretism and colour theory in Finnish art. His legacy resonates throughout the work of many artists in the exhibition—as a nuanced dialogue between colour and form where thought and emotion merge into a visual experience. 

The background of the exhibition is shaped by both internationally and nationally significant artists—including Göran Augustson (1936–2012), Birger Carlstedt (1907–1975), Ernst Mether-Borgström (1917–1996) and Edgard Pillet (1912–1996), whose works have inspired and influenced the art scene of Central Finland.

COLOUR in Central Finland invites the viewer to experience how colour builds worlds—with the precision of concretism and the freedom of colorism.