Maria Pääkkönen: Leakage

1.8.–25.8.2024

All fixed wear and tear
all the time
even though it cannot be seen
the densities are decreasing
and the interface between substances is thinning
until a leakage appears in the just impermeable 
the states of being merge
when the gaze enters
and the inside first oozes
then sprays out
what you thought was a bowl is a strainer
it takes time
new growth emerges from the fracture
Through it all flows something that cannot be named

The exhibition consists of large-scale pencil drawings spread across the gallery space and a series of monochromatic coloured pencil drawings. The exhibition and the work have been supported by the Alfred Kordelin Foundation, Arts Promotion Centre Finland, the City of Espoo Culture Committee and Greta and William Lehtinen Foundation. 

Maria Pääkkönen (b.1988, Riihimäki) is a visual artist living in Espoo, holding a Master of Arts degree from the Academy of Fine Arts, University of Arts, Helsinki. Pääkkönen works with drawing, performance and installation, combining these mediums. 

The artist's own practice runs parallel to a long-term collaboration with Ingeborg Blom Andersskog (NO/SWE) focusing on durational drawing performance. The duo's new performance piece UNREADY will be shown during the opening weekend of the Mänttä Art Festival 2024, and the installation consisting of traces of the performance will be on display until the end of the exhibition (August 31st). 

www.mariapaakkonen.com instagram: maria_paakkonen