Opening on Thrusday November 14th 5pm-7pm!
Guided tour on Sunday December 1st 1pm.
The exhibition presents the figure of a man as both strong and sensitive, a being who reflects another person. He looks at another man, but at the same time at himself, trying to find the right way to exist in the world. Visually cohesive images form a poetic whole through the exhibition’s grouping, with narratives arising from the models’ subtle expressions and gestures. The passage of time and identity expressed through appearance are central themes of the exhibition.
Contrary to his usual working methods, Tero Puha has not used any image manipulation in the photographic works in this exhibition. In this sense, Puha returns to his roots, focusing on traditional photographic expression. The imagery concentrates on an authentic exploration of light, form, atmosphere, and presence. The subjects range from men of different ages, from masculine to androgynous. Some are close acquaintances, some familiar faces, and some complete strangers. The artist finds it intriguing to juxtapose images from different phases of his life and to observe the dialogues that emerge between them. The works on display were photographed in Finland, London, and Paris. The exhibition includes, for example, portraits of the same men over a span of 20 years. Some of the exhibition’s images also appear in Puha’s acclaimed photobook Intimate Light (Parvs), which can be purchased at the exhibition.
The surreal short film Original, shot in Madrid, reflects on the challenges of masculinity and individuality in a time when nothing seems enough. In the film, a man who is aware of his handsome and distinctive appearance arrives in a beautiful Spanish park to watch birds, only to encounter a major surprise in the depths of the park. The film has won 10 awards at international short film festivals.
Tero Puha (1971) is a multidisciplinary visual artist whose artistic production over the years has included photo exhibitions, portfolios, photobooks, performances, short films, stage works, and graphic art. He has explored the central theme of his work—modern male identity—through a cross-disciplinary and long-term approach throughout his career. In the field of contemporary art, the artist is best known for multimedia projects that include various image manipulations, graphic elements, and performances. In recent years, he has increasingly focused on moving images and performance art. The artist’s works are in numerous significant public collections in Finland, including the National Gallery / Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma, the Finnish Museum of Photography, Helsinki Art Museum HAM, and EMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern Art, as well as in museum collections in Denmark and Japan. In 2014, he was awarded the Finnish State Prize for Photography, and in 2019, the Nurmijärvi municipality’s Konstiniekka Cultural Award. The artist was a resident artist at the Tom of Finland Foundation in Los Angeles in 2023. The body of work created during this residency will be published in a photobook next year. The artist’s latest short film Plunge was presented in the domestic competition series at the 2023 Love & Anarchy Film Festival.
The artist’s work and this exhibition have been supported by the Finnish Cultural Foundation, Arts Promotion Centre Finland, and the Niilo Helander Foundation. The production of the short film has been supported by AVEK.
