Laikku Gallery: Tommi Ketonen — Glimpses

Tommi Ketonen’s exhibition Glimpses brings together glass sculptures in which light, colour, and the layered nature of glass give rise to a visual world. Working in Nuutajärvi, the glass artist is known especially for his massive graal sculptures, where images, forms, and layers of colour are built into the glass itself and reveal themselves to the viewer gradually, like fleeting flashes.

The starting points for Ketonen’s works are emotions, memories, the beauty of nature, and those moments that remain in the mind only briefly before they slip into the past. The title of the exhibition refers precisely to this experience: the meaningful encounters, moods, and observations in life often appear as brief flashes that leave a trace but cannot be pinned down. Glass as a material also embodies this idea. Its surface reflects, transmits, and refracts light in a constantly changing way, so that each work appears slightly different from every angle.

Ketonen’s works convey the beauty and fragility of life, nature, and the passage of time. Although the themes can be serious, the sculptures are at the same time rich in colour, vitality, and the lightness brought by illumination. The subjects are recognisable, yet they do not seek to tell a single, clear-cut story. Space is left for the viewer’s own thoughts and associations.

The exhibition includes both new and earlier sculptures. In these works, fragility and strength, permanence and transience often stand in contrast. Central are the feminine figures characteristic of Ketonen, appearing alongside birds, plant motifs, and other elements drawn from nature. In the works, beauty and sensitivity frequently meet the finiteness of life. Death does not appear as a dark terminal point, but as part of a natural cycle in which transience gives meaning to every moment.

Ketonen’s practice is rooted in the demanding graal technique. The imagery engraved within the sculptures is built up through multiple stages of work, creating depth and optical layers. As the viewer moves, the works also change: images appear and disappear, colours intensify or soften, and light makes the glass glow from within. This ever-changing nature is an essential part of experiencing the pieces.

All the sculptures are designed and executed by the artist himself. His work brings together an aesthetic vision, craftsmanship, a profound understanding of the material, and a keen interest in the expressive possibilities of glass. In the works, light, colour, and the layered structure of the glass give form to moments, moods, and memories.

Ketonen’s works have been exhibited in dozens of shows in Finland and across Europe. In particular, his solo exhibitions in Finland have highlighted the range of his production, as well as the striking visual impact and distinctive aesthetic of his art. His long-term engagement with glass is evident in the technical refinement of the pieces and in the way the material functions as an inseparable part of their content. His works are instantly recognisable by their unique visual universe, in which light, colour, and the inner layers of glass come together as a singular whole.

Open:

Tue–Sat 10 am–6 pm

Free entry!

The Culture House Laikku is largely accessible. Read more about Laikku's accessibility.

The event will follow Safer Space Guidelines.

For more information about exhibitions at Culture House Laikku:

Irma Puttonen

Senior Coordinator

irma.puttonen@tampere.fi

050 553 8673