Marko Vahtokari: Romuntiikkaa Haiharassa - art exhibition

Expressive and story-telling sculptures and atmospheric everyday objects made from old iron, worn wood and old goods.

The Romuntiikkaa Haiharassa -exhibition presents Marko Vahtokari's sculptures, which are created from old iron, worn wood and objects that have been battered over the years. The artist calls them "blanks". The blanks carry traces of their former life and in his works Vahtokari strives to preserve that history; the mistakes, dents and marks it brings, because those are character traits, not defects. The aim is to give the blanks a new purpose, perhaps even more pleasant than the original, as an art object.

Vahtokari transforms the blank into a sculpture on its own terms, without forcing it into anything. Sometimes the insight comes in an instant and the work is completed quickly. Sometimes the work waits half-finished for a long time. Each work is a journey of its own; one may be a sprint, another a marathon.

In addition to the sculptures, the exhibition also features some of the artist's everyday objects. In them, he has tried to maintain the same atmosphere and material handling as in the sculptures. However, the core of this exhibition is in the sculptures; the everyday objects play a supporting role next to the sculptures.