The Finnish sculptor Heli Ryhänen began her artistic education at the Liminka School of Art, and continued it at the Art School of Kankaanpää. In 2006, she got her Master’s degree at the Academy of Fine Arts in Helsinki. Her work has been presented at many solo and group exhibitions in Finland, Norway, Sweden, Germany, the UK and Cyprus.
The artist’s creations are characterized by spatial layouts, usually with the human figure in the centre. She uses a variety of materials – from textile, to bronze, glass, metal and wood. For figures of large dimensions, she usually uses softer materials (like textile or leather), which makes them appear alive and alludes to human beings. In her works, she investigates issues of existential nature, the question of free will, and the complexity of human relationships. She is interested in historical sites, buildings and communities, and uses her work to depict the transparent layers of life from the past to the present.
She will use her time in Maribor to try and find that specific and unique layer (stratum) that characterizes our city, and separates it from others. Upon finding it, she will use the language of her creative poetics to translate it into her own narrative.
http://www.heliryhanen.fi/


Text: Maja Pardeilhan