Helsinki Art Museum Showcases Vilho Lampi's Nordic Magic Realism
The Helsinki Art Museum (HAM) is hosting a significant retrospective of Finnish artist Vilho Lampi (1898–1936) until October 18, 2020. Lampi, who was born in Oulu and educated at the Academy of Fine Arts Helsinki, created a unique style that merges Nordic magic realism with German Expressionism, portraying rural life in Finland through a lens of Lutheran beliefs. This exhibition highlights his creations from the 1920s and 1930s, emphasizing themes of introspection and empathy. Additionally, HAM, situated in the renovated Amos Rex cinema building (1936), showcases the Sigurd Frosterus collection, which juxtaposes late European Expressionism with Finnish modernism, featuring artists like Magnus Enckell, Théo van Rysselberghe, Louis Valtat, and Paul Signac.
Key facts
- First major retrospective of Vilho Lampi since the 1950s at Helsinki Art Museum
- Exhibition runs until October 18, 2020
- Lampi was born in Oulu in 1898 and died by suicide in 1936
- He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts Helsinki but lived and worked on his family farm in Liminka
- His style combines Nordic magic realism with German Expressionism, especially Die Brücke
- Subjects include farms, fields, rivers, animals, and peasants in rural Finland
- The museum is located in the Amos Rex cinema building (1936) renovated by JKMM Architects
- The Sigurd Frosterus collection compares late European Expressionism with Finnish modernism
Entities
Artists
- Vilho Lampi
- Magnus Enckell
- Théo van Rysselberghe
- Louis Valtat
- Paul Signac
- Vincent van Gogh
Institutions
- Helsinki Art Museum
- HAM
- Academy of Fine Arts Helsinki
- Amos Rex
- JKMM Architects
- Oulu Art Museum
- Artribune
Locations
- Helsinki
- Finland
- Oulu
- Liminka
- Eteläinen Rautatiekatu 8
- North Sea