Kimanen, Maija Pilvikki - Looking Up/Striped Shirt

Acrylic on paper.

70 x 180 cm

2023

Maija Pilvikki Kimanen graduated as a visual artist from the Lahti Art Institute in 2006. Her works have been exhibited, among others, in the galleries of artists' associations in various cities, at the Nuorten näyttely (Young Artists' Exhibition), and at the Outsider Art Festival in the Helsinki Art Museum HAM, as well as in Galleria Rajatila. The artist lives and works in Helsinki.

"For years, I made machines, videos, installations, and sculptures. Now I have returned to where my artistry began: painting and drawing. The themes of my works previously stemmed from fun and positive insights. However, with painting, the themes became more intense: my paintings also address difficult issues such as illness and transience. I am interested in the limitations of human senses, mental illnesses, and functional limitations.

I draw much from my own life for my works. I tinker with all sorts of things on my own. My older sister once said that others do what they can, Maija does whatever she wants. Techniques that no one has ever used simply need practice. There is no textbook that teaches about it."

My collections grow and develop over time. I have found my own technique and way of making art; it cannot be learned from any book, it must be discovered through experimentation. I am very excited about the new sugar water technique, which I do with acrylic paint, a stick, water, and ink. In the work, the color starts to spread and does what it wants... it's very interesting. My latest works feature two people; they are perhaps some kind of encounters. Works with many people relate to hallucinations, to the idea that there are many people at home, which can be scary...