Espace Louis Vuitton Tokyo

Faithfull to its editorial motto of “constant surprise and reinvention”, Espace Louis Vuitton Tokyo hosts AWAKENING. AWAKENING is the second group exhibition presented by Espace Louis Vuitton Tokyo in a series devoted to Discoveries/Countries, a series that will in the future alternate with solo and/or thematic exhibitions. AWAKENING shines a spotlight on the contemporary Finnish scene through the most recent works of Finnish artists Pekka JYLHÄ, Hannaleena HEISKA and Sami SÄNPÄKKILÄ.

For this loosely thematic exhibition, independent curator KÖÖNIKKÄ (who served as curator for the Finnish Pavilion at 2011 Venice Biennale) has selected artists who create artworks that communicate with the curiosities and peculiarities of life. All pieces displayed in our gallery can be interpreted in the light of the title, AWAKENING which refers not only to the things we all perceive, but can also be understood as simply being aware.

Here, poetry and uncertainty compete with a sleepless state to create a multi-sensorial experience. The panel of trends and media has been enlarged such as to include sound installation and music.

In the dimmed and quasi-mystique atmosphere of a modern cave-like setting, we invite you to discover the peculiarities of life viewed through different lenses, from Surrealist-like to Goth culture. We hope you will enjoy the combination of an acute sense for perception of the surroundings and imaginative ways of observation, which we found is characteristic of each of these artists.

Espace Louis Vuitton Tokyo is very grateful to the artists and to the curator for their sustained devotion to this project. We especially want to thank Pekka JYLHÄ, Hannaleena HEISKA and Sami SÄNPÄKKILÄ who conceived and produced most of the pieces on display but who also accepted to loan previous artworks enabling us to re-contextualize their interest for mystifying mundane objects and happenings in the form of an artwork. We also would like to express our gratitude to the Embassy of Finland in Tokyo and the Finnish Institute in Japan for their insightful support throughout the preparation of this project.

©Louis Vuitton / Jérémie Souteyrat

Pekka Jylhä

Artist/professor Pekka Jylhä was born in 1955 in Toholampi, Finland, lives and works in Espoo, Finland. Jylhä achieved his art studies in the 1980’s at the University of Art and Design, Helsinki and the Academy of Fine Arts, Helsinki. His public sculptures and installations have been presented widely in Finland, most recently What’s the rush? was on display at the Helsinki city center in a Metro station in 2011, organized by the Helsinki Art museum. Jylhä’s art was presented at FIAC in Paris by Galerie Vanessa Quang, 2008, 2009, 2010 and f.ex. Eco Art exhibition in Shanghai, China. Jylhä has been an active participant in numerous exhibitions throughout Finland and abroad since the 1980’s and he has created many public sculptures in Finland. Jylhä’s art works can be found in all the main public and private art collections in Finland.

http://www.pekkajylha.fi/

©Louis Vuitton / Jérémie Souteyrat

Hannaleena Heiska

Hannaleena Heiska was born in 1973 in Oulu, Finland. Currently she lives and works in Helsinki, Finland. She graduated in 2006 with a Master of Arts in Fine Arts from the Finnish Academy of Fine Arts (Helsinki). She had recently solo shows in Norway (Porsgrunn Kunstforening, 2011) and in Finland (Altered States, Gallery Kalhama & Piippo Contemporary, 2010). Heiska has participated in numerous group exhibitions in Finland and abroad. In 2010 she participated in False Recognition, 14th Vilnius Painting Triennial, curated by Evaldas Stankevičius, Anders Kreuger and Magda Kardasz, at CAC - Contemporary Art Centre, in Vilnius, Lithuania. In 2009 Heiska was one of the Finnish participants in MOMENTUM 2009 – 5th Nordic Biennial of Contemporary Art, Favoured Nations, at Momentum Kunsthall and Galleri F15, in Moss, Norway, curated by Lina Džuverovic and Stina Högkvist. In 2011 her video works were presented at screenings including Signes de Nuit in Paris, France, Milano Film Festival in Italy and VIS-Vienna Independent Shorts (Vienna, Austria).

http://www.hannaleenaheiska.com/

©Louis Vuitton / Jérémie Souteyrat

Sami Sänpäkkilä

Artist Sami Sänpäkkilä was born 1975 in Ulvila, Finland, he lives and works in Tampere, Finland. Sänpäkkilä has studied Fine Arts (BA) at Tampere Polytechnic and Ontario College Of Art And Design in Toronto, Canada. Sänpäkkilä has exhibited in many group exhibitions and film screenings in the 21st century. Sänpäkkilä is a multi-talented artist; musician, photographer, film-maker and the director of Fonal Records.

http://samisanpakkila.com/