Jussi Goman: Memo
Galerie Forsblom 20.8.–19.9.2021
Opening 19.8.2021 at 3-7 PM
In his new exhibition, Memo, Jussi Goman (b.1980) shares his meditations on how memories tend to be gilded by the passage of time. The artist describes how this theme took shape: “Memo draws inspiration from the aesthetic style of notebooks. I’m always doing quick sketches in my notebooks. Whether dashed off first thing in the morning or the middle of a bus ride, each sketch feels vital to preserve on paper the moment I’m doing it. So my latest paintings are essentially corrected versions of my spontaneous jottings.”
Also featured is a selection of ceramic sculptures executed in the same wild, colorful style as Goman’s paintings, as if giving a three-dimensional form to the menagerie of wild animals, weird organisms, and other imaginary creatures that populate his painted canvases. Out-of-place elements such as riotously protruding flowers and eyeballs are paired with still-life conventions, imbuing the sculptures with absurd energy. Goman’s bold, whimsical approach is underscored by his adventurous fusions of materials and use of spray paints, which transform each sculpture into something new and unexpected.
Goman graduated from Helsinki’s Academy of Fine Arts in 2008. His work is found in major Finnish museums, including the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma, Helsinki Art Museum HAM, and the Saastamoinen Foundation Collection. He is the 2020 winner of the William Thuring Foundation Prize, and this year he will complete a major public commission for the City of Riihimäki.