Suvi Laine-Karsten:
In the Connections

“My exhibition, Yhteyksien kytköksissä (In the Connections), is a reflection on the importance of social bonds in human life and the transitions from connection to separation. It continues the themes explored in my previous exhibition, (including, for example, Ihmisiä hiljaisesta kaupungista – People of a Silent City, 2020, Galleria A2), where I grappled with similar reflections. A significant inspiration for this project has been Olivia Laing’s book. In her work, Laing specifically examines themes of isolation and loneliness. She approaches loneliness by exploring the experiences of alienation faced by certain artists living in the densely connected metropolis of New York. 

Her conclusion is that loneliness is simply a part of life, just like any other way of living. Throughout her work, Laing often identifies with the experiences of the artists she studies and, above all, with the meaning of their artistic creations as a way of connecting to life. Even in moments of alienation, she argues, artists are never completely separated; rather, through the "mycelia" created by their art, they remain connected to life itself. 

For me as an artist, creating art is also about establishing connections. In my spontaneous approach to the creative process, I allow materials such as brushes, paints, and the canvas itself to forge connections—initially very random—between each other. The work begins to take on a coherent form only when these material connections start to become established. To me, the completion of the piece occurs before and beyond this process, in the connection it forms between inner images and the outside world.  

The finished work embodies a connection in which I, as the creator, am simultaneously both connected and separate. The tension between these two states—being part of the world and remaining distinct—resolves through the spontaneous process of creation. When the work is complete, it becomes real and, at the same time, connects to a life that extends beyond itself.” 

Suvi Laine-Karsten is a Helsinki-based visual artist, art therapist (specializing in expressive arts), and Master of Arts (MA). In her work, she explores themes related to human life, equality, justice, and the state of the world. For her, the process of creating an image is always an element of surprise, driven by its own will and purpose, which the artist must listen to and follow.