Gallery Katariina is delighted to present the exhibition COMPASSION, GRACE, CLEMENCY AND EMPATHY by Teemu Siika 2–25 February, 2024.

We warmly invite you to the exhibition opening on Thursday, February 1st, from 5 to 7 pm! 

Image: Teemu Siika

Teemu Siika: COMPASSION, GRACE, CLEMENCY AND EMPATHY  

Teemu Siika has brought stand taking sculptures to Gallery Katariina that borrow their characters from children’s toy culture. C’mon, Follow Me Across the Rainbow and I’ll Show You the Way to the Dream Valley is an installation of seven My Little ponies commenting on populism and authoritarianism. In turn Masters of the Universe aims to talk about the possible influence of an individual’s socio-economic status on his empathy, ethics and self-image. When constructing his works, Siika has familiarized himself, among other things, with the publications of political psychology and social psychology related to the topics. He has insightfully layered these publications into his works. 

Ceramics is the main material of the figures and Masters of the Universe, for example, as a He-Man figure with a height of more than two meters, is already an impressive revelation as a ceramic sculpture for its size. The pony herd has also experienced transformation from toys from the 1980s to full-grown ponies while traveling from Pony Valley to the gallery. 

The exhibition’s satirical message hits the nerve of the times. Siika has no purpose of to increase confrontation. He hopes that the exhibition will awaken the viewer to examine himself and reflect on his attitude towards fellow human beings. The aim is to awaken compassion, grace, clemency and empathy, which are also the keywords in the name of the exhibition.