Painter, sculptor, draughtsman and graphic artist Kimmo Kaivanto (Tampere 1932 – Helsinki 2012,) is known for his works depicting subjects connected with nature and addressing societal issues, and for his use of the colour ultramarine: ‘Kaivanto’s blue’. Kaivanto studied at the School of Arts, Design and Architecture in Helsinki in 1953 and 1954. In addition to his artistic work, he designed posters and stage sets as well as created illustrations. Kaivanto’s works belong within the continuum of modern art. Beside colour, lines and linear structure, the emphasis of Kaivanto’s work is on form, space and composition.

With regard to his own artistic expression, Kaivanto’s oeuvre can be divided into three periods. There was an early figurative period up to about 1960, followed by an informalist stage characterised by a rich lineal structure. However, behind the apparent abstraction there was always a real subject. After 1968, Kaivanto’s art became figurative, and his idiom came to be characterised by a polished finish. In terms of their subjects, the works often take a strong stance on topical issues. The works are expressions of the artist’s conception of the real world and connected to issues concerning contemporary phenomena and events that he regarded as important. Behind the idea for a picture there always lay his own personal experience and observation. The central theme of Kaivanto’s work is nature. Through it, the artist communicated his personal feelings, but also his concerns about the state of nature and the ecological balance. Kaivanto’s maybe best-known work is When the Sea Dies II (1973), which reminds the viewer of a concrete environmental problem. Another work, Silence (1973), not only envisages the possibility of a natural catastrophe but also comments on the state of society and suggests a global peril.

Some of Kaivanto’s oeuvre is characterised by revolution and rebellion, freedom and individuality. He created his own symbols and a system of signs to express his ideas. One of his best-known devices consisted in the use of hands and individual fingers as symbols. After the 1980s, Kaivanto’s works became more expressive and more personal in their subjects. Christianity and its symbols are repeated themes, and the artist’s interest in history, particularly the Middle Ages, is constantly communicated in his work.

This retrospective exhibition was based on works in the collection of the Sara Hildén Foundation supplemented with loans of works that are central to the artist’s oeuvre, some of have been given by the Kimmo Kaivanto Foundation. To celebrate the centenary of Finland´s independence, among the pieces exhibited was the The Square (1976), a commissioned painting dealing with the history of Tampere.

The collection possesses 128 paintings, drawings, sculptures and graphic works by Kaivanto. Sara Hildén was a patron for Kimmo Kaivanto. The earliest work in the collection is from 1961, while the latest acquisition was signed in 1992. The works in the foundation’s collection are supplemented with loans of pieces that are central to the artist’s oeuvre and sketches from the collection of the Kimmo Kaivanto Foundation.

During his career, Kimmo Kaivanto made several public works, such as Ode to the 60,000 Lakes (1972, Helsinki), The Square (1976, Tampere), Nereid (1985, Helsinki) and The Blue Line (1990, Tampere Hall). Kaivanto was awarded the Pro Finlandia medal in 1972. In 1982 he received ‘Artist of the Year’ title in the Helsinki Festival and in 1995 he was awarded a professorship (hons causa).