Sara Hildén Art Museum exhibitions in 2026

Pentti Kaskipuro

The extensive exhibition of the work of Pentti Kaskipuro, a master of Finnish graphic art from the 1950s to the 2000s, will open in January.

During his long career, Pentti Kaskipuro (1930–2010) developed his own distinctive style, combining everyday subjects with precise graphic techniques. He is particularly renowned for his still life works. The exhibition will present Kaskipuro’s artistic journey, from figures and landscapes to still lifes and finally to entire interiors and views.

Kaskipuro began his career with portraits and landscapes, after which he focused on still lifes. He drew his main subjects from his immediate surroundings, especially from his kitchen table: onions, turnips, potatoes, bread, fish, mushrooms, and other foodstuffs, as well as household objects. In his detailed drypoint and aquatint works, Kaskipuro drew attention to the greatness of small things.

At times, his still life subjects expanded into entire interiors and vistas. Over time, Kaskipuro’s everyday themes took on an almost metaphysical dimension, rising above ordinary reality and revealing surrealistic tones. The works are based on strong contrasts in different shades of black, white, and gray. “Light and shadow are the most important effects for me. With their different shades, they ultimately form the most essential element in all my works,” Kaskipuro has characterized.

Kaskipuro was a pioneer and significant influence in Finnish graphic art, both as a self-taught artist and a respected teacher, who was also known as Master K. Kaskipuro is one of the most internationally renowned Finnish graphic artists, who participated extensively in exhibitions both at home and abroad and was awarded prizes at many international graphic art exhibitions.

The exhibition at the Sara Hildén Art Museum and the accompanying publication aim to open up new perspectives on Kaskipuro’s work. They encourage visitors to examine their immediate surroundings and explore the themes of the artist’s work. The museum also aims to open up a new perspective on Sara Hildén’s living legacy.

Kaskipuro was one of the artists followed by Sara Hildén. Later, the collection was supplemented with works donated by the artist. ‘We dare to claim that the foundation’s collection not only includes the largest number of Kaskipuro’s graphic works, but also the most complete in terms of content,’ says Head of Collections Maria Laine.

Pentti Kaskipuro January 10–April 19, 2026

Freshly Painted

A group exhibition called ‘Freshly Painted’, showcasing the work of young artists, will open at the on Ascension Day (15 May).

The exhibition will feature mainly visual artists living and working in Finland who primarily use painting as their artistic medium. The participants are Emma Ainala, Milla Aska, Siiri Haarla, Karoliina Hellberg, Kaisa Huotari, Juliana Hyrri, Annamaari Hyttinen, Essi Kuokkanen, Raana Lehtinen, Eeva Lietonen, Emma Luukkala, Iisa Maaranen, Elin Odentia (Sweden), Melina Paakkonen, Sirkku Rosi, Kerttu Saali, Johanna Saikkonen, Riikka Sormunen, Astrid Strömberg, and Ebba Svensson (Sweden).

The exhibition program at the Sara Hildén Art Museum is based on the Sara Hildén Foundation’s collection, and painting has been one of the collection’s focal points from the very beginning. The museum follows developments in contemporary painting and reflects them through the works in its collection.

The name and concept of the ‘Freshly Painted’ exhibition were suggested by Marika Mäkelä, a painter and one of the artists represented in the Sara Hildén Foundation’s collection. She has emphasised the significant support she has received from her female colleagues throughout her career. Mäkelä participated in the pioneering ‘Rakastetu kuva’ (Image of a Loved One) exhibition at Pyynikinlinna in Tampere in 1986. This was one of the first exhibitions in Finland to showcase exclusively female-created art. All of the participants were professional artists in their thirties who had successfully established themselves in the male-dominated art world. “Next year will mark the 40th anniversary of this exhibition, which inspired us to take a look at the painting art of our time: what and how is being done now, how has the artist’s profession changed?” says Chief Curator Sarianne Soikkonen.

All invited participants will be represented by their own work and a selection of pieces they have proposed. The exhibition will feature several newly painted works that have not been seen before, which have been arranged into hanging collections based on their thematic content. To coincide with the exhibition, the Sara Hildén Art Museum will publish an illustrated catalogue featuring an article by Anna Tuori, a painter and artist included in the Sara Hildén Foundation’s collection.

Freshly Painted May 14–August 30, 2026