Colorful Finnish illustrations at 'Moi! Shenzhen'

An illustration by Minni Havas.

Ten Finnish illustrators, including Tuomas Kärkkäinen, Reka Kiraly, Marika Maijala, Satu Kettunen, Sari Airola and Ville Savimaa, are exhibiting their works at the “Moi! Shenzhen” exhibition. Visitors can have a glimpse into Finnish culture, art and life philosophy at the exhibition.

An illustration by Tuomas Kärkkäinen. Photos from the exhibition organizers

Kärkkäinen tastefully captures stories regarding human rights, world events and social critique. He uses a comic book style but with a modern twist. His style of utilizing bold colors and elegant composition to tell a narrative is unique and deeply compelling. His illustrations are witty, adding some light-hearted satire.

An illustration by Reka Kiraly.

Kiraly’s works capture the delicate individualism and uniqueness of people in the form of plants. These portraits show repetitive elements in nature. As an artist, Kiraly is fascinated with modularity.

An illustration by Marika Maijala.

Maijala is known for her sweet and imaginative illustrations. She often portrays adventures in nature and the cities of Finland. She has illustrated numerous Finnish children’s books and her illustrations convey a rare creative freedom and joy. She is able to switch between different techniques while maintaining her distinctive and playful yet sophisticated touch.

Kettunen started her career as a fashion illustrator, and has illustrated six picture books. She has won the Rudolf Koivu Prize and was nominated for the Nordic Council Children and Young People’s Literature Award. Kettunen is also a member of the street art collective called Multicolored Dreams. Her illustration style is best known for its clear and composed color schemes, and in her artworks, she mixes both drawing and painting, as well as paper collage techniques. She’s a precise, sharp and witty illustrator.

Airola works broadly in the field of children’s culture. Themes that appear frequently in her works are communication and tolerance.

Savimaa loves creating surreal characters and dreamlike worlds. He sketches his illustrations and finishes them on the computer.

An illustration by Ville Savimaa.

Dates: Until March 12

Tickets: 30 yuan per person, 50 yuan for two persons

Venue: ALILI ART, inside Nantou Ancient Town, Nanshan District (南头古城内ALILI艺术馆)

Metro: Line 12 to Nantou Ancient City Station (南头古城站), Exit D