Exhibition #103 – Linda Linko & Milla Vaahtera / Serifs and Jellybeans
4.4.–24.5.2025
Exhibition #103 – Linda Linko & Milla Vaahtera / Serifs and Jellybeans
4.4.–24.5.2025
Lokal Gallery
The works in Linda Linko’s and Milla Vaahtera’s exhibition form a common perspective on making art – through joy and a deep exploration of forms. Their work is united by a striving for optimism, without forgetting sensitivity. Both also perceive colours and shapes in the same way as typography. “We see the foot, the ends, the curve, the gravity and the relations – the positive and negative space. Eventually, the boundaries between typography, landscape painting, portraiture and glass sculpture fade awaym, as long as you look closely enough.”
Linda Linko is a Helsinki-based visual artist who works in a variety of mediums, focusing in particular on drawing and painting. The visual thinking of Linko, who graduated from the University of Art and Design in 2004, is shaped by her background in design. Her works are influenced by both contemporary painting and 1960s Polish poster design. Her work is characterised by a recognisable visual style and an interest in the chosen materials and the possibilities they offer. “I am fascinated by the dynamics of seeing, observing and understanding. Through art, it is easier to explore inexplicable structures and semiotic associations – deformities, which have always interested me.”
Milla Vaahtera combines geometry and spontaneous handcrafting. The works as infused with elements from the traditions of design and craftsmanship, but escape into a more expressive sculptural form. Although the works themselves express joy and lightness, they also have another message. Vaahtera’s work is guided by the idea of a beautiful and good future, where mass production decreases and craftsmanship increases, creating well-being. The hand-twisted curves of brass and the organic nature of studio glass draw typography into the space. The glasses were created in the Nuutajärvi Glass Village by the skilled hands of Sani Lappalainen, Samuli Parkkinen, Paula Pääkkönen and Jasmiina Lehtomaa.