Kerttu Saali b. 1994
Born in Helsinki | Lives and works in Helsinki
For Kerttu Saali, the basic elements of painting—color, light, and form—are central to her practice. She is conceptually and stylistically influenced by earlier painters, such as the Impressionists, particularly in their treatment of light. Her works consistently evoke something beyond the reach of words, and the unconscious dimension of art has fascinated Saali since she began painting. Through her work, she gestures toward the ineffable, revealing how painting speaks its own unique language. Her carved frames function as extensions of the paintings, appearing to spill beyond the boundaries of the linen canvas. Saali is interested in how oil painting and wood interact as intertwined materials. Rather than treating the frame as secondary, she makes it an integral and equal part of a larger artistic whole.
Kerttu Saali graduated from the Finnish Academy of Fine Arts in 2023. She has participated in numerous group exhibitions, including those at Kunsthalle Helsinki, Vantaa Art Museum Artsi, and Sara Hildén Art Museum. Her work is included in several public collections, such as the Saastamoinen Foundation, the City of Tampere, the Finnish Cultural Foundation, and Vantaa Art Museum Artsi.
Galerie Forsblom has represented Kerttu Saali since 2023.
