Kaarina Kaikkonen b. 1952

Born in Iisalmi, Finland  | Lives and works in Helsinki

Kaarina Kaikkonen, one of our most internationally recognized sculptors, is known for shaping urban landscapes and emphasizing community through her installations. In her works, one can find references to current themes of humanity’s place in their own time and of basic needs that always exist regardless of environment or culture. Old clothes contain the former user's presence, which wraps around Kaikkonen’s story and places the viewer before something new and unknown but, at the same time, exceedingly familiar and intimate. The impressive installations made out of men’s jackets and shirts are well known in Finland and globally. In Finland, one of her most famous works is the Way (2000), an installation that covered the steps of Helsinki Cathedral and was composed of thousands of men’s suit jackets.

Her works can be found in several collections, such as the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma, Helsinki City Art Museum, and Espoo Museum of Modern Art of EMMA. Kaikkonen’s achievements have been recognised with numerous prestigious awards and honours. She received the National Visual Arts Prize in 1989 and the Finland Prize for the Arts in 2001. In 2013, she was appointed a Knight, First Class, of the Order of the Lion of Finland, and in 2022, she was awarded the Pro Finlandia Medal. Her international recognition includes the Public Prize at Den Haag Sculptuur in the Netherlands in 2004 and an Honourable Mention at the 11th Cairo Biennale in Egypt in 2009.

Galerie Forsblom has been representing Kaarina Kaikkonen since 2008.