Kirsti Tuokko b. 1943
Born in 1943 in Helsinki | Lives and works in Helsinki
Kirsti Tuokko paints fashion, outfits, and the postures through which people present themselves. Fashion editorials, fleeting encounters with passersby on the street, and moments in cafés or at exhibition openings inspire the figures in her work.
Her technique involves painting on the reverse side of transparent plexiglass, leaving the surface smooth and glossy, much like a magazine page. While working, Tuokko doesn't look at the front of the painting—the image remains in her mind. This method allows the materials to act more independently as co-creators. When the piece is finished, she flips it over, often bringing a mix of surprises, for better or worse.
Kirsti Tuokko trained as a visual arts teacher at the Institute of Industrial Arts in Helsinki and later took additional graphic and symbolic design courses at the University of California, Berkeley. Her career as an artist began just before she turned fifty. Her works are part of the collections at the Helsinki Art Museum HAM, the Tampere Art Museum, the Wihuri Foundation, and the Saastamoinen Foundation. She has also created several public artworks.
Galerie Forsblom has been representing Kirsti Tuokko since 2024.
