Photo: Jussi Tiainen
New, never- before-seen works by Kerttu Saali are included in the group exhibition ‘Freshly Painted’ at Sara Hildén Art Museum in Tampere, Finland. The exhibition is now open and on show until August 30, 2026.
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.
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 Finnish Cultural Foundation, and Vantaa Art Museum Artsi.
The ’Freshly Painted’ group exhibition showcases the work of twenty-two young visual artists living and working in Finland who primarily use painting as their artistic medium. It is a concept of the artist Marika Mäkelä. Throughout Mäkelä’s career spanning over six decades, she has emphasised the significant support she has received from her female colleagues. Mäkelä participated in the pioneering ‘Rakastettu kuva’ (Image of a Loved One) exhibition at Pyynikinlinna in Tampere in 1986. This was one of the first exhibitions in Finland to showcase exclusively female-created art.
Galerie Forsblom has represented Kerttu Saali since 2023, and Marika Mäkelä since 2018.
Freshly Painted
May 14–August 30, 2026
Sara Hildén Art Museum
Tampere, Finland
