The Red exhibition reveled in the many shades of red.

The 40 works selected from the Saastamoinen Foundation’s Art Collection represented different eras and the entire spectrum of visual art—from video and photography to painting and sculpture.

The historical part of the Saastamoinen Foundation Art Collection, which begins in the 1910s, is characterized by “Novemberism,” whose attributes include muted earthy colors. The starting point for this new themed exhibition emerged from reflections on color. Where do we arrive when we move from the earthy red-brown tones toward the collection’s contemporary art section? What kinds of red works are included in the collection in 2010?

Red continued the Saastamoinen Foundation’s collection exhibitions with a concept developed by the working group Hannele Grönlund, Päivi Karttunen, and Hannu Väisänen.

“Red has been present in my images from the very beginning, because I’ve often associated red with a sense of transience. Perhaps it’s due to the intensity of the color and its emotional charge. Red is a recurring element in my images, one that flashes and repeats in the same way as certain themes. Colors also connect the works together and create links between different subjects. For me, red is the color of transience and change.”
– Photographer Anni Leppälä

“In my opinion, red doesn’t live best in any one specific context; rather, it lives differently in different contexts. Red is versatile—perhaps the most versatile of all colors—the most soulful, and therefore uniquely alive.”
– Painter Carolus Enckell

“Blood, ketchup, rose. It’s hard to say where red lives best. Red has so many shades.”
– Visual artist Santeri Tuori

The exhibition features works by the following artists:

Birger Carlstedt, Ina Colliander, Carolus Enckell, Petri Eskelinen, Juhani Harri, Tiina Heiska, Tiina Itkonen, Anish Kapoor, Pertti Kekarainen, Markku Keränen, Anni Leppälä, Niko Luoma, Leena Luostarinen, Ismo Luukkonen, Elina Merenmies, Otto Mäkilä, Kukka Paavilainen, Jyrki Parantainen, Tarja Pitkänen-Walter, Jaume Plensa, Ulla Pohjola, Tapani Raittila, Anna Retulainen, Catarina Ryöppy, Jyrki Siukonen, Raili Tang, Anna Tuori, Santeri Tuori, Pauliina Turakka Purhonen, Rafael Wardi, Kristiina Wiherheimo, Maria Wiik, Riitta Åkerstedt.