MARI RANTANEN

1.12.2018-19.1.2019

Mari Rantanen is a Finnish painter living in Sweden, Finland and USA who has made a long and productive career.

She has done paintings and graphics, installations, wall paintings and other public art. Her art is characterized by strong colors, light and geometric structures. The works combine various cultural influences from the constructivism of modern painting and, amongst others, the stained glass of European medieval churches, Asian art and the ornamentation of American textile crafts.

Mrs Rantanen has implemented several public works both in Sweden and Finland. Her work can be seen for examle at the subway stations of Odenplan in Stockholm, Sweden and Niittykumpu in Espoo, Finland.

Many different publications have written about her art and she has been presented in several monographs, exhibitions and contemporary art collections in Finland, Sweden and for example in the United States.

ODENS TRÄDGÅRD (Odins Garden)

Odenplan Metro Station, Stockholm, Sweden 2017

When you walk down from the busy City Center in Odenplan, you find, in the middle of the corridor, an opening in the ceiling and a subtle, but notable, change in the acoustics of the space.

The travelers can enjoy the sunset/rise effusing through the patterns of a garden and forms of urban culture formed on the identical walls enclosing the space while walking on a floor patterned on the supple mimicking of the shadows of the trees.

Materials: Painted and laser cut sound insulating metal plates on both sides of the platform.
 

KESÄNIITTY (SUMMER MEADOW)

Niittykumpu Metro Station, Espoo Finland 2017

“I want to create a sensation of the warm summer day, using the colors of the finnish summer flowers and the multicultural patterns of architecture, mathematics and textiles found within the home. Within this context a different color spectrum is detailed and elaborated on each side of the platform helping travelers to orientate, as well open up a space of diverse sensations of the season through the strong development of patterns and subtle elaboration of tones and colors. With each change the commuter will encounter while walking on the platform the colors and forms will combine, disperse, become faint and reassert its vibrant nature. The motion of the traveler in the station becoming a summer dance of sensual joy as they are moving on.”

Materials: Painted soundproofing metal plates (60×60 cm)measuring 5m x 95m both sides of the platform.

OTHER EXHIBITIONS