Kati Rapia (born 1972) is a visual artist, who combines comics, drawing and photography in her

work. Her works have been seen in several group shows in Finland and elsewhere in Europe and

solo shows like “Still Lifes” at Gallery Hippolyte, Helsinki and “Family Still Lifes” in Gallery Napa.

Her comics have been published in European comic anthologies like “Finnish Comics Annual III”

and Strapazin. Rapia ́s works are represented in several public and private art collections in

Finland and Sweden.

In Kati Rapia ́s narrative collages we meet an old man who does random chores alone in his

house. He is getting ready for his own celebration, with an absurd hope for having guests.

Existential crisis, the tradition of Still Life paintings, melancholy, the relationship between man and nature, comic-like narratives, humor, and playfulness are essential in Rapia’s works. She combines drawings with pieces of photographs. In Rapia ́s two flip books (book animations) we meet a Miracle Baby.

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Mikko Kallio (born 1971) works with drawing, collage, and painting. In 2011-12 Kallio worked in

New York City, and currently he works in Tampere, Finland. Kallio ́s work can be seen at the

Pierogi2000 Flat Files folders (New York) and in several public collections in Finland such as the

Helsinki Art Museum and the State of Finland Collections. In addition, his works are among private collections in Finland, Sweden, and USA. Kallio collaborates with the artist collective Le Dernier Cri (Marseille, France). In 2012 his works have been seen at the Pirkanmaa 5:th Triennial –Exhibition (Tampere, Finland) and at a solo show at Taidesalonki Husa Gallery (Tampere, Finland).

Kallio builds his drawing collages with different types of papers, graphite, ink, watercolor, and

found materials. He works in many layers, cutting and drawing collaged figures that interlace with

painted or drawn stripes, dots, and color. In his characters, resemblances to contemporary folk art

merge with expressive drawing, collage, and detailed marks. ”In art I am interested in the

imperfect, raw, and temporary more than creating a world of harmony. I work during a long period

of time, aiming to create layers and perhaps a sense of time in the work, too. For me, making art is

like wandering in a free space, forest or wasteland collecting interesting objects, small miracles.

Everyone of us has the ability to imagine and build one ́s own life and world”.

The exhibition is supported by the Arts Council of Finland and the Arts Council of Pirkanmaa.