Two winners at the international The Art of Basware 2016 competition
Tiina-Liisa Kaalamo and Ville Laurinkoski have won the international The Art of Basware art competition for young artists. The winning artwork “Terrarotta-armeija” by Tiina-Liisa Kaalamo is a mixed technic sculpture consisting of 99 rat skulls and tails handcrafted with wool, fur and metal. Ville Laurinkoski's "Hermeneutiikkaa: Europa" is a giant painting. Both the works were purchased to Basware’s art collection for the sum of 5,000 euros each.
The Art of Basware, held for the 17th consecutive year, is a visual arts competition for young artists under 30 years of age. This year almost 400 pieces of work, including paintings, drawings, sculptures and video, were submitted to the competition. The winner was declared by a jury that included eg. Bruce Oreck, the former U.S. Ambassador of Finland; Anna Ruth, renowned artist and prominent art figure; Ad van der Poel, Senior Vice President, Financing Services of Basware; and Lars Madsen, CMO of Basware.
The theme of this year’s competition was “Lead the way”. The artists had full artistic freedom to interpret the theme in their own manner.
The winner Ville Laurinkoski is mere 20 years old. He comments:
”Exhibitions urge forward my work as an artist. The Helsinki Music Centre as a venue is special to me as music is a frame of reference through which my art can be approached”.
27-year-old sculptor Tiina-Liisa Kaalamo has been featured in The Art of Basware exhibition in 2014 and 2015. The winning art work consists of 99 rat-like figures that run from the wall down to the floor. ”The zombie rats are made of skulls and tails of frozen rats that I acquired from a pet store wholesale and assembled with skeletons of metal wire and textile”, Kaalamo says and describes the art work as an spiritual self portrait.
Chairman of the jury, Paula Holopainen of the Finnish Painters’ Union, comments:
“Both the winning art works are breathtaking at the first sight. Hermeneutiikkaa: Europa by Ville Laurinkoski leads the viewer to several directions and his drawing and painting skills are remarkable. Terrarotta-armeija by Tiina-Liisa Kaalamo shows excellent craftmanship and is a strong visual experience to its viewer.”
The artist’s website:
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