Art Center Ahjo; Tuija Hirvonen-Puhakka

TUIJA HIRVONEN-PUHAKKA – CELEBRATION / PARTY 7.5.-25.5.2025

At the art center Ahjo, Tuija Hirvonen-Puhakka will present a selection of paintings (oil, acrylic, and pigment), a dedicated watercolor room, and a video work.

Tuija Hirvonen-Puhakka (HP) — visual artist, art educator, art ambassador, and participant of Taike’s Master Class program (2024–2026) — will celebrate her 60th birthday in 2025 by focusing on art exhibitions and artistic work around the theme PARTY / CELEBRATION. At the heart of her exhibition at the Art Center Ahjo are the concepts of celebration, community, and human encounters. These are values that become especially significant in today’s challenging times, where moments of joy and festivity have become rarer. Through her artworks, Hirvonen-Puhakka addresses fundamental aspects of life, such as love, community, and human communication, creating a space for light and the joyful play of colors instead of darkness. The theme emphasizes the importance of togetherness and celebration, standing in contrast to the increasing loneliness and uncertainty of the contemporary world.

As a colorist, color is an essential part of Hirvonen-Puhakka’s expressive power. Her work "Fragments of Thought" reflects contemporary communication, while "Lead-Grey Night" explores themes of war and fear through dreams. Her artworks draw from the current atmosphere, where economic cuts and uncertainty impact the position of artists and the operational conditions of the art field. Since 2017, Hirvonen-Puhakka has incorporated "artwork ash" — the ashes of paintings created between 1988 and 2014 — into her work. The ash pigment symbolizes new beginnings: the burning process does not destroy the old but forms the foundation for creating something new. This approach reflects ecological responsibility and the importance of sustainable art.

Hirvonen-Puhakka graduated as a visual artist in 1993 and completed additional qualifications in 2019. She has worked professionally in the arts for over 32 years, mainly focusing on painting. Her experience spans across the fields of visual arts and culture, and since 2000, she has participated in numerous environmental and community art projects as well as international art initiatives. Over her long career, she has held 34 solo exhibitions and participated in more than 128 group and joint exhibitions both in Finland and internationally.

Hirvonen-Puhakka is actively involved in arts organizations, serving as the Chair of Joensuu Artists' Association and Vice Chair and founding member of Cultural Association Louhi. She has received several recognitions, including the Joensuu City Cultural Award (2024) and the Antti Statuette awarded by local newspapers (2018). She is particularly interested in the impact of art on both national and international levels. She believes that artists are a cultural richness and strength for their regions.

Artist Meetings: Saturday, 10 May at 1 PM-

Artist Meeting and Discussion Events:
Saturday, 17 May at 1 pm–2 pm, The Artist’s Life and the Good Death
Sunday, 18 May at 1 pm–2 pm, Eastern Finland and Me
Sunday, 25 May at 3 pm–5 pm, On Being an Artist and Life on the Border