Contra Conservatio | Pori Art Museum
The focus is on the remains of the ceiling fresco by Akseli Gallen-Kallela for the Jusélius Mausoleum. Contemporary artists bring their views on the theme.
Contra Conservatio group exhibition weaves together the themes of destruction and revival, examining the issue through the concepts of preservation, restoration and, on the other hand, change, metamorphosis and entropy. In the center of the exhibition are the remains of the ceiling fresco painted by Akseli Gallen-Kallela for the Jusélius Mausoleum, which was saved from the fire that destroyed the building in 1931.
International and local contemporary artists bring perspectives to the exhibition’s themes through both existing works as well as new works made especially for the exhibition. In addition to Gallen-Kallela, the artists in the exhibition are Cyprien Gaillard, Markus Luiro, Iida Nikitin, Kosti S. Ruohomaa and Veronica Ryan. The exhibition has been assembled by Arttu Merimaa, chief curator of exhibitions at Pori Art Museum.
The exhibition is supported by Finnish Heritage Agency.
Piece of the original fresco from the Jusélius Musoleum, Collections of Satakunta Museum (Photo: Arttu Merimaa)