Sonja Salomäki
Exploring new ways to visualise surrounding phenomena and atmospheres through textile/visual art techniques.
All artworks by Sonja Salomäki
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Recognition
Award Winning
The artist has won prizes and awards
The artist has won prizes and awards
Editor's Pick
The artist's works have been noticed by the editorial staff
The artist's works have been noticed by the editorial staff
Presented in Art Fairs
The artist participates in art shows and fairs
The artist participates in art shows and fairs
Biography
Sonja Salomäki, a textile artist and doctoral researcher at the University of Lapland. Having born and spent her whole life in Helsinki, the city with its people and phenomena are often manifest in Salomäki's works - e.g. tufted rugs, cloth collages and tapestries.
Salomäki sees textiles as surfaces and rhythms, loves colors, layers, geometry and creating space on a surface. She is inspired by old textiles or clothes (or other surfaces such as moss) which she extends, makes an intervention on or adapts to a new form.
Incessantly observing her surroundings Salomäki often births her works from the contradiction and interaction of the reigning reality and her own ideas and thinking. The urban environment with its buildings, people and phenomena inspires her especially. Possibly her childhood district, a gray suburb, has made Salomäki a big enthusiast of colors and layers.
To some extent Salomäki is a traditional artist-observer, scrutinizing and revealing things that other persons do not dare, realize or have time to think. The theme of her recent artistic work has been climate change and her doctoral dissertation is about the influencing possibilities of climate art from the audience point of view. Salomäki’s art work might be looming over visual- and textile art, but essentially she just does what is own and natural to her.
Salomäki finds the working process very important. She uses different techniques; weaving, tufting, painting with textile colors on different surfaces and her works can change radically during the elaboration. According to her experience, the art work always changes during the making process - even in surprising ways. That's why Salomäki prefers to make her artworks herself, even though it can be painfully slow - at least compared to the modern concept of time and efficiency.
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Nationality:
FINLAND
- Date of birth : 1977
- Artistic domains:
- Groups: Contemporary Finnish Artists
Ongoing and Upcoming art events
No data available yet
Influences
Education
2018 - 2025
Doctoral studies in the University of Lapland
Rovaniemi,
Finland
2001 - 2006
MA, University of Art and Design
Helsinki,
Finland
Artist value certified
No data available yet
Achievements
Prizes and Awards
2022
Arts Promotion Centre Finland: Covid19-Support Grant, 6 Months
Finland
2021
Arts Promotion Centre Finland: Covid19-Support Grant, 3 Months
Finland
2018
The Finnish Culture Foundation: 3 Year Grant
Finland
2017
Arts Promotion Centre Finland: Visual Arts Public Display Grant
Finland
2016
Kone Foundation: 1 Year Grant
Finland
2014
The Finnish Culture Foundation: 1 Year Grant
Finland
2013
Kone Foundation: 1 Year Grant
Finland
2012
City Of Helsinki: Operational Arts Grant
Finland
2010
Arts Promotion Centre Finland: Visual Arts Public Display Grant
Finland
2009
Finnish Art Society: Young Artist Grant
Finland
2008
Ornamo Foundation: Ornamo Design Award
Finland
Collective Expositions
2023
Softy
@Helsinki Art Museum,
Finland
2022
Zone - Vyöhyke @Kotka Art Summer Exhibition
Kotka,
Finland
2021
Extraction / Uutos @ Gallery Moletti, Forssa Museum
Forssa,
Finland
2021
Textile 2021 @ Creation Gallery
Lahti,
Finland
2021
Myyrmäki Street Art Triennale
@Vantaa,
Finland
2021
Extraction - Uutos @ Savonlinna Museum, Riihisaari
Savonlinna,
Finland
2020
“Treasure Island”, International Exhibition Of Mini Textiles @ Russian Lefty Museum
St Petersburg,
Russia
2019
The Climate Channel Retrospective" @ Kanneltalo Gallery
Helsinki,
Finland
2018
Tiloissa, Summer Exhibition @ Haihatus
Joutsa,
Finland
2018
Yarn Visions @ Kajaani Art Museum
Kajaani,
Finland
2017
Kakofonia Galleria Rantakasarmi
Helsinki,
Finland
2017
Yarn Visions @ Art Museum Sinkka
Kerava,
Finland
2016
Korea Bojagi Forum @ Sima Museum And Several Galleries
Suwon Hwaseong,
South Korea
2016
5000M2 @ Lappeenranta City Theatre
Lappeenranta,
Finland
2015
Devotion And Messing Around - Hartautta Ja Häröilyä- Summer Exhibition @ Haihatus
Joutsa,
Finland
2014
Melankolia - Summer Exhibiton @ Villa Roosa
Orimattila,
Finland
2013
Spark - Kipinä- Summer Exhibition @ Fiskars
Karjaa,
Finland
2012
1-2-3-Helsinki ! Design En Seine
@Paris,
France
2011
Present - Preesens- Touring Exhibition
@St. Petersburg @Jyväskylä @Oulu @Helsinki,
Finland
2010
Summer Exhibition @ Järnboden I Harg
Sweden
2010
Summer Exhibition @ Purnu Art Center
Orivesi,
Finland
2010
13Th International Triennial Of Tapestry
@Lodz,
Poland
2009
Ryijy!-Exhibition @ Design Museum
Helsinki,
Finland
2007
Lapua Art Museum
@Lapua,
Finland
Permanent Collections
2017
"Hiilenkierto Kansallismaisemassa" @ Hämeenlinna Art Museum
Finland
2010
"Verkkarikerrostalo" Finnish State Art Commission, Finnish National Gallery
Finland
2010
"Mylly Hertsikassa" Finnish State Art Commission, Finnish National Gallery
Finland
2009
From The Warmth Of The Store To The Home Street - Kaupan Lämmöstä Kotikadulle
Helsinki Art Museum,
Finland
2007
"Yläkiventien Kerrostalo" @ Helsinki City Museum
Finland
2006
"Myllypuron Ostari" Finnish State Art Commission, Finnish National Gallery
Finland
Residencies
2020
2 Weeks @ Ii
Finland
2019
1 Month @ Sfakiotes
Greece
2017
1 Month @ Koli
Finland
2016
1 Month @ Valosag
Budapest,
Hungary
2013
2 Months @ Cité Des Arts
Paris,
France
2011
3 Months @ Cité Des Arts
Paris,
France
2009
2 Months @ Oaxaca
Mexico
2007
2 Months @ Porvoo Art Factory
Porvoo,
Finland
Solo Expositions
2023
"Farewell Fossil Utopia!" @ Stoa
Helsinki,
Finland
2022
"Moido Fossiiliutopia! - Fake It Till You Make It" @ Gallery Rajatila
Tampere,
Finland
2018
@ Gallery Hämärä, University Of Lapland
Rovaniemi,
Finland
2017
@Kolin Ryynänen
Koli,
Finland
2017
@ Creat Gallery
Helsinki,
Finland
2014
@ Gallery Huuto, Jätkäsaari
Helsinki,
Finland
2014
@Gallery Poriginal
Pori,
Finland
2014
@ Galleri Korn
Stockholm,
Sweden
2013
@ Gallery Lasipalatsi
Helsinki,
Finland
2013
@ Stoa
Helsinki,
Finland
2009
@ Gallery Lasipalatsi
Helsinki,
Finland
2006
@ Gallery Lasipalatsi
Helsinki,
Finland
Activity on ArtMajeur
Last modification date : Mar 20, 2025
(Member since 2023)
Image views: 51,253
Artworks by Sonja Salomäki added to favorite collections: 25
Latest News
All the latest news from contemporary artist Sonja Salomäki
Added Aug 3, 2023
The Helsinki Artist of the year
Finland
Monday
12
June
2023
Tuesday
11
June
2024
Reviews and comments
Thank you! Nice to hear
Interesting work!
Великолепно! Прекрасный гобелен, восторг!!!
Знаю и понимаю что этот труд затратный по времени, а всё таки эффект картины- гобелена прекрасен и уникален. Прекрасные произведения.
Fabulous! Beautiful tapestry, delight!!!
I know and understand that this work is time-consuming, but still the effect of the tapestry painting is beautiful and unique. Excellent works.
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