Mikkeli’s 13th Illustration Triennial
Mikkeli’s 13th Illustration Triennial exhibition displays 79 works of art by 52 illustrators. The Illustration Triennial presents the diversity of contemporary illustration and its increasingly wide range of uses, from traditional prints to works spreading into urban spaces. All the works of art chosen for the exhibition have been published over the last three years. Mikkeli Art Museum and the Association of Visual Communication Designers in Finland, Grafia, established the event in 1987, and the Finnish Illustration Association joined it in 2008.
In total, 128 illustrators with 382 pieces of work took part
in the competition. The participants had a free choice of theme, execution and technique for the competition works. The artworks presented in the exhibition were chosen by a jury which included book designer Piia Aho, illustrator Sari Airola, AD Tuomas Jääskeläinen and illustrator Anne Vasko as well as Museum Director Matti Karttunen as a representative of Mikkeli Art Museum. The jury also chose the awarded illustrations.
Prize winners at Mikkeli’s 13th Illustration Triennial
1st prize Grafia ry: Anu Saari, Helsinki; Daydreams – Unelmia, 2021, self-published
2nd prize Kuvittajat ry: Liisa Kallio, Helsinki; Jokainen, 2021, children’s book illustration, Etana Editions
3rd prize Mikkeli Art Museum: Outi Kainiemi, Helsinki; Jaettu suru, 2022, Suomen Kuvalehti
Honourable mentionst:
Pauliina Mäkelä, Turku, Coexistence, 2020, Kone Foundation.
Terhi Ekebom and Kirsi-Maria Raunio, Helsinki, Virtaava liike – matkalla kohti uusia ajatuksia mural, 2021, City of Lahti.
International guest
The exhibition’s international guest is illustrator and visual artist Mari Kanstad Johnsen (b. 1981) from Norway. Ex- pressive characters, storytelling, humour and movement are at the heart of Johnsen’s illustrations. Her works have been published across Europe and the United States, and she is one of the most highly regarded contemporary illustrators in Nor- way. Johnsen’s customers include ATLAS, Gyldendal Norsk Forlag, Jazznytt, Aftenposten, Deus Ex Machina, Magikon, Morgenbladet, Mosaic Science, The Washington Post, The New York Times, National Museum of Norway and The Wire.
Exhibition catalogue
The Illustration Triennial’s exhibition catalogue features Egon Låstad’s article on Mari Kanstad Johnsen, Jaana Peso- nen’s article on challenging gender norms through illustra- tion, Sanni Purhonen’s article on the visualisation of disa- bility as well as Veikko Halmetoja’s article on the interfaces of the art of illustration and contemporary art. The graphic design of the publication is by Elina Warsta, Solmu and the exhibition architecture is by Kasper Tammela, Solmu.
Mikkeli’s 13th Illustration Triennial 10.6.–24.9.2023
Mikkeli Art Museum, Maaherrankatu 18–20, 50100 Mikkeli. Opening hours: Tuesday–Sunday 10am–5pm, closed on Mondays. Admission fees: adults 6.00 €, pensioners, students and the unemployed 3.00 €, under 18-year-olds free, groups of more than 12 5.00 €/person. Accessible entry, accessible toilet, +358 (0)40 129 5090, museot@sivistys.mikkeli.fi
