ME – YOU – WE: The Jyväskylä Artists’ Association’s 74th annual exhibition

Time 23.03.2024
12.05.2024

Jyväskylä Artists’ Association was founded after the wars in 1945. Despite of its name, its operating area covers the whole of Central Finland. The rules of the Association emphasize the importance of exhibitions. Since the beginning the most important of the exhibitions, the annual exhibition, was held almost every year. Next year, the Jyväskylä Artists’ Association will be celebrating its 80th anniversary, and this year the 74th annual exhibition is being held. At the very beginning, the first annual exhibition was held at H. M. Parkkonen’s furniture shop, and afterwards it was held in the chamber of Jyväskylä City Hall several times. When the Museum of Central Finland, designed by Alvar Aalto, opened in 1962 the annual exhibition was held in an actual museum for the first time.

Since the very start, the annual exhibitions aimed to present a cross-section of contemporary art across Central Finland at the time, and at the Art Hall of the new Museum of Central Finland the display included impactful and high-quality art. The focus of the exhibition was the Informalism-style, which was a sign that Finland had finally caught up with the international contemporary art scene of the time. Because of this, it is wonderful that the Jyväskylä Artists’ Association 74th annual art exhibition can be held at the Aalto2 Museum Center’s Art Hall, especially as this may possibly mark the final time the association’s art will decorate the halls of Jyväskylä art museums. Furthermore, after nearly eight decades the exhibition can still create a natural connection between local artists, art enthusiasts and the Artists´ Association. This community’s cultural strength is reflected in the name of the 74th annual exhibition, ME – YOU – US

Until now, annual exhibitions have been based on open offerings that have been juried. When an artist had been accepted enough times to the annual exhibition, they were given the opportunity to become a member of the Artists’ Association. The criteria to become a member has received criticism, but it has ensured a professional level of artistry within the Jyväskylä Artists’ Association. This year’s 74th annual exhibition is an exception, as it is limited to just pre-existing members of the Association. The Jyväskylä Artists’ Association has over 150 members, with over half of them participating in this exhibition. ME – YOU – US. The outline of the exhibition is intended to give a good foundation for the question that is annually repeated every year: What does contemporary art look like in Central Finland?

Exhibition inquiries:
Senior Curator Ilja Koivistoilja.koivisto@jyvaskyla.fi+358 50 311 8879