21.10-21.11.2026

Gallery Pallas, Tartu

The hypnotic oscillation of light and shadow affects the perception of time and quiets the restless mind, yet it raises the question: does light create shadow, or is it the other way around? Which comes first, and which of them is the true blinder of the senses? Traditionally, light is treated solely as a revealing and illuminating force—yet the illuminating power of shadow also has its say. Shadows bring forth our instincts, perceptions, memories, and spiritual experiences that light has concealed. Perceiving the co-creation of the entire visible and invisible world is transient, and meaning emerges as allegorical and poetic reflections from the deeper layers of our being, in the constant displacement between the visible and the hidden.

The exhibition spaces of the Pallas Gallery have been designed as an atmospheric whole, a poetic space where shadows do not appear merely as secondary phenomena, but as active agents that expand, break, and distort in response to the viewer's presence. The movement of visitors in the hall becomes the balance point of light and shadow; a present moment weaving the past and future from the works, reminding us that it is always "now." Light refracts and shadow breaks, only to emerge again, as if from nothing.

The exhibition brings together Finnish artists working at the intersection of art, technology, and spatial practices, introducing the unique approaches of the local light art scene. The exhibited works range from meditative installations to complex interactive environments, born as a result of interdisciplinary experimentation.

Participating artists: Teemu Määttänen, Timo Kokko, Christine Candolin, Antti Tolvi, Jere Suontausta & Antti Hevosmaa, Alexander Salvesen, Alexander Salvesen, Saana Volanen, Anu Raatikainen, Tomas De Rita.

Curator: Elo Liiv
Coordinator: Lotta Karoliina Räsänen

Exhibition opening on October 21 at 5:00 PM.

Artist Talk 23.10 kell 10.00-13.00

Alexander Salvesen (b. 1990 in Turku) is a Finnish-Swedish visual artist who works broadly and without prejudice across different artistic media. Light often plays a central role in his works, which are grounded in the relationships between colors and forms as well as the associations and perceptual experiences they evoke. His art frequently draws from nature and our surrounding socio-political climate, addressing issues such as the ongoing mass extinction, the climate crisis, and humanity’s blind spots. At present, he is particularly interested in the complexity of perception, the puzzling nature of time, and humanity’s obsession with destruction, overconsumption and travel in the final stages of our turbocharged fossil capitalism. His works have been exhibited in museums, galleries and a wide range of events in Finland and abroad.  

Antti Tolvi (b. 1977 in Panelia, Finland) is a sound artist and performer based in Turku and Kimito Island. He has been a key figure in the Finnish experimental music and sound art scene since 2002. Tolvi has performed across three continents—including in Japan, China, South Korea, India, Brazil, the USA, and throughout Europe and has released 16 solo albums.

Between 2016 and 2026 Antti has held over 20 solo exhibitions and participated in numerous group exhibitions. His works have been exhibited at venues such as Helsinki Art Museum (2026–2027), Kumma Kuopio (2026), Porvoo Taidehalli (2024), Sibelius Museum Turku (2023), Flow Festival Helsinki (2013, 2014, 2018, 2022), Rovaniemi Art Museum (2022), Musica Nova Festival (2021), Helsinki Biennial (as part of the Teemu Lehmusruusu work group, 2021), Pori Art Museum (2020), and Tampere Biennale (2016, 2018).

Chrisse Candolin have been working with installations since the early 1980s. Evolution of the human mind, especially the interconnectedness of matter and mind and the emergent properties connected to this, are the important constituents of my studies, and can be seen as allegorical reflections in my work. I ḿ wondering how we effect our world by perceiving it, experiencing it and living it. This is what I mean with the expression “matter and mind“. For where does the mind end and the “world” begin? For me the world is not a given place outside us, my approach is phenomenological; the world unfolds in correlation with our own cultural and mental development, with our broadening cognition and knowledge. This is an interdependent and ongoing process.

My installations are allegorical and poetical reflections on this exploration. Can I express myself as an artist on this subject matter? Yes I can and I should, as art is the medium where you can approach the world from a different angle; art is therefore the special vantage point to the world. My installations manifest those impressions which cannot be precisely expressed by words. They are visual markings of “that which is”.

My formal language as an artist is therefore manyfold; I like to combine serial symmetry and minimalism with natural forms, as I understand that the both extremes are representative in the nature: on the micro-level we can see strict mathematical series, forms and geometry; on the macro-level the natural forms become lush and versatile.

Anu Raatikainen is a Helsinki-based visual artist working with mediums such as light, painting, drawing, sculpture, video, performance and 3D. Multidisciplinary inquiry, various collaborations, and a dialogue with the subconscious play a central role in her practice, which draws inspiration from fields including the natural sciences, art history, mysticism, and speculative thought.

Light has been a recurring theme and material in Raatikainen’s work. She is particularly interested in its affective, sensory power and its ability to reveal connections between diverse materials, themes, and levels of experience.

Raatikainen received her Master of Fine Arts degree from the Academy of Fine Arts at the University of the Arts Helsinki in 2017 and has since participated in solo and group exhibitions both in Finland and internationally. Her recent solo exhibitions have been held at Galleria Huuto II in Helsinki (2025), Oksasenkatu 11 in Helsinki (2021), Vaasa Art Hall (2020), and MUU Gallery in Helsinki (2019).

From 2022 to 2024, Raatikainen worked on the Phototaxis project, which aimed to create a body of work presented in nature, centered on the theme of light. The project sought to establish a connection with nature through recent research on light pollution, AR technology, kinetic sculpture, mythology, and prehistoric and astronomical influences.

Jere Suontausta (b. 1994) is a Helsinki- and Jyväskylä-based artist working across multiple senses. An intuitive approach is central to Suontausta’s practice, and his works echo glimpses of introverted imaginings, an unconscious cosmic longing for the distant, and a fascination with kinetic movement. He sees his artistic goal as pursuing the otherworldly through unexpected combinations of the unknown and the familiar.

Antti Hevosmaa (b. 1991) is a designer and musician based in Kouvola. Also known as the vocalist of the band VIRTA, Hevosmaa works as the artistic lead and creative mind of the design and creative studio Koje.

Saana Volanen is an artist who works in the fields of media art and performing arts. Volanen is interested in seemingly ordinary matters that give them existential shivers, for example faded photographs and sunlight that travels millions and millions of kilometers to shine through their apartment window. In the context of media art Volanen often works with concepts of cosmic light, landscape and site-specific light

Volanen holds a master’s degree in lighting design from University of Arts Helsinki and a bachelor’s degree in scenography from Aalto University. Their works have been exhibited for example in Lux Helsinki light art festival, FLASH light art biennial and Reflektor audiovisual art festival.

As a lighting designer and a scenographer Volanen works in the fields of performance art, dance and theatre. They have worked for example in Finnish National Theatre, Kiasma-theatre and MadHouse Helsinki.

Teemu Määttänen (b. 1978) is a media artist based in Helsinki, Finland. His work combines animation and projection to create playful observations of shapes and objects in our surroundings.

Timo Kokko studies materiality, immateriality, space, light and observation through installations and sculptures. His works are multi-sensorial experiences. He produces art through the observation and research of the environment, approaching the arts from scientific perspectives, often relying on experimentation, psychology, biology, chemistry and visual anthropology.

Kokko’s work deals with ecological values and questions about humanity. Human, nature, time, moment and ephemerality are recurring themes in his work. Timo Kokko is a visual artist based in Kuopio.

He has graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts at University of the Arts in Helsinki.

Tomas De Rita is a Helsinki-based visual artist and art educator working with light, sound and audiovisual technologies. His practice is rooted in experimentation, combining contemporary tools with obsolete and analogue technologies to explore the expressive possibilities of image, light and sound.

His work takes the form of installations, live visuals and audiovisual performances, often creating immersive encounters between technology, space and perception.

De Rita is also part of AV collective Post–Rift and also AV duo called LRXY.

EXHIBITION'S

21.10 – 21.11.2026

Galerii Pallas
Riia tn 11, Tartu

Open: Tue-Sat 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Riia 11, Tartu, 51010

ARCHIVE