Gallery Into: Miira Kangas 28.4.–7.6.2023
Press release 12.4.2023
Gallery Into
Miira Kangas
28.4.–7.6.2023
Ars Nova, 2nd floor
Miira Kangas (b. 1989) from Naantali designs dresses. She focuses mostly on painting the designs with acrylic paints and creating the dresses. What is striking about Miira’s practice is her productivity: in the mornings, she works on several paintings at once, and in the afternoon, she drapes fabric over a tailor’s mannequin. To be honest, she works in the same way as professional designers do in fashion houses.
Miira’s art teacher, Eija Ruoho, explains: “Miira has been my student since 2009. She is a painter, which means that colours are extremely meaningful to her. Miira’s progress in art has been very determined. In her paintings and drawings, she explores themes and events familiar from the world of fantasy.”
In 2017, Miira became interested in dress design, and she was provided with a mannequin, fabrics and sewing supplies. In 2020, she got a studio of her own at Taidekeskus Into and free use of all the fabrics, rosettes, and lace from a bridal shop’s final stock.
Miira’s first exhibition consists of more than 80 abstract and colourful paintings and unique evening gowns. The works were made between 2020 and 2023. In addition to the artworks, the exhibition includes diaries about Miira’s practice as well as a short film about Miira made by Joel Karlsson, a colleague working at Taidekeskus Into.
The subject of Miira’s paintings is always an evening dress, even when it is painted in an almost completely abstract style. It is stunning how the composition shows off the feminine figure or an ideal of beauty while also operating with concretist repetition.
Miira’s spontaneous explanation of why she creates dresses is as follows: “It’s fun.” But there’s much more to it than that. Miira’s mother, Iiris Kangas, knows exactly what inspires her daughter: Miira has been drawn to Disney movies since childhood, and their stories and princesses in particular feature prominently in her diary. Miira was also drawn to the fantasy world of Harry Potter and practically fell in love with the complex character of Severus Snape. On her phone, Miira follows the YouTube channel of the Finnish Salatut elämät TV series, which revolves around events and characters living on Pihlajakatu street and in the Amanda inn. Other elements from the series that Miira notes in her diaries include serious events, such as divorces, car accidents and deaths.
However, the stories and diary entries related to dresses show up Miira’s serene and sunny disposition. The most amazing demonstration of Miira’s desire to live life her own way was her solo-marriage, which was celebrated in August 2022. Her mother Iiris says: “The wedding has given Miira a lot of content for her stories. There was music, guests, speeches, soap bubbles, singing and good food. And she got to choose her entire wedding outfit from a bridal shop.”
We are grateful to Miira’s loved ones and support network for giving her the opportunity to do meaningful things – to blossom! Miira’s mentors are Eija Ruoho (artist, BFA) and Osmi Minkkinen (artist, BFA). She has been assisted by Leena Hakala and Merja Kantola.
Gallery Into
The mission of Galleria Into is to showcase outsider art!
The gallery is a collaboration project between the Taidekeskus Into association and Aboa Vetus Ars Nova Museum. The project will run from April 2023 until January 2024. It will include five solo exhibitions in the museum’s second-floor gallery, by artists working at the Into art centre. The exhibition concept has been named Galleria Into, which translates into “Gallery Enthusiasm”.
Taidekeskus Into
Taidekeskus Into provides art activities and visual arts education for people with special needs. Founded in 2009, the centre is located in Pompo, Turku. Taidekeskus Into offers regular art classes and courses and hosts several artist studios and public community art projects.
Taidekeskus Into lives up to its name: it is a vibrant community that operates freely and professionally. The activities are guided by a view of art that allows everyone to be seen and heard in their own way.
“It means a lot. Really a lot. How should I describe it… Really very much. It’s everything.”
What does art mean to you? –Viljo Pertola-
Aboa Vetus Ars Nova
Cooperation with the museum was initiated by Taidekeskus Into. Art tutors and long-time Into activists Eija Ruoho and Sinikka Mäki-Lertola invited museum curator Niina Tanskanen to visit the centre, which quickly led to the idea of exhibition cooperation.
The two parties share a desire to do something different. For the museum, it is a great honour to provide the venue for the exhibitions that Into has been working on for years. Cooperation with Into also aims to make outsider art part of the wider art field. But the best thing about the collaboration is the exhibitions themselves: these five artists’ works are truly worth experiencing!
Gallery Into exhibitions
28.4.–7.6.2023 Miira Kangas
16.6.–26.7.2023 Tiina Elina Nurminen
4.8.– 17.9.2023 Daniel Hahta
29.9.– 19.11.2023 Miia Ruohonen
8.12.– 14.1.2024 Viljo Pertola
More information:
Niina Tanskanen
curator
niina.tanskanen@avan.fi
040 585 4499
Taidekeskus Into
taidekeskusinto@gmail.com
www.taidekeskusinto.com
