1.-5.11 Marja Karisalmi: IRISES RISING

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Marja Karisalmi: IRISES RISING 1.11.-5.11.2026

Avajaiset/Opening: Su 1.11 klo 18-20

Aukioloajat/Opening hours: 2-5.11 14-19

It begins with silence, when listening to the unknown.

The unborn’s bare tentacles observing the liquid,

the frequency of the heart beat, the outside noise —

Someone is always searching for an exit here,

abundant irises as eyes, dimming what once was it’s own —

I remember it vaguely how the crack of light kicked in,

the shadow flickering, restlessly.

I have pondered those extremities that lock one in or perhaps

set another free, out of the blue without any sound.

I remember the massive, unbearable pull,

lunar gravity, probably.

The rocket high tides that ripped me in,

the Quiet that came after —

And all I can still hear is the velvety call of the Unknown.

What I do not know, I do not know —

Tentacles observing the liquid,

the frequency of the heart beat —

Marja Karisalmi is a painter from Helsinki, working mainly with watersoluble paint on canvas. Wooden or painted frames are often seen as a core structure of her work. ”Irises Rising” observes the theme of Seeing, taking the topic to the early developmental stages of life.

Karisalmi’s work is strongly linked to the subconscious. Painting is a way to observe the world and the connections between parallel realities. She approaches themes that are related to the fleeting experiences of time, often focusing on the subject through dreams. For her dreams offer a hazy window into the diverse and complex human experience — a space never homogeneous enough to describe just by the means of narratives. Painting is therefore a gesture to find understanding, a view into the intimate experience of otherness.

Karisalmi has studied painting at the Free Art School and has held solo exhibitions and participated in group exhibitions since 2019. Karisalmi has undergone art therapy herself, which has impacted on the development of her practice and artistic language