Stiina Saaristo

Always Happy – A Retrospective

Serlachius Manor 22.11.2025—19.4.2026

The exhibition presents the artist’s witty and sharply observant works from 1995–2025.

Stiina Saaristo (b. 1976) is known for her large and skilfully detailed drawings, which are characterised by macabre humour and grotesque use of self-portraiture. Processing life’s pain points and difficult emotions has been at the heart of Saaristo’s career: her works make visible the use of power, jealousy, greed or aggression. 

Saaristo perceptively depicts the rejected sides of humanity, yet there is always laughter on the surface of her works. Saaristo’s original style remains recognisable through different techniques. The Serlachius exhibition presents the artist’s drawings, oil paintings, graphics and ceramic sculptures from 1995–2025. The exhibition is curated by Laura Kuurne.

Stiina Saaristo, Spring, detail from the work, 2024, ceramics. Photograph: Serlachius, Sampo Linkoneva.