The Starry Skies of Art

The Starry Skies of Art is the first review in Finland in which the distant cosmos is brought closer, both in old realistic depictions and in recent works of contemporary art.

The sky and its phenomena can be much more than the dramatic background of landscape paintings. Space, stars and the entire universe may be an integral part of the symbolism, theme and narrative of a work.

Art and science perceive the same world, but in different ways. In some cases, astronomy is an aid to interpreting symbolism, sometimes even a means to determine accurately the time when the artist sketched a painting. Sometimes the artist uses scientific discoveries and means in the service of imagination.

The exhibition Starry Skies of Art presents both Finnish and foreign works. Works of traditional art and fascinating contemporary art are included. Some of the works are being exhibited in Finland for the first time. Among them is a work that has visited the International Space Station. The exhibition gives a new perspective on art history and at the same time establishes connections to views of the universe that humankind has held at different times in the past.

The exhibition is curated by Helena Sederholm, Professor of Art Education at Aalto University, and Markus Hotakainen, a science writer, who have for a long time worked to combine art and science. They have published many articles on the theme in books, magazines and newspapers, and have given lectures at a number of conferences.