Finn female artist I got to know via local gallery. Just stumbled into exhibition 2019, expecting nothing, and liking what I was seeing. She had been living out of finland for years and with just couple smaller library exhibitions happened during decade. After exhibition was over, I asked gallery the contact info (as she didn't have the linked website very active then, nor social media presence). Contacted her, visited artists (due she lives in same city) and bought 3 original paintings of the 2019 works (
https://www.lailarantanen.net/albumi/tyot2019/ )
All the originals I have (Xenia, Untitled, Sofia) look VASTLY better as originals than the bluntly lighted low res samples seen on site.
I have a feeling she works and operates pretty much outside the "underground art". Latest exhibition happened in shelter home for elderly people! While in theory, he work could be perhaps appreciated by... well, perhaps the more youthful audience! Who knows. Couple years ago, she didn't have any social media, and now seems to have IG account with couple hundred followers. The latest, a bit more "steam punk" type of themes are not my favorites, but nevertheless, also they display the certain skills and visions and symbolism & iconography that seems to be kind of oddity in usual Finnish gallery art. Too "popular", less fine-art.... Best works are really nice.
QuoteLaila Aulikki Rantanen is a finnish painter and sculptor. Laila Rantanen's paintings presents women and girls in surreal compositions. Artist tells that animals and weird objects in paintings are symbolic.
"I love symmetry, and I am looking for ecclesiastic expression of 'moment zero'; time before / after catastroph. The moment before reaction. Strong symbolism underlines absence of reality."
In her large sculptures Rantanen tells that she's going through different forms of women; godesses and godless women. Rantanen uses recycling materials making them look like stone or wood.
Rantanen refuses to explain her works any further. "Making art is mystic process for me; 'talking to gods.' Artwork forms itself and changes many times to be totally different than planned. Interpretation I will leave to the viewer."
Rantanen has lived long time in Greece, and has exhibit in Athens and Kefalonia. After economic depression, time when galleries closed down, she financed her working by prostitution. Rantanen wants talk openly about economic status of artists. "Artist need money, in order to do art. My attitude is to do whatever needed to continue my work. Though, in my art I need not to sell myself.
https://www.lailarantanen.nethttps://www.instagram.com/lailarantanen/
