I graduated from The University of Art and Design (today known as Aalto University) Department of Textile and Design in 1980. Same year I got a State commission with my student mate Kirsi Valanti to a special school for handicapped children situated in Kuopio, Central Finland. We made a large series of 18 parts called Fox´s fantasies by hand printing. The work was rewarded by the State Award for Industrial Arts / Children’s culture in 1985. During the years 1984-90 I worked as a teacher at The University of Art and Design giving lessons in hand printing. I have also cooperated with some skilful weavers in The Friends of Finnish Handicraft. This collaboration has carried out a group of commissions for example to the National Library of Finland a rug called ”There are other words too”
Since 2005 I have been working as a free artist seeking my own personal way of expression. I have used old traditional techniques such as felting, crocheting and embroidery but trying to approach the subject with an open mind in a new way.
Recycled materials such as paper from old books, textiles and different kinds of found objects interest me also. The material in itself carries meanings and emotions that give inspiration and form for the final work. Carrying out the work may be sophisticated and fragile sometimes very physical almost ugly. The technique in it self is not important it’s only a way to express an idea.
The language and words, the movement of human body and rhythm inspire me in many ways. I have worked out a large collection of forms by crocheting and stiffening the individual parts, which can be organised in two categories: human like dancing figures and ornamental/geometrical forms. The idea is that individual forms work as letters or picture writing in horizontal and vertical lines or surfaces like modern poem writing. The meaning of forms and figures is not literal but is based on every spectators own experience of life. While working I am looking for new and surprising forms to become the alphabet of my art. I move between abstract and concrete expressions not forgetting humour.
Nina Nisonen Textile artist
Born in Helsinki 1956
Works and lives in Helsinki, Finland
Memberships
The Finnish Association of Textile Artist TEXO
Taiteilijat O/Ornamo
HTS, Helsinki Artist Society
Nordic textile artists NTA
Studies
1976-80 The University of Art and Design, Department of Textile art and Design, Helsinki
1978 Industrial training, Marimekko Oy
1982-97 The University of Art and Design, training centre: continuing education/courses
Solo exhibitions
2015 LuonnosKirjasta, paper, wool, linen, Galleria Laterna Magica, Helsinki
2015 Artist books, Library of Lieto, FI
2014 Artist books, Library of Savitaipale, FI
2013 WRITING OF THE EARTH, Galleria Uusi Kipinä, Lahti, FI
2012 SIGNUM, merkit ja jäljet, Amfora Galleria, Seinäjoki, FI
2010 Artist-O Artist of the Month, February-March 2010, www.artists-o.fi and Design Museum Helsinki
2010 SNOW PEARLS, color meditations and monkeys, Galleria Visu, Kokkola, FI
2009 BLACK PEARLS, woolpaintings and other works, Galleria Norsu, Helsinki
2000 KUVIA KASVIKSESSA, mixed media and photographs with Pertti Nisonen, Helsinki
1980 KETUN UNIKUVAT, State’s commission, with Kirsi Valanti, Design Museum, Helsinki
Group exhibitions in Finland
2016-17 Olo-Mærkbart, Poikilo, Kouvola Art Museum
2016 NARRATIVE THREAD, The 10th Finnish Triennial of Textile, Vapriikki, Tampere
2016 5000m2 Art Event, Lappeenranta
2016 ORNAMO teosmyyntinäyttely, Kaapelitehdas, Helsinki
2015-16 Texo ry MINItextile exhibition, Museum Centre Verkaranta, Tampere, Craft Museum of Finland, Jyväskylä
2015 Paper Cubed 2015, Ava Galleria, Helsinki
2015 Modern Finnish Rug from the collection of Tuomas Sopanen, Museum of Central Finland, Jyväskylä
2015 ALKUSOITTO, Texo minitextile exhibition, Nordic Culture Center, Helsinki
2014 PAPERIN TAIDE, TR1 Taidehalli, Tampere
2014 MERKITYKSIN, Loimaa Art House, Loimaa
2013 GLOW, Galleria Lokal, Helsinki
2013 ARTISTS BOOK EXHIBITION, Galleria Katariina, Helsinki
2013 SUURI NÄYTELMÄ, nykytaiteen summer exhibition, Villa Roosa, Orimattila
2013 ORNAMON TEOSMYYNTINÄYTTELY, Kaapelitehdas, Helsinki
2012-13 KUI? The 9th Finnish Triennial of Textile art, Wäinö Aaltonen Museum of Art, Turku, Oulun taidemuseo, Joensuun taidemuseo
2012 MARKET, Galleria Lokal, Helsinki
2011 ORNAMON TEOSMYYNTINÄYTTELY, Kaapelitehdas, Helsinki
2011 ORNAMO PREESENS, Art-Craft-Design, Jyväskylä, Oulu, Joensuu
2010 HEAF/ART 2010, The Art fair of Helsinki, Wanha satama, Helsinki
2010 SNOW, Galleria Norsu, Helsinki
2010 IN THE WOODS! Galleria Norsu 5-years Anniversary Exhibition, Helsinki
2010 PETIT O, mini art works, Galleria Norsu, Helsinki
2010 TEXTILE ART NOW! Raision museo Harkko, Raisio
2009 TEXTILE ART NOW , The 8th Finnish Triennial of Textile, Design Museum, Helsinki
2009 RYIJY / RUG! Design Museum, Helsinki
2008 RYIJY / RUG lives, Finnish rugs 1778-2008, Varkauden taidemuseo
2006 HANDS AND ALL, The 7th. Finnish Triennial of Textile, Amos Anderson Art Museum, Helsinki
2006 RYIJYN AIKA JA PAIKKA, SKY rug exhibition, Galleria Colmio, Oulu
2005 SILENCE, Textile art exhibition, Verkaranta, Tampere
2005 WHAT IS RUG/MIKÄ ON RYIJY ? Design Museum, Helsinki
2005 RYIJY / RUG NOW, Verkaranta, Tampere
2004 RYIJY AJASSA/RUG IN TIME, The Friends of Finnish Handicrafts,125th anniversary exhibition
2004 JUGENDRUUSU-näyttely, Hvitträsk
2002 NINE TAILS, The Friends of Finnish Handicraft, summer exhibition, Suomenlinna, Helsinki
1999 SIDOS, The Friends of Finnish Handicraft, Design Museum, Helsinki
1996 GREATIVE HANDS, Kerava Art museum
1996 TEXO ry:n 40-vuotisjuhlanäyttely, Helsinki, Mikkelin taidemuseo, Lönnströmin taidemuseo
1996 RAPORTTI, grafiikka käyttötekstiileissä, Suomen kotiteollisuusmuseo, Jyväskylä
1994 LIEKKI JA HIEKKALINNA, rug exhibition, Jugendsali, Helsinki
1994 5m 5.metrinäyttely, Design Museum, Helsinki
1990 KYMMENEN SORMEA, kesänäyttely, Mathildedal
1990 VUOKKO 90, sisustustekstiilikokoelma, Design Forum, Helsinki
1989 RYIJY 89, Retretti, Punkaharju
1986 METAXIS, Nuori muoto, Design Museum, Helsinki
1986 TEXTILE ART 86, exhibition tour in Finland
1984 The 2th Finnish Mini textile exhibition, Helsinki
1980 Nuoret Vanhalla
Group exhibitions abroad
2016 15th International Triennial of Tapestry, Lodz, PL
2016 11th Book Fair Hamburg 2016, GE
2016 Theme: ”Error”, Museum der Arbeit, Hampurg, GE
2015 Paper Cubed 2015, Cultural Centro de ICNBF Penedo, Rio de Janeiro,
2015 7th International Artist’s Book Triennial Vilnius 2015, LT
2015 Paper Cubed 2015, Osaka, Japan
2015 The IX International Biennial of Textile Miniatures, Out of the Box, Vilnius, LT
2015 17th International Minitextile Exhibition, Memory of Textile, SK, CZ
2014 Artists Books-Denmark, Dyssekilde Station, Torup Booktown, DK
2014 INTERCEPTION, Textile Art Exhibition, Galeri 5, Istanbul, TR
2014 EgeArt Art fair, Izmir, TR
2014 THE RYIJY-RUGS OF FINLAND, Etnographic Museum, Budapest, HU
2014 15th international Minitextile exhibition (Hand) made in…Bratislava, SK
2012-13 6. Tallinn Applied Art Triennial, The Art of Collecting, Tallinn, EE
2012 3rd Triennial of Textiles, WITHOUT BORDERS, SK, CZ, HU, PL
2012 BANALITYAND GRACE, 14th Minitextile exhibition, Bratislava, SK
2012 FINNLAND ZU GAST, Finnish handicraft and design, Dortmund, GE
2011 The 7th International Biennial of Textile Miniatures ”Vanish/Survive” , Vilnius, LT
2011 REVERSE AND THE FRONT SIDE, 13th Minitextile exhibition, Bratislava, SK
2009 TRIENALE TEXTILU, Liptovsky Mikulás, Bratislava, SK
2009 CHANGING FIBRES, Textile Art on the Edge, Textile Museum, Borås, SE
2009 SIGNALS, Flow Gallery, London, GB
2000 FINNISH RYIJY, Prag, CZ
1997 3.TRIENNALE Internationale de Tournai, Belgia
1995 ART IN TEXTILES, London, GB
1995 FINNISH DESIGN, Textiles, Crafts and Furniture, Manchester, GB
1990 NORDFORM 90, Malmö, SE
1988 SCANDINAVIAN HANDPRINTED TEXTILES, American Craft Museum, New York
1986 TEXTILE ART 86, exhibition tour in Sweden
Prices
2015 The jury diploma/The IX International Biennial of Textile Miniatures, Vilnius, LT
2012 Award of the Club of Textile Artists Arttex
1997 II shared prize, Finland 80 years rug-competition
1985 State Award for Industrial Arts / Children culture
1979 Tampella Children textiles design competition, III prize
Grants
2015 Ornamo Foundation Lodz-project (Nisonen-Keskinen-Syvänoja)
2015 Arts Promotion Centre Finland
2015 The Finnish Cultural Foundation, 1-year Artist Grant
2014 Arts Promotion Centre Finland, kuvataiteen näyttökorvausapuraha
2013 Ornamo Foundation, project grant
2012 Valtion muotoilutoimikunta, kohdeapuraha
2012 The Central Arts Council of Finland
2009 The Finnish Cultural Foundation, 1-year Artist Grant
2009 The Central Arts Council of Finland
2006 The Finnish Cultural Foundation, 1-year Artist Grant
2004 Arts Council of Finland / work group
1997 Ornamo stipendium
1995 Arts council of Finland / work group
1986 The Central Art Council of Finland
1985 The City of Helsinki
1984 The Central Arts Council of Finland
Residenssies
2006 Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris
Teaching
1984-90 The University of Art and Design, Helsinki, Departments of Fashion and Art education
Works in collections
State Art Collections
Miina Sillanpää Foundation
Helsingin työväenyhdistys
Ilmarinen, Mutual Pension Insurance Company
Henki-Sampo, Insurance Company
The National Library of Finland
Suomen käsityön museo
Parlament house, Helsinki
RikArt-Artist book collection
Loimaa Art House
Private collections
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