Artist Statement.
I grew up in Finland, in a home where my mother had a chronic longing for her roots in Karelia (an area shared with Russia). Bullying defined my life since it lasted throughout elementary school and it affected my experience of being different. This experience of being different made me an expatriate; I moved to Denmark when I was 19, and after that, I lived in Sweden, Singapore, sometime in Finland, and now in Austria.
I have researched the theme of not belonging for over 10 years, in my artistic work as well as in my Master’s degrees (MA of Arts and MA of Design). Currently, I work with themes of nature and belonging, roots, and connection to the earth. As an artist I am searching for a connection to the land, one’s roots, and a momentarily feeling of being in the moment. My visual language is repetitive.
I work with various mediums.
CV.
Veera Komulainen (b. Orimattila, Finland, 1985) is a contemporary artist living and working in Radstadt Austria.
Contact. veera.komulainen@gmail.com
2016-2017 – Master of Arts, University of Lapland, Rovaniemi, Finland
2011-2012 – Master of Design, Raffles Design Academy, Singapore
2006-2009 – Post Graduate, Hansenberg Nordic Multimedia academy, Kolding, Denmark
2002-2005 – Artisan, Lahti College of Arts and Crafts, Lahti, Finland
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GRANTS
2023 – Land Salzburg, Austria / 1500€ for residency at Sofia National Academy of Arts
2023 – Goethe Institute, EU / 2800€ for AGA Lab residency
2022 – TAIKE Art Support Centre of Finland / working grant 2 months
2021 – TAIKE Art Support Centre of Finland / working grant 6 months
2020 – TAIKE Art Support Centre of Finland / working grant 2 months
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SOLO & GROUP SHOWS
2023 – Group show – LAb5550 Project statement – Parallel Vienna – Wien, Austria
2023 – Group show – Gallerie SNOW x Carl Hansen & son Flagship store – Hamburg, Germany
2023 – Group show – Alabamaster – Kunsthalle Wels, Austria
2023 – Group show – De Bouwput – AGA LAB, Amsterdam, Netherlands
2022 – Solo show – Galleria Pleiku, Berlin, Germany
2022 – Group show – Kaapelitehdas, Helsinki, Finland
2022 – Group show – Barok Museum, Salzburg, Austria
2022 – Solo show – Mältinranta Art Centre, Tampere, Finland
2021 – Solo show – Pop-up Imberg, Salzburg, Austria
2021 – Group show – Gegner-Haus, Attersee, Austria
2020 – Group show – Summer Academy of Fine Arts, Festung Salzburg, Austria
2016 – Solo show – Toinen tuleminen, Valkee Oulu, Finland
2014 – Solo show – Graphic pop-up, Tuba Oulu, Finland
2014 – Solo show – Siunattu yksinäisyys, Design Valkea Oulu, Finland
2013 – Group show – KUŠ!: THE LAST MATCH – the largest small exhibition, Urban culture center Kino Šiška Ljubljana, Slovakia
2013 – Group show – Taidekeskus Taarasti yhteisnäyttely, Nastola, Finland
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RESIDENCIES
2023 September – Sofia National Academy of Arts – Ahtopol, Bulgaria
2023 May – AGA LAB – Amsterdam, Netherlands
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PUBLIC ART
2019 – Art Linnakallio Goes Baana Symposium Kempele, Finland
2018 – Competition price: HKL metro station artwork Mellunmäki Helsinki, Finland
2014 – Brain Capacity mural Linnasaari Oulu, Finland
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PUBLICATIONS
2015 – NIETOS – Lapin kansan synty
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WORKSHOPS
2019 – Veera K. Workshops
Started on 15.5.2019 – 2022. Salzburg, Austria
2017 – Street Art workshop for slum kids
June 2017 – August 2017 Koseli school, Kathmandu, Nepal
2017 – Contemporary Art Workshop in Ludwig Museum Ludwig Museum, Budapest Hungary
2014 – Street Art workshop for teens
Nuorisoseura, Kemi, Finland
WORK EXPERIENCE
Art Director / Marketing and Communications specialist
Apr 2013- Dec 2015, Oulu, Finland
BusinessOulu
Art Director / Graphic Designer
Mar 2008-Mar 2011, Locations: Helsinki, Finland and Stockholm, Sweden
In Touch A/S