Matti Helenius – Alte Kameraden
Between humor and gravity
The exhibition series at WAM Kilta Gallery concludes with Alte Kameraden (working title), a solo exhibition by Matti Helenius, a Finnish artist with a long and distinguished career.
Helenius first gained recognition as a printmaker, but over the decades his artistic practice has expanded to include painting and assemblage. His working process is strongly material-driven: he does not rely on sketches but allows intuition and the evolving work itself to guide him.
The exhibition showcases Helenius’ most recent works alongside selected pieces from earlier periods, featuring prints, paintings, and assemblages. Through his art, he addresses themes that resonate personally with him, often exploring human destinies and events—sometimes tackling serious subjects with subtle humor.
The WAM Kilta Gallery exhibition series follows a guiding principle: inviting an artist from outside the field of visual arts to collaborate with a writer, who creates a text inspired by the exhibition’s theme and works. For Helenius’ exhibition, the accompanying text has been written by Turku-based poet Tapani Kinnunen.
The exhibition will be curated by Jonni Saloluoma of WAM Turku City Art Museum. The exhibition is supported by the Finnish Heritage Agency.
WAM Kilta Gallery
WAM’s exhibitions are temporarily relocated to Kilta Gallery at Art House Turku.
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The artist
Born in Turku in 1951, Matti Helenius studied at the Turku Drawing School from 1969 to 1973. He has presented numerous solo exhibitions in Finland, Sweden, Germany, and England, and has participated in group exhibitions in more than thirty countries. His works are represented in major museum and public collections both in Finland and abroad, including the Ateneum, Kiasma, Amos Anderson Art Museum, Sara Hildén Art Museum, Turku Art Museum, Tampere Art Museum, as well as the art collection of the City of Turku.
Image: Matti Helenius: Golden Days.