Fanny Varjo: Of Tasters, Knights and Gardeners

The health-promoting and destructive uses of poisons have both fascinated and frightened people throughout history, inspiring countless stories and myths. Fanny Varjo’s exhibition Of Tasters, Knights and Gardeners draws on beliefs about poisons and poisonous plants from the Middle Ages to the present day.

The exhibition is a sculptural installation that places materiality at its core. The works combine diverse materials—wood, hair, metal castings, glass, steel, and ceramics—highlighting Varjo’s interest in the knowledge and symbolic meanings embedded in the materials themselves. These layers of meaning add depth and tension to the sculptures.

Photo: Iida-Liina Linnea