Been through the desert on a horse with no name
Niina Karhunen
Join us for the opening of Niina Karhunen’s "Been through the desert on a horse with no name" exhibition on Thursday, 1 October, from 17 to 21 💙
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Have you ever found yourself in a dry wilderness, searching for a way forward?
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The exhibition is anchored in a powerful realization: the nameless horse that carries us through the scorching heat, thirst, and uncertainty of life is not an external savior - it is our own inner catalyst. It is the untamed, resilient, and tireless force within our souls that keeps us moving forward when our identity feels lost.
The journey through the desert is a necessary crucible. We must shrink, empty ourselves, and shed our old skins like a snake before we can find our true purpose and step into our full potential. Working with air-dry clay, Niina Karhunen explores this raw transition through a stark, intentional contrast in forms, textures, and finishes.​​
Having spent decades as a couturier, Karhunen now turns her advanced understanding of structural geometry toward the raw earth. Her current practice is a literal Couture of Flesh - an architectural tailoring of the human and animal forms stripped of external armor, exposed to the elements, and recast through the heat of the crucible.
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Niina Karhunen (b. 1969) is a Finnish contemporary artist based in Loimaa, Southwest Finland, whose multidisciplinary practice bridges visual art and avant-garde design. Working primarily in air-dry clay and acrylics, Karhunen’s art is driven by a lifelong study of anatomy, proportions, color theory, and spatial geometry.
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This rich family heritage of craftsmanship laid the foundation for six years of formal fashion design education, leading to a distinguished early career as a high-fashion couturier. In the early 2000s, Karhunen achieved international acclaim on the global fashion stage, showcasing her work at Paris Haute Couture. Her garment designs were featured in prestigious curated exhibitions in Paris and London, notably Ultra Noir (2001) and Modamorphose (2002). An accomplished, self-taught jewelry designer and entrepreneur, Karhunen also founded her own jewelry brand. Today, Karhunen seamlessly translates her profound, lifelong mastery of anatomical construction, physical materials, and expressive color into tactile, structural works of contemporary visual art.
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The exhibition is on view from 1.10 till 11.10. Our doors are open Tue-Sat 14-18 and Sun 13-17. Free entry. Warm welcome.