From an idea to gallery walls - In the Presence of Hope! (Toivon äärellä)
March 8, 2025 - Helsinki
Wow, my first photography exhibition was held in Laterna Magica book gallery! The amazing and very unique place in the Helsinki city centre has hosted hundreds of photography exhibitions over the years, so I consider it a real honour. Thank you all who came to visit, and special thanks for Eira Sillanpää for the invite!
IN THE PRESENCE OF HOPE - TOIVON ÄÄRELLÄ
Read more about the exhibition
In English: https://www.laterna.net/exhibitions/in-the-presence-of-hope-photographs
In Finnish - Näyttelystä suomeksi: https://www.laterna.net/nayttelyt/toivon-aarella-valokuvia
Some stories in media:
https://www.matkailu-kulttuuri.fi/elaminen-on-etuoikeus/
https://www.is.fi/terveys/art-2000010888598.html - our ‘cover girl’ Piritta shared her moving story
https://www.hs.fi/menokone/events/150916
Dreams come true - with dedication and hard work
After almost a year, in the end the actual exhibition came on a short notice, in less than a month - so the end of November was super hectic to get everything done: very long nights and photography filled weekends in addition to my day job.
There are so many details in organising your own exhibition even after the actual photos have been taken - from finalising the photography edits and stories for each work, to the production of the images, press releases and marketing materials, planning the exhibition display and the actual hanging of the work, creating the exhibition programme, pricing, and organising the opening night festivities. But I’m a true believer of deadlines and was prepared to work to make my long-time dream come true, so in the end all was good.
Thanks, all!
A lot was said, many happy people were present, and quite a few tears were shed during the opening night—tears of love and happiness, but also for the unpredictability of life. It was a precious moment to have all the beautiful people I photographed present with their loved ones, and to share the photography we created together later also with my family and friends.
The journey to the gallery walls was over a year long. To start creating something resembling an exhibition, you have to first convince yourself to trust your vision to overcome many doubts. Would I be able to bring my vision to life? Could I create something unique or beautiful, even in a small way? Would I find people willing to share their stories? Could anyone want to exhibit my work? And on bad days: is there even a point—when there are so many photographers out there who are better than me?
After deciding to start and finding my subjects, one of my greatest fears during our photography sessions was: what if my subjects didn’t like their photos? What if they didn’t feel good about them? People often see themselves differently or may not appreciate the way I chose to capture them through my lens. Luckily, that wasn’t the case, and it has been wonderful to celebrate together the true beauty of my incredible ‘supermodels’ and nature.
I am truly blessed to have so many wonderful people supporting my journey as an aspiring photographer - thank you all, you know who you are. And for all of you aspiring artists, hey - it’s never too late to go after your dreams!
Memories for the rainier days
In addition to the exhibition opening, I also held a few artist meetings at the gallery, where I met many wonderful people—some with their own stories of being incurably ill or having a loved one who is. Now, the exhibition guest book has become a true treasure for rainy days, filled with many beautiful words. Knowing that my art moved many of the visitors gives it meaning.
“Beautiful, striking, touching photography.”
”Thank you for your beautiful, touching, and thought-provoking exhibition. “
”A meaningful and beautiful idea, soulful execution, stunning images with their stories. Respect!”
”Thank you for doing this! Wishing you luck on your future exhibitions.””
By the way, all the exhibition photographs were printed in the Helsinki-based Dialab on 100% recycled acrylic glass. You can read more about the Silisec prints on the Dialab website. (Different production houses call their acrylic prints in a different marketing name.) Thanks Dialab folks for a work well done. Loved the quality and hanging was made easy by the people who knew what would work best.
Next up: Raahe Library Gallery in April!
Great to go back to my hometown’s beautiful gallery space with my photographs. it is a beautiful space.
The exhibition opening will be on TUE, April 1 at 17.30 and it’s free and open for everyone. See you there! <3
PS. A huge thank you to the amazing Helena Valtonen for your help with the exhibition posters!
#photography #valokuvaus #myfirstexhibition #näyttely #portrait