Glow – 20th Anniversary Exhibition of the Jöötti Association

In 1990 four sculptors working in Turku founded the Jöötti Association, aiming for a foundry of their own and the maintenance and development of bronze casting skills. Twenty years have passed since the founding of the association, and today a considerably larger number of local sculptors shares the same goals.

Working together and sharing knowledge and resources are important incentives for the artists to take part in Jöötti’s activities. During the history of the association, the members have shared more than 140 castings, organised several group exhibitions and spent innumerable hours working together. For the artists, however, most important in being a member of Jöötti is the possibility to cast their own works in bronze. The artists don’t have to send their works to be cast in other foundries, and the works stay in their own hands from beginning to end. Bronze casting skills have thus a permanent, continuous and important position in Turku.

Jöötti’s bronze foundry operated in the artists' residence on Jokikatu by the River Aura until February 2009. This was when the association moved to a new location at the former army barracks up on Pääskyvuori, in the eastern part of Turku. In this space Jöötti has a modern, safe and ergonomic foundry, which all members of the association have reason to be proud of.

The sculptors’ common denominator is bronze but they are not bound by it: other materials such as wood, polyurethane and aluminium, are also presented in the exhibition. Besides sculpture, the exhibition features paintings and drawings.

Jöötti celebrates its 20th anniversary with this exhibition, which shows works from all of the members: Béla Czitrom, Outi Eronen, Kari-Petteri Kakko, Veikko Karskela, Sinikka Mäki-Lertola, Erik Mäkinen, Mika Natri, Maarit Nissilä, Markku Ojala, Sampo Parkkonen, Merja Pitkänen, Jani Rättyä, Sofia Saari, Jyri Sammallahti, Silja Selonen, Juhana Tainio and Juha Welling.