Wild Pruning is a solo exhibition by Helsinki-based visual artist Riikka Anttonen. The exhibition presents a three-part sculptural installation titled Holes in the Hedge, consisting mainly of marble-based works.
In this body of work, Anttonen combines marble mosaic and relief techniques to create sculptural elements within a spatial context. Its starting points lie in observations on various boundaries and norms, as well as in a fascination with the ancient world and the idea of metamorphosis. Techniques and motifs that reference antiquity intertwine with fantasies of worlds that resist fixed definitions.
Anttonen works through the lens of queer experience, and the installation title Holes in the Hedge refers to things that remain partly concealed – much like the experience of being able to show only a part of oneself, which is often associated with queer identity.
The exhibition title Wild Pruning alludes to growth and freedom, as well as to being shaped into a specific mold. The phrase “wild pruning” evokes a sense of untamed and uncontrolled gardening, where “pruning” simultaneously suggests both the act of setting boundaries and the possibility of breaking them. This connects to a queer perspective in which norms are “trimmed,” reshaped, and reimagined.
The exhibition is supported by Nordic Culture Point, Frame Contemporary Art Finland and Arts Promotion Centre Finland.
Riikka Anttonen (b. 1982, FI) is a Helsinki-based visual artist working in the expanded field of sculpture. Their space-sensitive works combine sculptural elements with marble mosaic and relief surfaces. Anttonen works through the lens of queer experience, with a recurring theme of metamorphosis. Their works often combine references to ancient Roman times into fantasies of worlds that defy easy categorization. They hold an MFA degree from the University of the Arts, Academy of Fine Arts Helsinki, and an MA degree from the Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture.