The exhibition Elina Brotherus – Visitor at the Didrichsen Art Museum juxtaposes Brotherus´s recent work with key themes from her long career. Drawing on the unique atmosphere of the museum, the exhibition will be the first public display of Brotherus´s photographic series Visitor (Villa Didrichsen), shot at Didrichsen Art Museum between 2021 and 2022. Architect Viljo Revell originally designed the building (1958, 1964) on Kuusisaari Island in Helsinki as the home of Marie-Louise (1913–1988) and Gunnar Didrichsen (1903–1992). The couple´s passion for collecting art led to the founding of an art museum in 1965.

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Photographing a building reminds me of making a portrait of a person: you have to show the characteristics and essence of the place. Every house has a soul, and for Didrichsen it is the art collection. The collection predates the house and has guided the work of architect Viljo Revell as he designed the building.

 

Elina Brotherus

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The starting point for the Visitor (Villa Didrichsen) series was Brotherus´s freedom to play with the architecture, interior and art collection of the museum. In her works, Brotherus creates an alternative reality parallel to the known history of the building. The figures in the pictures, the visitors, bring the spaces to life with their presence: they make phone calls, prepare dinner, lounge by the pool and plan an art exhibition. Brotherus, who is well versed in the history of art, also introduces assemblages she has created using works from the collection. She addresses the works, for example, by colour or by mirroring the themes of the works. Brotherus seeks the specific character of a place; in the Visitor series, she deepens her research of the lived space and the visual arts and its traditions.

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Meet the Artist:
11.2., 18.2., 25.3., 29.4., 20.5., 27.5., 28.5.
at 13:00