THE ARTIST OF THE MONTH IN SEPTEMBER SEPPO J. TANNINEN
Seppo J. Tanninen is known in the field of geometric art as a master of form, but also for his use of rare colours and striking contrasts. Tanninen has participated in numerous exhibitions in Finland and abroad, and his works are held in both public and private collections. In 2021, he was awarded the Finnish State’s Additional Artist’s Pension.
Tellervo Lahti describes Tanninen as an artist: “Seppo J. Tanninen is an artist who follows his own path, and a uniquely profound personality. His spiritual home is somewhere that the rest of us cannot easily see.”
Ensō is a Zen meditation and breathing exercise in which, during a single exhalation, a circle is drawn or painted in one continuous stroke. The circle symbolizes life, time and the lived world. In Buddhism, the circle is a symbol of enlightenment and nothingness—from infinity to zero.
Seppo J. Tanninen was born in 1948 in Alavus, Finland. Encouraged by Voitto Kantokorpi during his secondary school years, Tanninen went on to study at Orivesi College on the visual arts and writing programme. He studied at the School of the Finnish Art Academy from 1968 to 1970. In 1977, the artist and his family settled in Seinäjoki.
In 1972, Tanninen was selected, among other events, for the 5th International Biennial of Ibiza. His solo exhibition at Kluuvi Gallery in Helsinki in 1973 was a success. His series of visual poems, Yöpuulla, was awarded a joint first prize in WSOY’s national Vuosirengas ’75 poetry competition in 1975. The following year, his visual poetry work Krunoja was published. In the 1980s, Seppo began his career as an art critic for the Ilkka newspaper. This role, which became almost a second full-time occupation, lasted for 17 years.