THE ARTIST OF THE MONTH IN JULY TAPIO HIRVONEN
Tapio Hirvonen is a visual artist born in 1967 in Kirkkonummi. Since 2012, he has lived and worked in Salmi, Kuortane. Hirvonen became a member of Seinäjoki Artists’ Association in 2016.
For Hirvonen, art seeks interaction and communication—it aims to build bridges in many different ways: “Visual art is the most natural form of expression and language for me. I also follow developments in music with great interest. At its best, art connects people and ideas, fosters insight, and sets in motion a wide range of thoughts and questions about different aspects of life.”
On display on the Artist of the Month wall is In the Meadow I, an oil painting on canvas. One of the highlights of Finland’s short summer is the meadow. A meadow may be a natural habitat, a landscape shaped by livestock grazing, or an intentionally cultivated area filled with wildflowers and native plants that delights the senses. Whichever type it is, its effect on the senses is unmistakably positive and uplifting. Pollinators, too, undoubtedly appreciate the abundance of flowers and nectar.