Anita Koponen

“Everything has its time.”

Anita Koponen (b. 1944) sculptor, painter, secondary school graduate, Kulmakoulu Helsinki, 1963. Basic studies in psychology, pedagogy and didactics, University of Jyväskylä. Sculpting studies at Ateneum’s night school, 1965–1967. My father, a sculptor, mentored me and I adopted some of the painting and sculpting techniques he pioneered. Founding member of The Artist´s Association of Western Uusimaa, 1982. High placement at the Tapiola sculpting competition in 1973.

Joint exhibitions, including: Taidevintti Pori 1968, exhibition gallery at Säästöpankki bank’s main office in Tampere 1973, Museum of Lohja 1980, University of Jyväskylä’s Musica hall, 1980, The Artist´s Association of Western Uusimaa’s joint exhibitions 1982–1991, Studio-Julius Galleria Helsinki 1983, Koti-Galleria, Lohja, permanent exhibition 1984–1991, Nordic Women’s Forum in Turku 1994, Emil Cedercreutz Museum, Harjavalta 1996, Artvideo’s Löytäkää meidät (Find Us) performance at a video festival in Huarou, Beijing, the UN’s fourth Womens’ World Conference, 1996, Galleria D’Arte Eustachi, Milan 2005, Tatinis Art Show, Singapore 2019, Tatinis Art Show, Wanha Satama building, Helsinki 2019.

Works in private homes and the collections of numerous companies, such as Huhtamäki, YIT, Union, Shell, Lohja municipality, and the city of Lohja.

Performance group Tulilinnut (Firebirds): paintings by Irina Noramies & Anita Koponen, poetry and reading by Helena Hannula. Performances between 1978–1985, including: Museum of Central Finland 1980, Jyväskylä city hall’s council chamber, 1981, Museum of Lohja 1980.

Card design, jewelry design, mirrors, art education.

Founder of company Kai Art, active between 2004–2015.

Tutka (Radar), 1989, 120×102cm, acrylic / mixed technique,
sculpture by K. Noramies

Rakkaus (Love), 2003, 49 x 42cm, 1 Corinthians 13, acrylic / mixed technique

Tutka, Tutka (Radar, Radar) 1989, 80×80cm, mixed technique

Peili (Mirror), 1999, 86×62cm
Betlehemin tähti (The Star of Betlehem)

Uusi Israel (The New Israel), 2004, 129×110cm, mixed technique

The cross reminds one of a child , who is asking with arms open and with their entire being to “find us” / Kai Noramies.

Uusi Israel (New Isreal)

My work takes artistic liberty to combine the physical country of Israel and the spiritual Israel ians – its Christian population. At the center of the painting are Israel, Jerusalem, and Bethlehem. The growth of Christians starting from Jerusalem is represented with a spiral. The spiral is a symbol of eternity. I joined the symbols with a large crucifix: the tree reaching upwards happened to cross Jerusalem. The tree symbolizes reconciliation with God. The crucifix’s crossbeam happened to cross Bethlehem. This symbol represents reconciliation with one’s fellow man . Joining the ends of the crucifix creates an asymmetrical rectangle. Drawing a square on top of it creates an eight-point star, the symbol of the second coming of Jesus.