Lokal Galleria
Annankatu 9 00120 Helsinki
21.8.-19.9.2026
”Karamelli on matka makean ja mielikuvituksen maailmaan, jossa lasi kimaltaa herkullisissa väreissä ja lasimurska muistuttaa houkuttelevasti sokeria. Kauneuden ja vaaran, tutun ja vieraan rajalla jokainen portti avaa oven uuteen maailmaan. Lapsena etsimme metsästä keijuportteja. Ne saattoivat löytyä salaisista lähteistä tai lumen kaartamista puista, jotka muodostivat luonnollisen holvin kulkijan ylle. Portin läpi kulkiessa pidimme mielessämme toiveen. Toisella puolella odotti uusi maailma – sellainen, jossa toiveemme saattoi olla jo totta.”
Karkkipäivä
K.H.Renlund Museum 8.5.–6.9.2026
Pitkänsillankatu 28
Open Tue–Sun 11–16, Thu 11–18
Paula Pääkkönen’s vibrant glass sculptures bring to life the lightness of summer days and the thrilling anticipation of Saturday sweets. The exhibition invites visitors to step into a world where restrictions fade away, life tastes sweet, and every moment carries a touch of magic.
The themes of the sculptures grow out of Pääkkönen’s own experiences and memories. Together, the works highlight small yet meaningful moments from childhood: the cooling relief of ice cream on a hot summer day, and the carefully observed ritual of dividing a bag of sweets evenly – without forgetting the divider’s reward.
The artist also reflects on the darker side of contemporary culture in her works. How has overconsumption become a part of our everyday lives and how often do we sugar-coat our real problems and retreat into moments of sweetness instead of confronting the uncomfortable truths of our lives?
Alongside colorful candies and cool ice creams, the playful exhibition also portrays the roughness and everyday randomness of childhood memories: Who put licorice toffee in the microwave and who dropped a foam sponge candy on the floor of the car?
Midsummer Dreams celebrates the remarkable light of the Finnish summer, when the Midnight Sun transforms the landscape into a world of pale blues, glowing pinks, and deep violets.
Inspired by vibrant Nordic sunsets, fields of wildflowers, lush forests, and tranquil lakes, these glass sculptures by Paula Pääkkönen capture the atmosphere of the season. Midsummer, or Juhannus, is Finland's most celebrated holiday after Christmas, when families gather at lakeside cottages to embrace the "white nights."
Glass becomes the perfect medium to express these fleeting experiences, holding and refracting light as it shifts throughout the day—from the pale luminosity of early morning to the saturated pinks, oranges, and deep blues that linger late into the midsummer night.
“Although inspired by a distinctly Finnish experience, Midsummer Dreams is ultimately about the universal feeling of summer: the sense that time slows down, light stretches endlessly, and for a brief moment the world seems full of possibility.”
RUNO Biannual IX: In The Presence of Summer, captures the emotional landscape of summer. You will find the exhibition catalogue in the hotel lobby and are invited to explore the group exhibition featuring works by six different artists.
“Oiva Toikka was playful, curious and sociable. He was an eternal optimist.”
Jussi Toikka
The exhibition finds its origin in the words with which Jussi Toikka, son of Oiva Toikka, evokes his father.
Throughout his multifaceted career, Oiva Toikka’s (1931–2019) production was characterised by optimistic playfulness. The exhibition is a continuation of the Studio visit Chappe series, in which Chappe invites contemporary artists to explore Albert de la Chapelle’s art collection from different perspectives; by examining the old, something new is created.
Through their own expressions, the exhibition’s artists follow the tradition of curiosity that underpinned Oiva Toikka’s work. The artists seek their own path, explore materials, collaborate and take risks. Slate Grove, Helmi Remes, Nooa Hietaniemi, Anu Penttinen, Paula Pääkkönen and Johannes Rantasalo have produced a body of work exclusively for the exhibition, showing how far the possibilities of glass can extend. In their studios, the artists push the boundaries and take traditional glass art outside the cube, for example by using a certain technique, by combining different materials or by working with size or spatiality.
The exhibition is curated by artist Helmi Remes and Chappe’s curator Pia Hovi.
