Bologna opening images
Art critic and historian Dr. Francesca Bogliolo presented the show in the opening. The exhibition Art Experience at the Gallery of Contemporary Art Wikiarte, Via San Felice 18, Bologna, April 22nd to May 4th, 2017.
Art Experience opens in Bologna
Collective exhibition Art Experience opens at Galleria Wikiarte in the center of Bologna, Italy, Saturday April 22. Curator of the exhibition: Deborah Petroni. The event will be presented on the opening night by the art critic and historian Dr. Francesca Bogliolo. The exhibition will also be accompanied by a catalog.
The show presents two new digital collages by Ulla Karttunen, “The Thief of the Eye”, and “Uma, Lady of the Mountains”.
Let’s take a quote from one of my favorite aesthetic thinkers, John Dewey, the pragmatist philosopher who writes in his book Art as Experience: “An experience is a product, one might almost say bi-product, of continuous and cumulative interaction of an organic self with the world. There is no other foundation upon which esthetic theory and criticism can build.”
Donna Criminale in STATE/F22
This info about ARTROOMS 2017 (in the image Donna Criminale by Ulla Karttunen) was published in London-based art magazine State/F22: hot and cool art, issue 23. The magazine can be found here.
Iconic Black Madonna visited London
A new velvet version of an older work, The Madonna of the Apricot and the Snake, invited visiters to touch the canvas at ARTROOMS2017 in London.
The work was first exhibited in the exhibition Ecstatic Women [Ekstaattisia naisia], at the gallery of Helsinki Art Museum HAM 2008 (the work was also printed to the invitation card), and then as a new aluminium-mounted diasec at Ulla’s large solo show The Divine: Sanctifiers from the Dark Planet (Jumalaiset: pyhittäjänaisia pimeältä planeetalta] at The Joensuu Art Museum 2011.
In the following years the work has become an iconic representation of contemporary black madonnas, seen in different occasions, from media-star Oprah’s Twitter-account to articles of the mystery cult of black madonnas. The image is quite popular in pinterest, many times pinned anonymously without reference to artist’s or artwork’s name, like here https://fi.pinterest.com/pin/189151253071567264/ (+551 boards), but many times also with, like here https://fi.pinterest.com/pin/416160821790674623/ (pinned in over 600 boards), or here https://fi.pinterest.com/pin/399272323199788152/ (+235 boards), or here https://fi.pinterest.com/pin/38702878023636871/) with a text:
“”The Madonna of the Apricot and the Snake” by Finnish artist Ulla Karttunen. Wow. Magnetic. Has seen things, terrible and full of awe. What you think of her doesn’t matter. Apricot: likely the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge in Eden. In the Renaissance, an aphrodisiac and inducer of childbirth. Sweet fruits were ”pleasant encouragement for good.” She offers us the most pleasant, succulent, golden fruit, soft and lush. The serpent of wisdom and power hovers in the periphery of her vision.”
Ulla Karttunen: The Madonna of the Apricot and the Snake
At The Joensuu Art Museum the Black Madonnas stayed in a hall painted black for the occasion, lit by a chandelier made from barbed wire
London images III: Bathroom Section
Bathrooms were also used for art installations at ARTROOMS2017 art fair, London.
Lucian silmät
Published: Lucian silmät (The eyes of Lucy), a novel by Maaria Oikarinen, publisher Arktinen banaani. Design by Ulla Karttunen. Cover art: Thorn Eye II.
Ilmestynyt: Maaria Oikarisen Lucian silmät -romaani, kustantaja Arktinen banaani. Design Ulla Karttunen. Kannen taideteokset: Okasilmä I & II.
London images II
Strange light (by Ulla Karttunen), at ARTROOMS2017 art fair in Melia White House Hotel, London. ARTROOMS showed this year works from 90 selected artists from 35 countries across Europe, Canada, USA, South America and Far East. 
Guests, are they part of art? This visitor (above) at ARTROOMS2017 was dressed exactly to match the reds and blacks of Ulla’s art. 
![The Colour of Blood, a detail [torn paper, ketchup, digital print mounted on aluminium], by Ulla Karttunen](https://ullakarttunen.files.wordpress.com/2017/02/pun3raj.jpg?w=500&h=366)
![Flowing, a detail [nail polish, digital print], by Ulla Karttunen](https://ullakarttunen.files.wordpress.com/2017/02/pun2raj.jpg?w=500&h=366)
Those eyes
The yellow version of Thorn Eye (2017), by Ulla Karttunen, is on show in the exhibition Electron Salon, L.A. center for Digital Arts, Los Angeles, until February 18, 2017.
The image will be published soon as a book cover of a spectacular new novel, telling of a female artist’s life: Lucian silmät (The eyes of Lucia) by Maaria Oikarinen.
What is this light
Ulla Karttunen: Ring of Fire I-III, Tulikehä I-III, pigment print on aluminium
Opening: Ihana valo [Marvelous Light], 8th February at 5-7pm, Taidelainaamo 8.2.-8.3.2017 Helsinki.
