Kari Cavén, “Lätt & Lagom”

Stockholm, 15.1–22.2 2009

Kari Cavén, born in 1954 in Savonlinna, Finland, finished his studies at the Finnish Academy of Fine Arts in 1984. The painting career took a new turn when Cavén started working with sculptures made from found objects. Since then he has created a niche of his own in the Finnish art world, with his sly and thought provoking work. Cavén has represented Finland several times at the Venice biennale and his artwork can be found in the collections of Kiasma in Helsinki and Moderna museet in Stockholm, among others.

The exhibition presents several pieces, never before shown to the public. The creation of these pieces is as important as is the result. In Cavén’s world, no preconceived points of departure exist, it is the “material that speaks” and starts the working process. The material is collected from refuse dumps, recycling rooms or 1-euro shops. This material metamorphoses in Cavén’s hands. A broken mirror, a lamp and an old phone booth are turned into a shining sun, or a radiant eye; a bike is interbred with a propeller and out comes a confused “areocycle”; in a satellite dish combined with a mirror the viewer – placed in the exact right position – can see hundreds of reflections of himself.

With humour and fervour, old concepts are turned upside-down and new ideas form.