born 1974, Helsinki, Finland
education
Central Academy of Beijing, China (2001)
University of Art and Design, Helsinki, Finland (1996-2003)
lives and works in Helsinki, Finland
Selected solo-shows:
2009 Photographic gallery Hippolyte, Helsinki FI
2008 Shadow Images, Gallery TaiK, Berlin, Germany
2005 Seydler AG Bank Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
2005 «Landscape and variations», Galerie Anhava, Helsinki, Finland
2005 Galleri Brandstrup, Oslo, Norway
2003 Black Landscape, Galerie Anhava, Helsinki, Finland
Selected group exhibitions:
2010 The Armory Show, Bryce Wolkowitz gallery, New York, USA
2010 «Echoes of light» Photographic centre Nykyaika, Tampere Finland
2009 Internal and External Landscapes, Shiseido Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
2009 Artmuseum Åland "Incertitudes de la vision" Finland
2008 "Simple Life" Fiskars, Finland
2008 "Incertitudes de la vision" Brussels/Pro Artibus, Brussels, Belgium
2008 100% Finlandais, Bordeaux City gallery, FR
2008 Aomori contemporary art center, Artist in residence, Japan
2008 Nordic Art Works, London "views on finnish photography", UK
2007 Purdy Hicks Gallery, London, UK
2007 Stenersen museum, Oslo, Norway
2007 London Art-fair, Nordic Art Works, London, UK
2006 Paris Photo, Gallery TaiK, France
2005 Art Fair Helsinki, Union of artist photographers annual exhibition, Helsinki, Finland
2005 Stockholm Art Fair, Galerie Anhava, Sweden
2004 Artforum Berlin, Gallerie Anhava, Germany
2003 Artissima, Galerie Anhava, Torino, Italy
2003 Art Forum Berlin, Galerie Anhava, Berlin, Germany
2002 Art Forum Berlin, Gallery TaiK, Berlin, Germany
2002 Artissima Torino, Galerie Anhava, Torino, Italy
2001 CAFA department of photography, Beijing, Japan
2001 Gallery Brandstrup, Oslo, Norway
2001 Stockholm Art Fair, Gallery TaiK, Stockholm, Sweden
1999 Bengtskär - projekti", City gallery of Hankoo, Finland
1997 "Näkymätön kaupunki - Invisible city", Gallery ATSKI, Helsinki, Finland
1995 Photogallery ZEBRA, Karjaa, Finland
Publications:
Petra Axlund, "Gessle satsar på konst", Everyday/Nyheter 9.3.2001
Minna Törmä, "Maalaus ja valokuva - ontologisia pohdintoja" TAIDE nr.5/2003
Dan Sundell, "En kinesisk utflykt", Hufvudstadsbladet 8.5.2005
Anu Nousiainen, "Ikiaikaista ja silti ihan uutta", Helsingin Sanomat 1.5.2005
Pirkko Vekkeli, "Toukokuun taiteilija - Sandra Kantasen kiinalainen juttu", Gloria nr.5/2005
Timo Valjakka, "Kiinalaisia nokturneja ja liikehtiviä pulloja", Helsingin Sanomat 10.5.2005
Awards:
2007 H&W Grönqvist foundation award
2005 Maire Gullichsen 80-year jubileefund award
2004 Fotofinlandia finalist grant
2003 KESKO grant for young artist
First solo-show of Sandra Kantanen, the brightest representative of Helsinki school of Photography. The project “LANDSCAPES” includes series created during photographer’s travelling in Japan, China, Finland, etc.
Sandra Kantanen is the graduatee of the University of Art and Design in Helsinki. Helsinki school is famous for its recognizable aesthetics, unorthodox approach to teaching, call to creativity. It is not defined by a specific discipline or geographic region. It represents a way of thinking where everyone is given a chance to invent and express oneself.
Sandra’s works are combination of painting and photography; it’s more about abstract than figural, however, she’s always following the canons of art photography. Fusion of different cultures seen by the photographer gave h...
This year is the 90th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between Finland and Japan, and it also happens to be Shiseido Gallery's 90th year. In light of these, Shiseido Gallery will be the first in Asia to conduct an exhibition introducing the photography of the "Helsinki School," which is currently among the vanguards of the European and American art scenes.
Helsinki School is the name given to a loose group of teachers, students, and graduates dedicated to preserving the aesthetic approaches and thinking that have emerged from the teaching methodologies used at the University of Art and Design Helsinki. These were promoted originally by Timothy Persons, the guest curator of this exhibition, who joined the faculty as senior lecturer in 1982. The university teaches not a single, specific way of thinking,...