One of Finland's oldest art galleries, the art hall 'Taidehalli', is not only a home of art, but has itself become an architectural masterpiece.
The gallery building, or, as it is called here, the Kunsthalle, was built in 1928 based on a design by Jarl and Hilding Ekelund, who won the competition for the best exhibition center design. Included in the list of historical and cultural architectural monuments, the Kunsthalle building is one of the first examples of the innovative 1920s style known as "Nordic Classicism".
The curved facade of 'Taidehalli', decorated with hemispheres, has not changed since construction, but the interior space of the gallery underwent radical changes in 2008. During the reconstruction, 2 underground floors were added to the building, many rooms were equipped with technical innovations, and the lighting and heating systems were changed.
The renovated Kunsthalle hosts from 8 to 12 major exhibitions each year and countless smaller art events, seminars, displays, and meetings with artists.
The art hall 'Taidehalli' presents works by both established European artists and young talents who are just setting out on the thorny path of art. Artists and photographers, designers and architects, sculptors and animators – all creative roles are welcome in this gallery. At various times, Andy Warhol, Alvar Aalto, Helmut Newton, Anish Kapoor, and many other Scandinavian and world-renowned figures of art have exhibited here.
