The art of individual and collective

Kimmo Kumela's (b.1971) art work alternates between small-scale and massive. His small-scale drawings form a multi-part series sometimes combined with large drawings where the foot of the page is sometimes left unfinished. Add newspaper pages with covered photos and texts as well as other surprising elements and the work is complete.

When Kumela covers words, one by one, in books and articles, he simultaneously leaves a mark and erases it. We have reached the essential sphere of drawing/writing/painting where the visible becomes invisible and the re-emerges as a new perceptibility. Maybe for this reason, Kumela's art work has a melancholic feel, for what could be seen earlier has now disappeared under a new surface. The viewer remains with a reference to this preceding element, almost like a memory left behind. In melancholy, our previous object of love dies or disappears, making loving him/her/it impossible. In Kumela's work, the covered text is lost and all that remains for us is but a trace or a shadow of it.

Kumela often uses collage as a method of presentation. I prefer calling his method collage rather than installation, because resembling Cubism, Kumela's contrast of work is unaffected and accentuates surface variations. Another link to Cubism is Kumela's way of playing with books and magazines, in other words, with texts. He seems to be asking in a metaphysical level, what difference is between reading a written text and decoding a picture - if indeed there is one.

When making drawings on a newspaper, the artist treats the fundamental issues of painting by being in direct contact with different layers, surfaces and coverage. The faintly visible base material adds another dimension where viewers can interact with Kumela's technical choices. The plain page of a newspaper featuring soon-to-be forgotten news and information transforms into something tragic, poetic, humoristic or, simply said, into something a lot more interesting than before.

Some of Kimmo Kumela's work almost demand to be looked at, for their scribbly-like nature gives birth to a light hazy impression that easily captivates the eye. In these patched works, Kumela seems to be examining the natural ground of the line and of what calls them into being. In addition, the composed and rascally humoured work beautifully adds flavour to the artist's philosophical working method. The philosophical aspect is created with the way the artist processes the problematic of gesture, expression, technique and pictoriality. Despite the philosophical side, Kumela's art work is not staid but rather playful and slightly ironic with hints of romantic emotionality. With several different displays, Kimmo Kumela portrays interesting and differing ways of expression and narrativity, even if the overall work of art itself is formed of similar parts to a great extent. This way, individual works are the building elements of a narration, able to transform into something new from situation to situation. The fascinating puzzle put together by Kumela practically invites one to lose track of time.

Juha-Heikki Tihinen

Wednesday, April 17, 2019

KOUTA-galleria

Varuskuntakatu 11, Kouvola-talo

ti-pe 11-18
la-su 12-17
ma suljettu

Liput 7/5€

https://www.poikilo.fi/nayttelyt/kouta-galleria/reija-palo-oja-ja-kimmo-kumela/

Friday, November 11, 2016

TRUE WILL in Bergen, Norway

Welcome to the KNIPSU exhibition True Will at OUY Strandgaten 224, Bergen, Norway.

The exhibition opens
at 19.

The exhibition is open Friday – Sunday at 13 – 17 and after appointment. Please contact at post@knipsu.no.




Artists
Melanie Bonajo
Hannaleena Heiska
Kamilla Langeland
Josefine Lyche
Kimmo Kumela
Kasper Muttonen

Curated by Hilde Jørgensen

UOY is a platform for contemporary art established and run by the artist Alves, Dyvi, Jørgensen and Lillelien Porter.

The exhibition is supported by the Norwegian Arts Council and Bergen City And Kulturkontakt Nord.

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Prophecies at Galleri Rostrum, Malmö, Sweden



My latest series Prophecies is presented at Galleri Rostrum, Sweden, until 29th March 2015. Welcome!

Gallery is open:
thu-fri 2pm to 6pm
sat-sun from noon until 4pm

Västergatan 21
21121 Malmö, Sweden
www.rostrum.se

Thursday, November 20, 2014

Kimmo Kumela and Teemu Tuonela at Kluuvi gallery

Kimmo Kumela and Teemu Tuonela show their recent works at Kluuvi gallery Helsinki Finland.

Show is open 15.11. - 30.11.2014

Welcome!

Sunday, August 17, 2014

Haihatus summerexhibition

Today open for the last day! Haihatus summerexhibition with Four magicians in Joutsa.

Monday, April 7, 2014

NIIN&NÄIN


You can find my works in latest issue of niin&näin. Check out the great magazine celebrating its 20th anniversary!

http://netn.fi/lehti/niin-nain-114

Sunday, March 9, 2014

It´s again time for Finnish Painters Union sales exhibition!

Cablefactory, Merikaapelihalli Tallberginkatu 1 C, 1. kerros, 00180 Helsinki, Finland Open mon-fri 12-18 sat-sun 11-17

Monday, September 30, 2013

Galleria Suomesta, Berlin

Kalle Turakka Purhonen
Teemu Tuonela
Kimmo Kumela

Galleria Suomesta - Berlin
5.-26.10.2013

Opening 5.10. at 7pm, Welcome!

Anonymous Artwork at Galleria Huuto Jätkäsaari, Helsinki

ANONYMOUS ARTWORK
2.10.-13.10.2013

Opening 1.10.2013 at 18-20. Welcome!


Galleria Huuto Jätkäsaari open: tu-sun 12-17

Pasi Autio, Enoch Bergsten, Marina Ciglar, Erika Erre, Noora Geagea, Kaarina Haka, Kaisaleena Halinen, Antti Hämäläinen, Terhi Heino, Anja Helminen, Aino Jääskeläinen, Beata Joutsen, Elina Katara, Mauri Kuitula, Kimmo Kumela, Heidi Lahtinen, Mari Leskinen, Marjo Levlin, Pasi Mälkiä, Paula Martikainen, Tiia Matikainen, Essi Ojanperä, Kaarina Ormio, Laura Pakarinen, Paula Puoskari, Tuomo Rainio, Satu Rautiainen, Miia Rinne, Markus Rissanen, Maiju Salmenkivi, Katariina Salmijärvi, Oula Salokannel, Hans-Peter Schütt, Elina Strandberg, Aleksi Tolonen, Tapio Tuominen, Kalle Turakka Purhonen, Pauliina Turakka Purhonen, Ilona Valkonen, Marja Viitahuhta, Sampsa Virkajärvi, Annu Wilenius, Heli Änkö.

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Rrromantiikka

Rrromantiikka

Kalle Turakka Purhonen, Teemu Tuonela, Mirka Raito and Kimmo Kumela

Oksasenkatu 11
16.3. - 31.3.2013

Opening 15th of March at 7pm. Welcome!

Friday, October 26, 2012

One more day!

Four magicians in Mariehamn. Still on saturday. Welcome!

Friday, September 7, 2012

AAARGH!


AAARGH! – 10 years later
Galleria Huuto 10th anniversary exhibition
8–23 September 2012
Jätkäsaari warehouse L3, 2nd and 4th floor
Tyynenmerenkatu 6, 00220 Helsinki

Open every day 11 am – 6 pm
Welcome!

7 Sep 2012: Event for invited guests only, 5 pm – 7 pm
7 Sep 2012: Opening club (K-18) from 7 pm
with Pink Twins, O Samuli A, Casiomatik and JS666
15 Sep 2012: Satamadantsut from 6 pm


During September 2012, Galleria Huuto will celebrate its 10th anniversary
at Jätkäsaari warehouse L3, Helsinki. The AAARGH! – 10 years later
exhibition features some 70 Huuto artists’ works and performances that
will take over a thousand square meters inside an old warehouse. The
exhibition will also offer other activities, such as Satamadantsut which
combines music, performance art and video works from Finland, Estonia and
Mongolia.

The artists contributing to the anniversary exhibition are:
Pasi Autio, Maija Blåfield, Marina Ciglar, Eeva-Leena Eklund, Kaisa
Eriksson, Erika Erre, Kaarina Haka, Eija Hakkola, Kaisaleena Halinen,
Terhi Heino, Anja Helminen, Vesa Hjort, Antti Hämäläinen, Beata Joutsen,
Salla Järvinen, Jussi Karhunkorva, Elina Katara, Mauri Kuitula, Kimmo
Kumela, Johanna Lecklin, Niina Lehtonen-Braun, Mari Leskinen, Marjo
Levlin, Virve Lukka, Maija Luutonen, Sampo Malin, Paula Martikainen & Heli
Hietala, Tiia Matikainen, Tiina Mielonen, Juhana Moisander, Kasper
Muttonen, Pasi Mälkiä, Pilvi Ojala, Essi Ojanperä, Kaarina Ormio, Reija
Palo-Oja, Sari Palosaari, Sami Pennanen, Outi Pieski, Pink Twins, Laura
Pohjonen, Vesa Puhakka, Paula Puoskari, Tuomo Rainio, Mirka Raito, Satu
Rautiainen, Miia Rinne, Jaakko Rustanius, Hanna Saarikoski, Maiju
Salmenkivi, Katariina Salmijärvi, Hans-Peter Schütt, Elina Strandberg,
Minna Suoniemi, Aleksi Tolonen, Tapio Tuominen, Tatu Tuominen, Markus
Tuormaa, Kalle Turakka Purhonen, Ilona Valkonen, Marja Viitahuhta, Thomas
Westphal, Annu Wilenius & Oula Salokannel, Dominik Wlodarek, Heli Änkö and
Charlotta Östlund.

The anniversary exhibition contains installations, videos, photographs,
performances, paintings and everything else in between that has been
allowed to live freely in this time. The selection of contemporary art
included in the exhibition can also be seen as a representation of the
ten-year-old gallery's role as an "independent artist's workplace" which
has contributed to the definition of an artist's job description in modern
Finnish society. The anniversary exhibition is not only an indication of
Huuto's role in defending artistic participation, but also an indication
of the vitally important need for art to be renewed by an unestablished
generation of artists. Many of the current Huuto artists have made their
debut at Huuto – in the heart of Helsinki.

Huuto was created as an answer to the need for space to display
contemporary art. Galleria Huuto was originally established in 2002 as a
one-year project by a group of young artists. There was a need for an
artist-run gallery that was separate from cultural institutions and
independent of the art market hierarchies. Huuto was, therefore, also
about the professional preconditions for operating in the expanding field
of visual arts. Since then, 35–50 exhibitions have been held annually at
the two Huuto galleries. In addition, the gallery has taken part in
various international projects from touring exhibitions to exchange
exhibitions. In ten years, the group committed to running the gallery has
grown into an artist collective with 90 members.

Characteristic of the gallery, AAARGH! – 10 years later is a versatile and
proud demonstration of the importance of the artist-run Galleria Huuto for
Finnish visual artists.


The anniversary exhibition has been supported by the Finnish Art
Association and the Finnish Cultural Foundation.

Further information:
Essi Ojanperä, project@galleriahuuto.net, +358 (0)40 574 1854
Henni Oksman, director@galleriahuuto.net, +358 (0)400 653 461
www.galleriahuuto.net

Friday, May 4, 2012

21 steps into the night

KIMMO KUMELA 21 steps into the night 9.5. -27.5.2012 Opening on Tuesday 8 May at 6–8 pm Galleria Huuto on Laivurinkatu displays Kimmo Kumela's (b. 1971) series of works titled Like shadows within us (21 steps into the night). The starting point for the works was a photo portraying an overgrown jungle. The works reproduce, manipulate and reinterpret this theme through drawings, paintings and photographs. The exhibition tells the story of the journey into the photograph or it can be seen as a paradise series. The exhibition has been supported by the Finnish Cultural Foundation and the Arts Council of Uusimaa.

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Finnish Painters Union sales exhibition


FINNISH PAINTERS UNION SALES EXHIBITION AT CABLEFACTORY 9.3. - 18.3.2012

I´m showing three works, including the one beside Kuin kutsuisi aaveita (75x100cm, ink and pigment on paper, 2011)

Open
mon-fri 12-18
sat-sun 11-17

Cablefactory, Merikaapelihalli
Tallberginkatu 1 C,
1. kerros,
00180 Helsinki, Finland

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Galleria Maaret Finnberg, Turku, welcome!


REIJA PALO-OJA
KIMMO KUMELA
KIMMO YLÖNEN

2.12. – 30.12.2011

We wish You welcome to the opening of our exhibition 2nd of december 2011 at 5pm.


Galleria Maaret Finnberg
Läntinen rantakatu 3
20100 Turku - Finland

Open tu-fri 12-18, sun 12-16
www.maaretfinnberg.fi

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Meet the artists

Meet the Artists Kumela and Palo-oja in gallery Forum Box 19.6. at 2.

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Opening at Forum Box


ELIDA RUNESON / PERMANTO
KIMMO KUMELA / MONTTU
REIJA PALO-OJA / PARVI
4.6 – 1.7.2011

Velcome to the opening on FRIDAY 3.6.2011 at 5pm!

FORUM BOX - Space for art
Ruoholahdenranta 3a / PL 316
00181 Helsinki, Finland
(tram 6)
+358-9-6855 0080
www.forumbox.fi
Open tu-fri 11-17, sat-sun 12-16

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Neljä taikuria in Pori


Welcome to the opening of the exhibition Neljä taikuria on 21th of April at 6pm. Artists of the exhibition are Kimmo Kumela, Pasi Mälkiä, Teemu Tuonela and Kalle Turakka-Purhonen. Exhibition is open till 10th of May at Poriginal gallery in Pori, Finlad. Adress is Eteläranta 6, 28100 Pori, Finland and the gallery is open tu-sun 11-18.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Blackout Oslo

Finnish-norwegian kultural institute presents until 9th of April groupexhibition Blackout. Artists of the show are Sari Palosaari, Minna Suoniemi, Kimmo Kumela and Arne Skaug Olsen.
Kultural institute is open tu-fri 11-18 and saturdays 12-17. Adress is Kristian Augusts gate 5, Oslo. Welcome!

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Flaggfabrikken Presenterer "Blackout"


Welcome to the opening of "Blackout" on friday 17th of September at 8pm!

Artists of the exhibition are Minna Suoniemi, Aleksi Tolonen, Kasper Muttonen, Kimmo Kumela, Inka Nieminen, Jaakko Rustanius, Sari Palosaari, Juhanna Moisander, Heta Kuchka.

Exhibition is open until 10th of October, thu-sun from 1pm to 5pm or by appointment.

Thursday, June 10, 2010

XV Mänttä Art Festival


This summers Mänttä Art Festival opens on saturday 12th June.

Exhibition has open doors whole day and opening will be at 6pm. Wellcome!

Exhibition will be open daily from 11 till 18 (even midsummer) until 22nd of August.

Address is Tehtaankatu 21 (Pekilonranta), 35800 Mänttä Finland.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Äkkigalleria in Jyväskylä



Äkkigalleria has chosen six Finnish artists (and one collective) to explore the theme of Nuclear Energy. The artists are: Tuomo Blomqvist, Erika Erre, Juho Jäppinen, the JKL-Collective, Jaana Kautto, Hannu Korpinen, Kimmo Kumela, Down Leikkonen and Matti Reivi.

The exhibition will be open from Thursday the 20th until Sunday the 23rd from 1-7pm, at Kauppakatu 3, Jyväskylä.

The opening will be held on Thursday the 20th of May from 5 to 7pm.

Everyone is welcome!

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Finnish Painters Union sales exhibition

Once again time for Finnish Painters Union sales exhibition at Cable Factory. I'm presenting inkdrawing 'In the shadows' (2008).

Cable Factory
Tallberginkatu 1 C (1st floor)
00180 Helsinki, Finland

Open:
12.3. - 21.3.2010
weekdays 12-18
sat-sun 11-17

Sunday, July 5, 2009

Galleria Kohiseva


Welcome to the opening of the exhibition of Kimmo Kumela and Merja Salonen 7th of July at 7pm. Exhibition will be open until 31th of July at Galleria Kohisevan Vintti in Pukkila, Finland, mon - fri 9 - 16, sat 10 - 17, sun 11 - 17.

Galleria Kohisevan Vintti
Keskustie 19
07560 Pukkila, Finland

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Postcards

Two of my works have been released as postcards.
Postcards are on sale at exhibitions or via email: kimmokumela(at)gmail.com




Thursday, May 21, 2009

Reija Palo-oja and Kimmo Kumela at GalleriaKONE


Welcome to the opening of our exhibition on friday 22nd May 6pm.

Exhibition will be open until 16th June,
tu-fri 11-18, sat-sun 11-17.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Yksilön Kaipuu at Porvoo Art Hall


Welcome to the opening today 2.4. at 6pm! The fourth Yksilön Kaipuu-exhibition opens at Porvoo Art Hall and will be open until 3.5.2009 tu-sun 10-16. Artisits of the exhibition are Minna Havukainen, Mauri Kuitula, Kimmo Kumela, Anni Leppälä, Virve Lukka, Reija Palo-oja and Hanna Räty.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Mältinranta Artcenter


On 28th of March opens my joint exhibition with Hanni Bjartalid at Mältinranta Artcenter in Tampere, Finland. The exhibition will be open until 14th of April, mon-thu 12-18 and fri-sun 12-16.

Opening is on friday 27th of March at 6pm. Welcome!

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Finnish Painters Union sales exhibition


Finnish Painters Union sales exhibition at Cable factory in Helsinki opens 20.3. and continues until 29.3. Exhibition is open from 12 to 18, weekends from 11 to 17.

I'm presenting 'Untitled (Judgment)' and two other works.