Silent Beauty invites you to admire the interplay of visual arts, ceramics and kimonos

Nordic and East Asian art share the idea of everyday beauty and a connection with nature
The Silent Beauty exhibition juxtaposes visual art, ceramics, textile art and architecture by Finnish, Swedish, Japanese, Korean and Chinese artists. The works display a simplified and dynamic aesthetic: geometric shapes, sophisticated colours, and an appreciation of materials link the pieces exhibited. The exhibits include beautiful and functional everyday objects, such as sophisticated Asian ceramics and kimonos. The paintings, drawings and prints included in the exhibition feature abstract themes, as well as landscapes and still lifes. The exhibition includes more than 200 works, of which approximately one third are from the Ateneum collection.
The rich exhibition offers a meditative experience: at Silent Beauty, visitors can experience the atmosphere of Finnish nature and winter, in the centre of Helsinki. The exhibition features an abundance of Japanese art and artefacts. Both Finland and Japan have four seasons and share an interest in nature.
Silent Beauty continues the themes of the popular Japanomania
Silent Beauty – Nordic and East-Asian Interaction is a continuation of the exhibition Japanomania in the Nordic Countries 1875–1918, which was presented at the Ateneum in spring 2016. The popular exhibition prompted an examination of how the phenomenon continued in the 20th century, and what new forms it took. Where does the simplified Nordic aesthetic come from, and how is it connected to visual arts? Why does the Nordic aesthetic appeal particularly to East Asian people?
Silent Beauty specifically explores the two-way interaction between the cultures: the exhibition project demonstrates that East Asian art was also influenced by the Nordic aesthetic. Nordic artists, designers and architects travelled to Japan, and correspondingly, Japanese artists and designers travelled to Europe and the Nordic countries. Nordic artists took influences from China and Korea, as well as Japan.
The artists featured in the exhibition include Heidi Blomstedt, Shoji Hamada, Erkki Heikkilä, Rune Jansson, Aimo Kanerva, Carl Kylberg, Maija and Ahti Lavonen, Bernard Leach, Ufan Lee, Ulla Rantanen, Kyllikki Salmenhaara, Key Sato, Helene Schjerfbeck, Jaakko Sievänen, Per Stenius, Zao Wou-Ki and Samiro Yunoki. The exhibition presents a large number of works from Japan, including from the Japan Folk Crafts Museum in Tokyo and the Museum of Modern Art, Hayama. Works are on loan from, for example, the Design Museum in Helsinki, the Gothenburg Museum of Art and the Moderna Museet in in Sweden, and the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Denmark.
Silent Beauty is co-produced by the Ateneum Art Museum and the Prins Eugen’s Waldemarsudde art museum in Stockholm. The curators of the Ateneum exhibition are Anne-Maria Pennonen and Anna-Maria von Bonsdorff. The exhibition will be on display at Prins Eugen’s Waldemarsudde in spring 2020. The exhibition coincides with the release of a publication, in Finnish, Swedish and English, produced by the Ateneum.
Free admission to the Ateneum Summer Party on the opening day
Everyone is welcome to join us in celebrating the exhibition opening and the Ateneum Summer Party on Friday 14 June, 10:00 to 18:00. Free admission! During the day, you can, for example, explore the Silent Beauty and Stories of Finnish Art exhibitions, participate in a flower workshop, enjoy the singing of the Kallion Kantaattikuoro choir in the main stairwell, or let loose to the beat of Finnish pop hits with Ville Leinonen & Futureiman. You are also invited to listen to the opening speeches in the Ateneum courtyard at 16:00. View the full programme: https://ateneum.fi/tapahtumat/ateneums-summer-party/?lang=en
Events related to the exhibition
Check out all the events: https://ateneum.fi/events-calendar/?lang=en
Thursdays 22 Aug, 29 Aug, 5 Sep and 12 Sep, 9:00–10:00
Back to work – morning yoga at the Ateneum. Now is your chance to experience something new! Tickets: €25 per class from the Ateneum online shop.
Thursdays 29 Aug, 12 Sep and 26 Sep, 17:00
Silent Beauty lecture series
The speakers include the curator Anne-Maria Pennonen, the chief curator Anna-Maria von Bonsdorff and the architect Severi Blomstedt. In Finnish.
Sat 14 Sep, 11:00–15:30
Silent Beauty theme day
During the day, you can listen to lectures in the Ateneum Hall, sink your hands into clay in a workshop, or participate in a guided mindfulness tour of the exhibition. The lectures in the Ateneum Hall are moderated by the curator of the exhibition, Anne-Maria Pennonen. In Finnish.
Private guided tours, including the Under the Surface guided tour
During this guided tour, intended for small groups, the emphasis is on calmly enjoying a few selected works. The materiality of art is also felt through the sense of touch, with the help of small ceramic objects. Read more: https://ateneum.fi/guided_tours/?lang=en
Opening hours: Tue, Fri 10–18 | Wed, Thu 10–20 | Sat, Sun 10–17 | Mon closed
Admission fees: Normal admission fee €17 | Concessions €15 | Under 18-year-olds free of charge
Twitter: @AteneumMuseum | Facebook: AteneumArtMuseum | Instagram: ateneummuseum
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Contacts
Anna Kari, Communications Officer, tel. +358 40 717 8185, anna.kari at ateneum.fi
Press photos: press.ateneum.fi | username: ateneum | password: mediat
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Ateneum Art Museum is Finland’s leading art museum, which houses Finnish art from the 19th century to the modern age. Ateneum’s main corporate partner is HOK-Elanto. Ateneum is part of the Finnish National Gallery, together with the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma and Sinebrychoff Art Museum. www.kansallisgalleria.fi/en
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Latest releases from Ateneumin taidemuseo / Konstmuseet Ateneum / Ateneum Art Museum
En testamentsdonation sätter fart på konserveringen av Akseli Gallen-Kallelas freskskisser15.5.2025 10:50:44 EEST | Pressmeddelande
Konstmuseet Ateneum som är en del av Finlands Nationalgalleri har fått en betydande testamentsdonation på 700 000 euro av en finsk privatperson. Enligt donatorns önskan ska 150 000 euro av de donerade medlen användas för Nationalgalleriets konserveringsenhets behov och anskaffningar. Donatorn har önskat förbli anonym. Tack vare donationen kan vi tidigarelägga ett länge planerat projekt: att konservera Akseli Gallen-Kallelas freskskisser med Kalevala-motiv som ingår i Nationalgalleriets samlingar. Gallen-Kallela utförde skisserna för freskerna i takkupolen på Finlands paviljong vid världsutställningen i Paris år 1900. Av dessa kommer Hedendom och kristendom (1899) att visas på Ateneum på utställningen Gallen-Kallela, Klimt & Wien, som är öppen 26.9.2025–1.2.2026.
Testamenttilahjoitus vauhdittaa Akseli Gallen-Kallelan freskoluonnosten konservointia15.5.2025 10:50:44 EEST | Tiedote
Kansallisgalleriaan kuuluva Ateneumin taidemuseo on saanut merkittävän, noin 700 000 euron testamenttilahjoituksen suomalaiselta yksityishenkilöltä. Lahjoittajan toiveen mukaisesti lahjoitusvaroista 150 000 euroa käytetään Kansallisgallerian konservointiyksikön tarpeisiin ja hankintoihin. Lahjoittaja on toivonut, ettei hänen nimeään kerrota julkisuuteen. Lahjoituksen ansiosta voidaan toteuttaa pitkään suunniteltu hanke aiottua aikaisemmin: konservoida Kansallisgallerian kokoelmaan kuuluvat Akseli Gallen-Kallelan Kalevala-aiheiset luonnokset vuoden 1900 Pariisin maailmannäyttelyn Suomen paviljongin kattokupolin freskoihin. Näistä Pakanuus ja kristinusko (1899) saadaan esille Ateneumissa 26.9.2025–1.2.2026 esillä olevaan Gallen-Kallela, Klimt & Wien -näyttelyyn.
A bequest to expedite the conservation of Akseli Gallen-Kallela’s fresco sketches15.5.2025 10:50:44 EEST | Press release
The Ateneum Art Museum, which is part of the Finnish National Gallery, has received a significant bequest of approximately 700,000 euros from a Finnish private individual. As requested by the donor, 150,000 euros of the bequeathed funds will be used for the needs and acquisitions of the Finnish National Gallery’s conservation unit. The donor’s wish is that their name is not published. Thanks to the bequest, a long-planned project can be realised earlier than expected: the conservation of the Kalevala-themed sketches by Akseli Gallen-Kallela, held in the collection of the Finnish National Gallery, for the cupola frescoes of the Finnish pavilion at the 1900 Paris Exposition. Of these, Heathendom and Christendom (1899) will be on display at the Ateneum from 26 September 2025 to 1 February 2026 as part of the exhibition Gallen-Kallela, Klimt & Wien.
Utställningen Gallen-Kallela, Klimt & Wien hämtar Wiens puls till Ateneum7.5.2025 14:00:00 EEST | Pressmeddelande
Utställningen som öppnar i slutet av september skildrar hur Akseli Gallen-Kallelas konst utvecklades i interaktion med internationella modernister som Gustav Klimt och Koloman Moser. Secessionsrörelsen som under Klimts ledning grundades för att förnya konsten förenades av ett intresse för att utveckla en ny identitet och för en modern livsstil samt för stora, offentliga konstverk. Utställningen hämtar för första gången målningar av Gustav Klimt till Finland. Utom bildkonst ses på utställningen också fotografier samt formgivning, bland annat vardagliga föremål, smycken och mode. Utställningen visas på Ateneum 26.9.2025–1.2.2026.
Gallen-Kallela, Klimt & Wien -näyttely tuo Ateneumiin Wienin sykkeen7.5.2025 14:00:00 EEST | Tiedote
Syyskuun lopussa avautuva näyttely kertoo, miten Akseli Gallen-Kallelan taide kehittyi vuorovaikutuksessa kansainvälisten modernistien, kuten Gustav Klimtin ja Koloman Moserin kanssa. Klimtin johdolla perustettua, taidetta uudistanutta sesessio-liikettä yhdisti kiinnostus uuden identiteetin kehittämiseen ja moderniin elämäntapaan sekä suuriin julkisiin taideteoksiin. Näyttely tuo ensimmäistä kertaa Gustav Klimtin maalauksia Suomeen. Kuvataiteen lisäksi näyttelyssä nähdään myös valokuvia sekä muotoilua, kuten arjen esineitä, koruja ja muotia. Näyttely on esillä Ateneumissa 26.9.2025–1.2.2026.
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