I would like to see these deeply internal works in a bigger scale so that they will pierce me like an evidence. It is like a wave that crashes against the rock. It's ours and it becomes our privacy but it's so fragile." (Ludovic Jauntre, photographer)

Shadows become mountains. Mountains become shadows. Nature has its say in her brush stroke in the form of shadows. The form takes shape in the existential phenomenon. (Suvadeep Das, performing artist)

Emptiness and fullness II

Collage, watercolour and Indian ink on canvas26 x 88 cm2010 (Private collection, Finland)

Extreme sensibility and great power! Anna-Maijas works reflect her personality. (Marie-Christine Vriter Clos, lecturer in art )

BIOGRAPHY

Anna-Maija Rissanen was born in 1983 in Jrvenp, Finland, and has been living in Belgium since 1995, with regulars trips back to Finland since 2009. She graduated from the Royal Fine-Arts Academy of Brussels in 2009 with a Master of Arts (with Distinction) and also qualified as an art teacher. During 2012-2013 she studied techniques of traditional Chinese painting at the China Art Academy in Hangzhou.

As a painter she focuses mainly on painting inner meditative landscapes, water and rock, bordering on the abstract, between western and eastern pictural representations. In her paintings Anna-Maija Rissanen searches balance between fragility and force. She uses mixed media including watercolour, acrylics, Chinese ink and collage on canvas or on paper, amongst others.

In 2009 she won the first prize at the Godecharle art contest for young painters, architects and sculptors. In 2011 she held an extensive solo exhibition at a prominent Finnish art gallery in Helsinki, Galleria Bronda. Since 2009 she has held individual exhibitions including in Brussels, Paris, Berlin, Mannheim, Helsinki, London, and has taken part in more than 20 group exhibitions. In November 2011 a 20-page article about Anna-Maija and her work appeared in 'Sr', the Finnish culture and poetry revue.

Granite

Collage, watercolour, acrylics and Indian ink on canvas94 x 125 cm2009 (Private collection, Finland)

EDUCATION

2012-2013 Traditional chinese painting, non degree year, China Art Academy, Hangzhou, China

2008-2009 MFA painting (2nd degree) (with Grande Distinction), the highest joint degree with teacher training, Royal Fine-Arts Academy of Brussels

2004-2008 BFA, MFA painting (1st degree) (with Grande Distinction), Royal Fine-Arts Academy of Brussels

Field: PaintingTraining course: printmakingErasmus exchange: Quimper, France

INFLUENCES

J. M. W. TurnerHelene SchjerfbeckRembrandtAnselm KieferMikko PaakkolaZao Wou-kiAmerican abstract expressionist paintersEuropean 19th and 20th century landscape painters

Stories being told

Collage, watercolour, acrylics and Chinese ink on canvas100 x 150 cm2014 (On sale)

Aurora

Collage, watercolour, acrylics and Chinese ink on canvas98 x 148 cm2012 (Private collection, Finland)

In between

Collage of paper and canvas, acrylics, Chinese and Indian inks, watercolour and oil paint on canvas100 x 190 cm2011 (Private collection, Finland)

Encounter

Acrylics, Chinese ink, watercolour and collage on canvas160 x 120 cm2010 (Private collection, Finland)

"I want to create works that calm people in this hectic world. I want to create beauty with my painting - to make a space for silence, to create roads and pathways towards oneself in a poetic and organic way."Anna-Maija Rissanen

Peak

Mixed media on canvas96 x 75 cm2011/2014 (On sale)

"Cracks on walls and on pavements, stone arrangements on the shoreline, structures on rocks, branches and mountains all inspire me to paint."Anna-Maija Rissanen

INDIVIDUAL EXHIBITIONS FINLAND

2015 Galleria Bronda, Helsinki2014 Promenaadi Galleria, Artist of the month, Hyvink2014 Galleria Taikka, Jrvenp2014 Akvart Galleria, Helsinki2011 Hospital of Peijas, Vantaa2011 Galleria Kapriisi, Tampere2011 Galleria Bronda, Helsinki2010 Jrvenp Cultural House, Jrvenp 2010 Fjllbo Park & Viljamakasiini, Tuusula Night of the Arts2010 Artists' House, Jrvenp2009 Liike 6 Galleria, Helsinki

GERMANY

2015 Galerie Bhner, Mannheim

BELGIUM, Brussels

2009 VicarART Gallery, Finland House2009 Bookshop Le chant des rues2008 Bxl-Dco, Woluwe-St-Pierre2003 Finland House

FRANCE

2012 Galerie Evelyne Hno, Paris2007 Cornouaille College of Fine Arts, Quimper

RESIDENCIES

03-04/2015 La Nucia, Alicante, Spain01-02/2011 Kilpisjrvi, Finland (Finnish Lapland)11-12/2010 Sr ry, Berlin, Germany

ART SOCIETIES AND MEMBERSHIPS

Finnish Painters' UnionFinnish Artists' UnionFinnish Watercolor painting societyArt society of JrvenpKuvasto ry (Artists' Rights Society)

CHINA

2013 China Art Academy, paintings, performances, installations, Hangzhou

Detail

Watercolour, ink and acrylics on cardboard23 x 11 cm2012 (On sale)

At mountains

Mixed media on canvas100 x 50 cm2014 (On sale)

FINLAND

2015 Promenaadi Galleria with JariVeikko Minerva, Hyvink2014 5th Anniversary, Akvart Gallery, Helsinki2013 On water drawn line Veteen piirretty viiva,

Hyvink art museum, curated by Markku Valkonen2012 In dreams Unissa maailmalla unelmissa, paintings by

Veijonen, Pellikka, Rissanen, Gallery of Hanko's city hall2012 Palikkaooppera, Interdisciplinary Exhibition, New Art

museum of Kerava curated by Kristian Smeds2012 Hybrid, co-operative exhibition, JariVeikko Minerva &

Anna-Maija Rissanen, House of arts, Jrvenp2011 Cry of the Mother-Earth, Sanoma House, Helsinki2010 Travelling mountains -installation, OrankiArt Landart

workshop, exhibition, Pello, Lapland2010 Mountains and sculptures, paintings and sculptures, with

Cornelia Colliander, Kirkkonummi municipal library, Kirkkonummi

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

BELGIUM

2012 Art Festival of Lavaux Sainte-Anne's Castle, installation and paintings, Rochefort

2012 Prix de Woluwe-Saint-Pierre 2012, artcontest exhibition, Woluwe-Saint-Pierre's cultural house, Brussels

2012 Maurits Naessens Prijs 2012, artcontest exhibition, Meise's cultural house, Meise

2010 Spring Revival, Concept Artitude Gallery, Brussels2009 Finnish Association 30th Anniversary Exhibition,

VicarART Gallery, Finland House, Brussels2009 At Jardin Dmter, Limerl, Gouvy2004 2009 Final year shows, Royal Fine-Arts Academy of

Brussels2009 Godecharle, the nominees, Open competition for

young painters, architects and sculptors, Royal Fine-Arts Academy of Brussels

2008 11th International Painting Prize, Hoppeland,, Benelux & Nord-Pas de Calais, Poperinge

OTHER COUNTRIES

2016 Art Beijing 2016, LdXArtodrome Gallery, beijing, China2015 Art Arnhem 2015 art fair, Netherlands2015 K-16 gallery, Vc, Hungary2014 EGOS VIII, Royal Opera Arcade gallery, London, England2014 Art Canton fair, LdXArtodrome Gallery, Guangzhou, China 2014 Bagg festival, Skinnskatteberg, Sweden2014, 2011 Arteground Art Festivals, Viljandi, Estonia

GERMANY

2015 Galerie Bhner, Mannheim2012 Time, Arteground Art Festival, Gallery Wagner +

Partner, Berlin2007 Occident-Orient, Open competition for young

European painters, Munich

Stream by spring

Watercolour, ink and acrylic on canvas board15 x 15 cm2014 (Private collection, Finland)

By the river I

Mixed media on canvas80 x 100 cm2014 (Private collection, Finland)

Yearning

Gouache, acrylics and ink on canvas40 x 98 cm2014 (On sale)

Stories

Mixed media on canvas85 x 83 cm2012/2014(Private collection, Finland)

Through

Mixed media on canvas99 x 85 cm2012/2014 (Private collection, Finland)

Longing I

Chinese ink and acrylics on canvas20 x 75 cm2014 (Private collection, Finland)

Longing II

Mixed media on canvas (window colour, ink, watercolour and acrylics)20 x 75 cm2014 (Private collection, Finland)

Passing by 1/2

Mixed media on canvas board10 x 15 cm2014 (On sale)

Vibration of colous

Mixed media on canvas20 x 20 cm2015 (On sale)

Connections

Mixed media on canvas150 x 250 cm2016 (On sale)

Rocks on the shore

Mixed media on canvas90 x 33 cm2015 (Private collection, Belgium)

The Godecharle Prize for painting

The winner was chosen by the Jury for the overall quality of her pictorial work. Through a distinctive relationship with nature, proposals of Anna-Maija Rissanen show a renewed approach of observation from life in which the contrasts between seismic geology and inner writing express themselves. This vision is translated in a very poetic way and with a rare sensibility that takes shape in large-size canvas showing a rare technical mastery for an artist of this generation.

All in fineness and restraint, the landscapes, both real and mental, absorb the spectator through their dimension and the meditative value that emanates from them. Her painting is a successful synthesis between eastern and western representation systems from which the elegance reaches to a very personal and promising aesthetic."

Marc Partouche, art historian and the director of Royal Fine-Arts Academy of Brussels

PRIZES

2009 The Godecharle First Prize for painting (awarded by Godecharle Foundation)

2008 Alaux-Bakes Prize for painting (awarded by Brussels Royal Fine-Arts Academy)

NOMINATIONS

2008 11th International Painting Prize 2008, Hoppeland, Benelux & Nord-Pas de Calais, Poperinge, Belgium

2007 Occident-Orient, Open competition for young European painters, Munich, Germany

The ebb (Godecharle Prize, 2009)

Watercolour and ink on canvas190 x 238 cm2007 (On sale)

Installation at Art Festival of Lavaux Sainte-Anne's Castle in Rochefort, Belgium - Floating mountains

Acrylics and oil paint on plastic foil151 x 377 cm2012 (On sale)

Mountains in the forest

Acrylics and oil paint on plastic foil1,5 x 12 m2010

Morning

Mixed media on canvas14,5 x 56,5 cm2016 (On sale)

Anna-Maija Rissanen 2016 - www.annamaija-rissanen.com - info@annamaija-rissanen.com

ARTIST'S STATEMENT

As a painter I focus mainly on painting inner meditative landscapes. I want to create works that calm people in this hectic world. I want to create beauty with my painting - to make a space for silence, to create roads and pathways towards oneself in a poetic and organic way. In my works I seek also for a balance between fragility and force.

Cracks on walls and on pavements, stone arrangements on the shoreline, structures on rocks, branches and mountains all inspire me to paint. I see beauty around me and I want to share my experience. I make lots of sketches and take photos from my surroundings which I later compose to be painted on a bigger scale. Sometimes the landscapes seen during my travels are recorded only in written form.

I paint landscapes composed mainly of rock and water, mountains and fog. I like to hide elements of nature under a mist, to keep the mystery and not to show everything. The whiteness I use can be either steam, clouds, snow, sea foam or something else. I like to keep my works between abstract and figurative, thereby allowing the viewer to form their own conclusions about what they are seeing in the picture. I try not to be too obvious about what is represented and always leave room for the viewer's own imagination and memories of the landscape.

I paint from a birds-eye perspective, thus facilitating a visual journey between the details and the whole landscape extending towards the horizon. Landscapes are not limited to a specific place, but rather have elements that evoke many different places. I try to paint the feeling I have in a landscape rather than the exact view.

I mix Western and Eastern pictorial conventions. I work with Chinese ink on canvas with Chinese landscape painting elements. People from Eastern-Asia can recognise their culture heritage but may also be puzzled by my western composition or paint treatment. Similarly, western viewers may find my Asiatic handling exotic.

For me the act of painting and creating gives me lots of energy and joy. I work hard to make this passion my profession. For me it is important to make landscapes that are universal, that can touch and go beyond cultural boundaries.

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