ROUND YEARS – Porin Art Society’s 50th Anniversary Exhibition

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ROUND YEARS
Porin Art Society’s 50th Anniversary Exhibition
2nd November – 7th December 1997

To celebrate the 50 years of the Porin Art Society’s activities, the society is organizing an exhibition at the Pori Art Museum from 2nd November to 7th December 1997. All 59 members currently belonging to the Porin Art Society were invited to submit works for the exhibition. The works displayed in the exhibition were selected by Kari Jylhä, President of the Finnish Artists’ Association, and Maarit Nissilä, President of the Finnish Union of Visual Artists.

The Porin Art Society was founded on 18th December 1947 at the initiative of Aino Blomqvist, who also served as the society’s first president. After her, the following individuals have served as presidents: Pentti Nykopp (1950-1959), Kauko Räike (1959-1964), Aarne Elomaa (1964-1969), Juhani Tarna (1969-1970), Pertti Ala-Outinen (1971-1974 and 1981-1988), Anja Karkku-Hohti (1977-1981), Pekka Mattila (1988-1989), Lea Mäkilä (1989-1995), and Onni Kerola (1996). Currently, Lea Mäkilä is acting as the president.

An essential goal when establishing the Art Society was to improve the working conditions of active artists in Pori and the possibilities for presenting their works. At the same time, it was sought to develop and strengthen the role of visual art in the artists’ hometown. A key activity has been organizing annual exhibitions in Satakunta or elsewhere in Finland. The society has also held exhibitions related to its sister city activities in the Nordic countries, Germany, Hungary, and Estonia. Furthermore, the society has organized various courses to develop the professional skills of artists, mainly in graphic art and painting. Additionally, the society arranges open exhibitions, to which artists who are not members of the society can also submit works.

In the summer of 1992, the society started gallery activities, which continued actively until 1996. This year, the Art Society has been allocated new office and exhibition spaces at Antinkatu 6. In the exhibition spaces opening to the public in November, the art lending service, which began in 1994, will also continue.

The exhibition is accompanied by two lectures: on 12th November, critic Erkki Linnala will talk about Pori’s art scene in the 1960s, and on 3rd December, artist Pertti Ala-Outinen will discuss the early years of the Art Society. The lectures will be held in the lecture hall of the Pori Art Museum on Wednesdays, starting at 18:30, and admission is free.

Translated with ChatGPT