Side by side - Carl Gustaf Lilius and Irmeli Sandman Lilius

Art is not created in a vacuum. It reflects the surrounding world and the inner self; it draws influence from the work and insights of others; it is organic and malleable. The exhibition *Side by Side* tells the story of the parallel creative practices of an artist couple, exploring their worlds and their creativity.

Carl-Gustaf Lilius (1928–1998) was a visual artist, sculptor, and writer. He was one of the most significant and prolific critical artists and thinkers in post-World War II Finland. The majority of the works in the exhibition date to 1968, a year defined by the global political climate and the occupation of Prague.

Irmelin Sandman Lilius (b. 1936) is one of Finland’s most internationally renowned and frequently awarded writers and illustrators. She has described herself as a kustbo—a coastal dweller. The term refers both to her home in Hanko and to Tulavall, the fictional Finnish coastal town that features in her literary work. This coastal identity encompasses a multitude of experiences: the simultaneous presence of the steadfast land and the shifting sea—the ability to depart and break free while also longing for the safety of solid ground. The illustrations by Irmelin Sandman Lilius featured in the exhibition relate particularly to the stories The Cat on the Beach (1997) and The City of Fragments (2024). The exhibition has been produced in collaboration with the Carl-Gustaf Lilius Foundation.