Gerda Thesleff

Collection Kakkonen, which presents Finnish glass and ceramic art from the collection of Commercial Counsellor Kyösti Kakkonen, will be complemented by an exhibition dedicated to ceramic artist Gerda Thesleff (1871–1939). Thesleff is one of the earliest artists represented in the collection and a pioneer of Finnish ceramic art. Her work will now be shown for the first time in a museum exhibition.

Gerda Thesleff studied at Helsinki’s Central School of Art and Design between 1898 and 1906, continuing her studies under the guidance of Alfred William Finch, renowned for his Iris ceramics. Thesleff developed a distinctive style that set her apart from her contemporaries. She treated the surfaces of her hand-thrown vessels like canvases, painting freely with a brush to create a range of motifs. Her ceramics are adorned with imagery such as olive groves, cypress-covered hills, and landscapes overflowing with vines. Many of these themes and colours were inspired by the travels and life that Gerda shared with her sister, visual artist Ellen Thesleff, in Tuscany, Italy. Although Gerda had a long career as an independent ceramic artist, art history has often placed her in the shadow of her more famous sister.

The exhibition opening within EMMA’s Collection Kakkonen space is curated by ceramic artist Åsa Hellman and Doctor of Philosophy, art historian Hanna-Reetta Schreck.

“Gerda created art at a time when working as an artist was not yet self-evident for a woman. Together with her sister Ellen, she led an international and artistic life in which travel and changes of place offered ways to challenge norms and absorb new influences,” describes Hanna-Reetta Schreck.

“Gerda was a pioneer of Finnish ceramic art and one of the country’s first studio ceramicists. Her distinctive style continues to inspire contemporary ceramic artists even 100 years later,” says Åsa Hellman.