VEERA KULJU
Hollow
2022
Veera Kulju in her studio, photo by Ilkka Kärkkäinen
Veera Kulju, Photo by Ilkka Kärkkäinen
Veera Kulju (Finnish, b. 1975) is a multi-media artist living and working in Helsinki, Finland. Self-described as a “hybrid of a curious, random-minded artist and a rational, business-oriented designer,” Kulju creates work that poetically dances along the line between art and design, toying with the distinctions between the decorative and the functional. Working primary with ceramics and textiles, she makes intensely layered work hand-built from small, distinct, and precious elements. These small pieces, when brought together, give way to a larger compositional intent of fragile beauty and timelessness with nature often playing a central role. While Kulju generally uses a restrained palette of black and white, she is experimental with the materiality of the objects. She frequently introduces unexpected characteristics within one work employing a variety of glazes, both matte and glossy, and shapes, both smooth and sharp-edged, and evoking a physical experience when viewed.
Kulju, after studying at the School of Design and Crafts, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, and Vihti School of Art and Craft, received a BA from Lahti University of Applied Science, Institute of Design, Experimental Design in 2005, and her MA in 2010 from Aalto University, School of Art and Design. She was a visiting artist at the Arabia Art Department from 2017–2018. Kulju’s work was commissioned to be included in the Finnish State Art Collection and was recently acquired by the National Museum in Stockholm. She has exhibited widely throughout Finland and abroad.
VEERA KULJU
b. 1975, Finland
EDUCATION
2010
Aalto University, School of Art and Design, MA Applied Art and Design, Helsinki, Finland
2005
Lahti University of Applied Science, Institute of Design, BA Experimental Design, Lahti, Finland
2004
University of Gothenburg, School of Design and Crafts, Exchange Studies, Gothenburg, Sweden
2000
Vihti School of Art and Craft, Interior Textiles, Artesan, Finland
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2022
A Horse, The Forest, A Father, Gallery Halmetoja, Helsinki, Finland
2021
Noir, Gallery Halmetoja, Helsinki, Finland
2019
Forest Returns, Täky - Design Autumn, Lappeenranta, Finland
Sounds of Silence, Konsthantverkarna gallery, Stockholm, Sweden
2018
NAKU, Mältinranta Artcenter Studio, Tampere, Finland
Holy Wood, ARTag gallery, Helsinki, Finland
2010
Shadows & Threads, School of Art & Design, Helsinki, Finland
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2022
Recent Works by Veera Kulju, Marianne Huotari, Hanne G., HB381, New York, NY
After Glow, New Nordic Porcelain, Kunsthall Grenland – Porsgrunn, Norway
After Glow, New Nordic Porcelain, Clay Museum of Ceramic Art, Middelfart, Denmark
After Glow, New Nordic Porcelain, Gustavsberg Porcelain Museum, Sweden
2021
Ceramics Facing the New, EMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern Art, Finland
LUONTO RETKI, Nastolan kesänäyttely 2021, Nastola, Finland
Solid Ground, IAC Post Tour -program, Väre-Building, Otaniemi, Finland
Coming home to Seoul, FACTORY2, Seoul, South Korea
On the Edge – Äärellä, Rovaniemi Art Museum, Finland
SIELUNMAISEMA, Glasshouse Helsinki, Finland
2020
Ceramega 2020 – National Ceramic Exhibition, Voipaala Art Center, Sääksmäentie, Finland
Forest Primeval, Hostler Burrows, Los Angeles, CA
Mexico & the Nordics: A Meditation on Individuality in Craft, Tradition, & Modernism,
Adorno Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
2019
Dark Matters, Taidekeskus itä, Riutta, Lappeenranta, Finland
Coming Home III, Lokal Gallery, Helsinki, Finland
Re/Defining Finnish Contemporary Art & Design, Spazio Nobile Gallery, Brussels, Belgium
London Design Week, Adorno Gallery, London, UK
CHART Design, curated by Lokal Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
Perspectives, Iittala & Arabia Design Centre, Helsinki, Finland
Coming Home II, Lokal Gallery, Helsinki, Finland
Collectible, curated by Lokal Gallery, Brussels, Belgium
Re/Defining Finnish Contemporary Art & Design, The Finnish Cultural Institute for the Benelux & Spazio Nobile Gallery at Collectible, Brussels, Belgium
Institut Finlandais, Paris, France
Spazio Nobile Gallery, Brussels, Belgium
2018
Coming Home, Lokal Gallery, Helsinki, Finland
Juhlat, curated by Lokal Gallery, Institut finlandais, Paris, France
CHART Design, curated by Lokal Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
Fiskars Summer House Exhibition, Fiskars Village, Finland
TypoCraftHelsinki, Reykjavík Art Museum, Hafnarhús Island, Finland
Line, Lokal Gallery, Helsinki, Finland
2017
Enchanted Forest, Lokal Gallery, Helsinki, Finland
Typocraft, Lokal Gallery, Helsinki, Finland
Kisses and Popcorn, Arabia Art Department Society, Designcentre, Helsinki, Finland
Arabia Art Department Society, SEB Bank, Helsinki, Finland
2016
Yhes, Lokal Gallery, Helsinki, Finland
Signals & ASUN, Habitare Ahead!, Helsinki, Finland
Smaragdus, Lokal Gallery, Helsinki, Finland
2015
Ugly Truth, Habitare Ahead!, Helsinki, Finland
2013
Another Setting, Lokal Gallery, Helsinki, Finland
Give a New Life, MONA the Museum of New Art, Pärnu
2012
Hirameki Himmeli, Tokyo, Japan
Finnish Design Unwrapped, Istanbul Design Biennal, Turkey
Yhteinen Pöytä, Empiresali Helsinki, Finland
Everyday Discoveries, Suvilahti Helsinki, Finland
Protoshop, Habitare Ahead!, Helsinki, Finland
Finnish Design Unwrapped, Helsinki Design Museum, Finland
2011
Hells Looks, Antwerp, Belgium
Finnish Design Unwrapped, London Design Festival, United Kingdom
Protoship, Habitare Ahead!, Helsinki, Finland
DMY International Design Festival, Berlin, Germany
Awake, Argos Young Designers at Argosshall, Helsinki, Finland
Open 140, Design Museum, Helsinki, Finland
Masters of Arts 2011, Salmisaarentalo Helsinki, Finland
2010
Protoyp Köln, Iso-Roba 4-5, Helsinki, Finland
2009
Sprouts, Young Designers at Argoshall, Helsinki, Finland
2008
Nice08, Nordic Art and Culture Festival, Bluecoat, Liverpool, United Kingdom
100 Show, Helsinki Design Week, Cable Factory, Helsinki, Finland
Wandering, European Commission Representation, London, United Kingdom
Fennofolk, New Nordic Oddity, Design Museum, Helsinki, Finland
THIS IS ME WHO ARE YOU Young Designers, Argoshall, Helsinki, Finland
100% Finlande, Helsinki á Saint Suplice, Paris, France
2007
Table is Set, Helsinki Design Week, Esplanadi Park, Helsinki, Finland
2006
Helsinki Biennale, Myymälä 2, Helsinki, Finland
The Daughters of Midas, Jewellery on Tour, Helsinki, Finland
SELECTED COLLECTIONS
Arabia Art Department Society, Finland
Suomen Laatukeskus, Finland
Finnish State Art Commission Collections, Finland
The Nationalmuseum Stockolm, Sweden
Serlachius Museum, Finland
GRANTS
2022
Arts Council of Finland
2021
Arts Council of Finland
FRAME
Finnish Cultural Foundation
2020
Greta ja William Lehtisen’s Foundation
TAIKE
Arts Council of Finland
2019
Finnish Cultural
2018
Finnish Cultural Foundation
Arts Council of Finland
2017
Arts Council of Finland
2016
Arts Council of Finland
2009
Arts Council of Finland
2008
Finnish Cultural Foundation, Raivio & Kulju, group exhibition project
2007
Finnish Cultural Foundation, The Daughters of Midas, group exhibition project
RESIDENCIES
2018
Arabia Art Department Society, Visiting Artist
2017
Arabia Art Department Society, Visiting Artist
MEMBERSHIPS
Ornamo
Artists O
The Jewellery Art Association
The Association of Finnish Sculptors
