A major solo exhibition by the pioneer of conceptual art opens at the Kuntsi Museum of Modern Art

Jan Olof Mallander (b. 1944) is a pioneer of Finnish conceptual art and the avant-garde, who since the 1960s has played a significant role in bringing. He introduced the American avant-garde and underground movements to the Finnish art scene. In the 1970s, his gallery Cheap Thrills became an important platform in Finland for avant-garde experiments and the international Fluxus network. He was also a central figure in the artist collective Elonkorjaajat, which revitalised the Finnish art scene through multidisciplinary events and collaborative experiments.

The extensive solo exhibition at Kuntsi Museum of Modern Art presents Mallander’s multifaceted career and his many roles as an artist, gallerist, critic, and art collector. The exhibition also features his significant art collection, the first part of which was acquired by the museum in the 1990s. The collection includes works by both international and Finnish artists and highlights Mallander’s interest in Eastern religions and philosophy, particularly Buddhism and spirituality. On display are some 200 works from a collection of over 300 pieces.

– Following and engaging with art, as well as supporting artists by purchasing their works, is highly meaningful and brings joy to life. It is inspiring to discover the winners, the true talents, the great artists, says Jan Olof Mallander.

A true classic of conceptual art

Mallander’s own artistic work is characterised by conceptual art, which played a decisive role in the shift in visual perception, bringing art closer to thought, language and words. In Mallander’s body of work, the artwork was not an object but rather a playful idea or a philosophical paradox. The exhibition’s title piece, the audio work Extended Play (1968) from the Swanljung Collection, is Mallander’s best-known work and a classic of conceptual art that reflects the political climate of its time.

The exhibition also features paper sculptures, minimalist installations, and series of charcoal drawings. The paper sculptures comment on sculpture art with the conceptual lightness of postcards and letters. In the 1980s, the artist created a series of minimalist installations titled Towards Pure Earth, built from white bricks. Wang, rooted in Tibetan Buddhism, is a ritual through which energy and consciousness are transmitted in the universal shape of a circle.

Gallerist and pioneer

The gallery Cheap Thrills, founded by Mallander in Helsinki, served as a hub for various art events in the 1970s. It served as a venue for photography, comics, installations, mail art, conceptual art, and performances – all now considered standard in contemporary art. Located on Huvilakatu in Helsinki, the gallery showcased international conceptual artists and helped open up Finnish contemporary art to new influences. It also exhibited photography before it was recognised as an independent art form in Finland. The heavy political climate of the era was eased by more ‘portable’ forms of art, such as mail art. Mallander’s key influences includes Jasper Johns, Andy Warhol, and the video art pioneer Nam June Paik, whose works are also featured in the exhibition.

Mallander was also a founding member of Elonkorjaajat, an influential artist group formed in the early 1970s. The group’s first exhibition was held in 1972 at the Vaasa Art Hall. Elonkorjaajat was an integral part of Mallander’s career.

Mallander has worked as an art critic in both Finland and Sweden and has been involved in founding numerous culture- and art magazines. Through his writings, he showcased the latest developments in international art. Both analytical art criticism and playful experimentation with language have been a consistent thread in his work. Particularly his early works feature many pieces based on verbal insights.

The exhibition is produced by Vaasa Museums and will be on view exclusively at the Kuntsi Museum of Modern Art from the 6^th of September to the 13^th of December 2025. It is curated by Head of Exhibitions Maaria Salo in collaboration with the artist himself. The artist J. O. Mallander will be present at the museum on Saturday the 11th of October from noon, where he will be talking about his art and career.

The exhibition has received funding from the Finnish Heritage Agency and the Gröndahl Brothers’ Foundation and it has been selected to feature in the Art Testers 2025 programme.

The exhibition features works by the following artists from the Mallander collection: Mirja Airas, Maija Albrecht, Martti Anttila, Juhana Blomstedt, Christo, Maya Eizin Öijer, Carolus Enckell, Leonora Fredriksson, Tarmo Hakala, Heidi Hankaniemi, Outi Heiskanen, Topi Heiskanen, Gunzi Holmström, Maija Hopeavuori, Hannu Hurme, Lars Johansson, Jasper Johns, Ray Johnson, Seija Jouhki, Beata Joutsen, Teemu Kangas, Irma Kanon, Keijo Kansonen, Antero Kare, Juho Karjalainen, Pentti Kaskipuro, Karri Kokko, Auli Korhonen, Olli Kortekangas, Inari Krohn, Kristian Krokfors, Jarmo Kukkonen, Mikko Kurenniemi, Hannu Lahtinen, Harri Larjosto, Olli Lyytikäinen, Eeva Mela, Pekka Nevalainen, Nam June Paik, Caroline Pipping, Erkki Pirtola, Silja Rantanen, Carl Fredrik Reuterswärd, Esa Riippa, Teppo Rinne, Pekka Ryynänen, Tuomo Saali, Kimmo Sarje, Kalevi Seilonen, Carl Erik Ström, Risto Suomi, Ilkka Juhani Takalo-Eskola, Emilia Tanner, Airi Tolonen, Erik Uddström, Keiji Uematsu, Gua Vainio, Janne Vainio, Jouko Vatanen, Sakari Viika, Hannu Väisänen, Ilkka Väätti, Andy Warhol, Jan Kenneth Weckman, Oliver Whitehead, Peter Widén, Stuart Wrede, Elsa Ytti, Ö-ryhmä.