I’m Not Afraid – Finnish Contemporary Illustrators

Children’s and young people’s worlds take centre stage in the I’m Not Afraid group exhibition showcasing acclaimed contemporary Finnish illustrators. The exhibition explores the journey of growing up in today’s tumultuous world. The exhibition will open on the top two floors of the Tikanoja Art Museum.

Finnish illustration art offers a multi-dimensional and gentle expressive power to explore the challenging topics and questions in the world around us, through the visual realm. In addition to the well-known forms of illustration, such as drawings and paintings, animations and spatial installations contribute to a multi-sensory form of storytelling.  A visit to an art museum as a child can, at best, set the stage for a lifelong journey into the art world. The exhibition therefore invites visitors of all ages to immerse themselves in the worlds of children and young people, where popular culture and contemporary phenomena intersect and intertwine.

The exhibition includes renowned and award-winning children’s book illustrators Satu Kettunen (b. 1979) and Jenny Lucander (b.1975), as well as Finland’s youngest female recipient of the State Award for Public Information, social critic, and comic artist Riina Tanskanen (b.1998). The exhibition also features visual artist Juliana Hyrri (b. 1989), known for her work in comics and animation. Illustrator and graphic designer Saara Obele (b.1984) is behind the illustrations in the book Poika ja hame (Boy and Skirt), 2019. The book is written by Vaasa-born writer Jani Toivola. On display is an animation entitled Illan tullen (As the Evening Falls), 2022 by visual artist Janna Lindfors (b. 1998) as a spatial tent installation.

The exhibition will be accompanied by a side program for children and young people. Satu Kettunen has organized monster workshops based on the book Mörköjuhlat (2019) (Monster Party) at a preschool in Vaasa in May 2025. In the exhibition space, we will see a three-dimensional installation that includes monster figures created by children, as well as illustrations by Satu Kettunen. The linguistic accessibility of the works has been expanded. With the help of supplementary material produced for the exhibition, we offer upper secondary school students the opportunity to learn more about creating comics through the works of Juliana Hyrri and Riina Tanskanen.

The exhibition is produced by Vaasa Museums and curated by Museum Curator Noora Lehtovuori. The exhibition is supported by the Finnish Heritage Agency. The exhibition is supported by the Finnish Heritage Agency and Svenska kulturfonden.

Top image: Juliana Hyrri: spread from the graphic novel Lellikki (2025) (Favourite), gouache, pencil and marker on paper.