The exhibition marks Pohjalainen’s first extensive showcase in her hometown, bringing together decades of artistic work, dreams, and an extraordinary career. The exhibition spans three unique venues across Raahe. Works are displayed at the historic Sovelius House, the modern Gallery Myötätuuli and Raahesali lobby gallery at Raahe Event House, as well as the exhibition space of the Raahe City Library. All venues are located within walking distance of one another.
“It feels deeply meaningful to bring my anniversary exhibition and new works to Raahe, where everything began. My starting points were modest, but the safety and atmosphere of a small town created space for creativity to grow,” says Pohjalainen.
The Exhibition Extends Across Three Venues
The extensive exhibition at Raahe Event House features around 150 works and objects, including striking art glass pieces, silver jewellery, unique evening gowns, miniature models, rya rugs, ceramics, and steel sculptures — the largest rising nearly two metres high.
At the library exhibition space, visitors can journey back to the golden era of fashion design, all the way to the 1970s, when Finnish fashion appeared on international catwalks and in leading fashion publications around the world.
Meanwhile, the picturesque surroundings of the Sovelius House, the oldest residential building in Raahe dating back to the 1780s, provide a stunning setting for Pohjalainen’s glass sculptures.
Fearless, Determined and Uncompromising
Ritva-Liisa Pohjalainen’s career is exceptionally diverse. Since 1974, she has continuously made bold artistic choices, choosing new directions over familiar and safe alternatives. Her work has evolved from fashion and textiles to precious metals, ceramics, art glass, and most recently, steel sculpture. The result is a unique artistic career where materials and forms of expression meet in unprecedented ways.
Pohjalainen’s visual language draws inspiration from the landscapes of her childhood in Raahe. The seashore, rounded rocks, smooth stones shaped by water, shimmering surfaces, bending reeds, and treasures of the forest all recur throughout her works. The same organic forms can be seen both in flowing fabrics and in delicately sculpted steel.
More information about the exhibition (in Finnish):
Raahe Event House – Ritva-Liisa Pohjalainen Exhibition
