“I take randomness as a challenge. I mix colors with a dirty brush. I don’t believe in cleaning brushes. The image and surfaces need to be alive.”
— Kim Somervuori, artist
“The aspiration for coherence and harmony is challenged by something akin to controlled vandalism, a need to unsettle whatever balance has been achieved.”
— Timo Valjakka, art critic on Kim Somervuori’s work.
I Have Always Been Here Before, a book showcasing selected works by artist Kim Somervuori, will be published by Grane Art in September. This marks the very first Grane Publication— a milestone both for the recently established art agency and for the artist, with a long-standing career in contemporary painting.
The book launch will be celebrated on September 10th at 6 PM at Café Pacifico, Kalevankatu, Helsinki, and everyone is warmly welcome to join.
After publication, the book will be available:
- By order from Grane Art (jenni@grane.fi)
- In Helsinki at Gallery Halmetoja and Make Your Mark Gallery
- In Tampere at Pispala Clothing and Himmelblau.
The 124-page volume features Kim Somervuori’s paintings from the past few years. Alongside the regular edition, the artist has created a special numbered edition of 28 packages, each including the book, a drawing, and a Polaroid by the artist. Inquiries about the special edition can be made to Jenni Karjalainen at Grane Art (jenni@grane.fi).
Book credits
Layout & design: Anssi Nordberg
Texts: Veikko Halmetoja, Sonja Saarikoski, Timo Valjakka
Photography: Tero Jussila (artworks), Jaakko Kahilaniemi, Mikko Maijala
Prepress: Petri Kuokka
Translations: Jenni Karjalainen, Henri Purje
Print House: Printon AS, Tallinn, Estonia
ISBN: 978-952-65752-0-9
Kim Somervuori is renowned for his diverse use of materials, finding beauty in the discarded and the well-worn. He paints with an effortless, liberated hand, creating layered and breathable surfaces rich in cultural references. Drawing from modernist art history and blending it with present-day phenomena, Somervuori bridges the gap between contemporary collage and historical painting, infusing his works with vivid colors and dynamic textures.
Born in 1975, Somervuori graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Helsinki in 2011, after earlier studies in Stockholm. He received the William Thuring Prize in 2015 and the Young Artist of the Year Award from the Finnish Art Society in 2009. Somervuori has held numerous solo exhibitions in Finland, participated in group shows both in Finland and abroad, and his works are represented in several prominent Finnish art collections.