NEW STRAITS TIMES | Susanna Hernesniemi

Nature in all its forms
September 2014

PENANG: FINNISH artist Susanna Hernesniemi is marking another milestone in her career as she launches her solo show Nature Series at the Penang Performing Arts Centre (Penangpac) tonight. Born in Western Australia but raised in Finland, Hernesniemi’s paintings revolves around nature conservation. The exhibition addresses global warming, deforestation, water and air pollution in the abstract style. There are 34 art works at Gallery 1 and 2 of Penangpac in the exhibition that ends on Sept 28. Hernesniemi’s works are laden with powerful vigorous physical gestures, psyche energy, incidental marks and contrast dark colours with vibrant brush marks. Her foray into art came after she was inspired by her art teacher during her early school years. Her teacher also happened to be Finland’s famous artist Justus Sarisalo and remained her biggest inspiration. Hernesniemi was inspired by her art professor Michael Phillips at College of Charleston in the United States where she studied Fine Arts. Having lived in Canada, Sweden, Denmark, China, Hernesniemi moved to Penang with her Danish husband in 2008. She has been an active artist and took part in various art exhibitions here. Hernesniemi will be taking part in the Langkawi International Art Biennale organised by Art Malaysia in October. Most of her 34 paintings are done either acrylic on canvas or on acrylic paper. She had been working on Recreating Nature for the past two years. Hernesniemi said nature has always been an important in her life. “ My internalised experiences are translated into abstract images on canvas. “I paint, I study, I analyse and repeat the process until I feel I have reached to the final stage with the expression that I want. Human beings and nature are the most important elements in my work. “I leave it up to the viewer to decide what they see in my abstract works. My main goal is to promote nature conservation,” she said.