You have arrived.
Elli Maanpää’s surname means basically the same thing as her home country: Finland. Maanpää can be translated as “the end of the earth” or “the head of the world.” And Finland? It’s quite literally the Finnish line of land.
So wherever you came from, you’ve made it here. Right now, right here—this is where you’re meant to be.
Paintings by Elli Maanpää between 2024-2025. "A hug can be radical. Play can be political."
Artist Statement
My practice bridges figurative representation and expressive abstraction, utilizing a vibrant palette of warm corals set against cool, atmospheric blues. Through stylized figures captured often with closed eyes, I explore the depths of interiority. These forms dance across the canvas, liberated from realistic space by fluid brushwork that mimics the weightless nature of sensation.
Drawing on my background in animation and fashion, I view the construction of identity as a continuous act of creative agency—a way of letting life happen from me. By prioritizing radical play, I aim to create an immersive space that anchors the viewer.
– Elli Maanpää
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY
Elli Maanpää is a multidisciplinary Finnish contemporary artist working at the intersection of painting, design, and visual storytelling. She holds a Master of Arts degree in Visual Culture from Aalto University, complemented by Bachelor's degrees in both Animation (Turku Arts Academy) and Fashion Design (Aalto University). This extensive, cross-disciplinary academic background forms the foundation for her recognizable visual language.
Maanpää’s works have been acquired for public collections, including the Finnish Postal Museum, Lohja Museum, and Satasairaala Hospital. She has also completed a large-scale public art commission for the Valkeavuori Campus in Kaarina. Her exhibitions have been presented throughout Finland, in venues such as B-galleria (Turku), P-galleria (Pori), and the Vanha Paukku Culture Center (Lapua). Furthermore, she is scheduled to present a curated exhibition at the Hotel and Restaurant Museum in Helsinki in 2027.
Maanpää's artistic practice has been supported by grants from organizations such as the Arts Promotion Centre Finland (Taike) and the Association of Finnish Illustrators.
Elli Maanpää, a Finnish contemporary artist, in her studio in Helsinki, Finland.
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