Striking Dystopian-Like Ceramic Sculpture, Soothsayer by Sakari Kannosto 2022

Sakari Kannosto (b. 1973) graduated with a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) from the Academy of Fine Arts in Helsinki, Department of Sculpture, in 2005. He has held numerous solo and group exhibitions both in Finland and internationally. His works are included in several notable collections, including the State Art Collection of Finland, EMMA Museum of Modern Art, the Tampere Art Museum, and Aalto University. In recent years, his works have been shown in New York at Gallery HB381 as well as at international art fairs through Hostler Burrows, including TEFAF and Design Miami.

Kannosto is a multimedia artist based in Helsinki, Finland, where he is a member of the Arabia Art Department Society. Primarily known for his ceramic sculptures and large-scale installations, Kannosto creates fantasy-figurative works, inspired by Finnish folklore and fairytales, that explore the relationship between humankind and nature. While at first glance Kannosto’s brightly glazed creatures may seem whimsical and lighthearted, they are based on an ancient Finnish myth that animals act as intermediaries able to move between worlds and modulate form. Driven by contemporary environmental issues and their potentially disastrous outcomes, Kannosto reimagines these animals’ ability to adapt to the environment damaged by the industrial world.