The Art of Conservation: Uncovering the Stories Beneath the Surface 27.4.2025 Behind the Scenes introduces museum professionals whose crucial work often goes unnoticed by the public. From conservation to collection care, these behind-the-scenes roles are vital to how art is preserved, understood, and experienced. Conservator Nina Broadstreet reveals the hidden lives of artworks through her expertise in painting conservation. After a career shift from the energy sector, she now devotes herself to restoring and safeguarding oil paintings, tempera works, and gilded surfaces—making sure that each piece continues to speak to future generations. Mia Dillemuth: Could you tell us a bit about your background and career path? How did you become a conservator?Nina Broadstreet: I have a previous degree and ten years of experience in the energy sector, but in 2007 I started to feel that I wanted a completely different career. Art has always been important to me, so art conservation seemed like a natural and fascinating direction. I had to wait a year before I could apply to the painting conservation program at Metropolia University of Applied Sciences. I got in, completed my studies, and graduated in 2012—so I’ve now worked as a conservator for 13 years. MD: What types of artworks do you specialize in? What kind of work do you do for the Kirpilä Art Collection?NB: I specialize mainly in paintings on canvas and wood. I also carry out collection inventories and condition assessments—like the one currently underway at the Kirpilä Art Collection. In these assessments, I examine the condition of each artwork, document any damage, and make a preliminary evaluation of the conservation needs for each piece. MD: How do you prioritize which works are treated first in large collections?NB: As a conservator, the condition of the piece is my top priority. For example, a torn canvas or flaking paint requires urgent attention, whereas a yellowed varnish might be visually disturbing but doesn’t yet pose a threat to the artwork’s preservation. Of course, the collection owner’s perspective also plays a role. If a piece is scheduled for exhibition or is particularly central to the collection, it may be prioritized over a less prominent work. MD: How important is understanding the artist’s original technique and historical context in the conservation process?NB: It’s absolutely essential. Knowing which materials and techniques were used in different periods—and how they age and react—allows me to plan the conservation process and select the most appropriate and safe methods and materials.MD: How much of your work focuses on preventive conservation compared to actual damage repair?NB: Since I work as an independent conservator and most of my clients are private individuals, my work focuses mainly on treating existing damage. Cleaning paintings is the most common procedure I perform. However, I do emphasize preventive care as well—by advising clients on how to handle and display their artworks properly. MD: What painting techniques do you encounter most often in your work?NB: Most of the pieces I conserve are oil paintings on canvas. I also see some works on wood, cardboard, or board, as well as acrylic paintings. Tempera and gilded surfaces appear in icons and older wooden sculptures. Watercolors and gouaches on paper, however, fall under the domain of a paper conservator.MD: How do the materials in older paintings affect the conservation methods used?NB: The traditional materials used in older paintings are generally well-known, and the conservation methods for them are well established. This often makes the treatment more straightforward. With newer artworks, materials can be more experimental and may require more investigation. But even old works can be full of surprises! MD: How do you determine how much of the original artwork can or should be restored?NB: Restoration aims to reestablish the visual unity of a work so that damage no longer distracts from its overall reading. The intervention should be limited to the damaged areas and never cover the original surface. Everything must also be reversible and distinguishable—for example, under UV light. MD: What ethical principles guide your conservation work?NB: I’m a member of the Finnish section of the Nordic Association of Conservators and committed to following the guidelines of E.C.C.O. (European Confederation of Conservator-Restorers’ Organisations). These set out the ethical principles, responsibilities, and professional conduct for conservators.MD: What has been the most challenging conservation project you’ve done—and why?NB: Surprisingly, it was a small piece. A few years ago, I restored a small icon where some paint had flaked off the Virgin Mary’s face. The rest of the surface was perfectly smooth, and although I matched the colors, the retouched areas stood out due to their texture. I had to redo them several times, and only the eighth attempt achieved the desired result. I later applied the same technique to other works—so the experience turned out to be very valuable.MD: What part of the conservation process is most personally rewarding for you?NB: It’s hard to name just one, because the work is fulfilling on many levels. It’s deeply satisfying to see the result of your own hands and know you’ve helped an artwork survive into the future. Clients’ joy and gratitude when they receive a beloved piece back in good condition is also very meaningful. And the constant learning and problem-solving make this work endlessly interesting.
Särestöniemi Celebration, Themed Tours, and Jazz Melodies 24.4.2025 This spring, the Kirpilä Art Collection joins in marking the 100th anniversary of Reidar Särestöniemi with a vibrant programme of events. Highlights include a lecture on the artist by Noora Vaarala and On Canvas – a concert by Riikka Keränen and Juho Valjakka featuring jazz music inspired by Särestöniemi’s life and work.Expert-led themed tours offer fresh perspectives on the art colection. In addition to Särestöniemi, topics include the collection’s multispecies themes, the work of two major informalist artists, and intriguing details of the Kirpilä Art Collection’s interior decor. Spring Wednesday Tours:March 12, 5–6 PMChandeliers, Oriental Rugs & Antique Charm – The Interior of Kirpilä Art CollectionMarch 26, 5–6 PMReidar Särestöniemi – Beloved and ProvocativeMarch 30, 4–5 PMOn Canvas – Concert by Riikka Keränen & Juho ValjakkaA jazz performance inspired by the life and art of Reidar SärestöniemiApril 9, 5–6 PMTwo Informalists: Reflections on the 1950s–60s Work of Ahti Lavonen and Kain TapperMay 14, 5–6 PMA Multispecies Perspective: Human–Animal Relations in the Kirpilä Art CollectionTours in FinnishFree Admission
Autumn Sounds – Concert Programme 2025 23.4.2025 This fall, the Kirpilä Art Collection once again invites you to experience an inspiring concert series where experimental, classical, and acoustic music intertwine in intimate and imaginative performances. Sun, Sep 21, 4–5 PM: Lau NauA delicate and experimental sound artist whose music blends acoustic and electronic elements into poetic expression and immersive atmosphere.Sun, October 26, 4–5 PM: Tuuli Lindeberg & Petri KumelaA compelling soprano and guitar duo offering musically rich interpretations that draw from different historical eras with exquisite clarity.Sun, November 16, 4–5 PM: Heli HartikainenA boundary-pushing saxophonist, composer, and sound artist, Hartikainen presents a solo concert that fuses live improvisation, algorithmic aleatoricism, and cutting-edge sampler technology. Mon, December 8, 5–6:30 PM: Pekka Halonen in ParisA solo exhibition of Finnish artist Pekka Halonen (1865–1933) will open in autumn 2025 at the prestigious Petit Palais museum in Paris. To celebrate the occasion, the Kirpilä Art Collection will host a concert of Finnish music featuring vocalists Marjaana Ritanen and Johannes Pessi from the Mirjam Helin Academy, accompanied by pianist Kirill Kozlovski. The evening begins at 5:30 pm with an introduction to Pekka Halonen’s art by guide Eija Olsson (approx. 20 minutes), followed by the concert at 6:00 pm. Sun, December 14, 4–5 PM: Sibelius Academy Lied ConcertOur cherished holiday season tradition brings gifted voice and piano students from the Sibelius Academy to the stage to perform some of the most intimate works in classical music. Registration for the autumn concerts will open on our website starting in September, on an event-by-event basis. Tuuli Lindeberg & Petri KumelaPhoto: Heikki Tuuli
Danish Master in the Kirpilä Art Collection 1.4.2025 A self-portrait by the Danish artist Peder Severin Krøyer (1851–1909) has been discovered within the Kirpilä Art Collection. Dated 1899, the work was previously attributed to Krøyer’s Finnish contemporary, Sigfrid August Keinänen (1841–1914). The small (20.5 cm x 17 cm) self-portrait was made using the drypoint engraving technique on paper, and has been on display in the Kirpilä Art Collection’s Portrait Room for the last few years. It is signed “SK Jan-99” at bottom right. Our archives show that the art collector Juhani Kirpilä (1931–1988) purchased the work, believed at the time to be a self-portrait by Sigfrid Keinänen, in 1983, as part of an extensive portrait collection sold by the Hyvinkää-based collector Urho Laiho (1909–1991). It was also displayed in the exhibition Omakuva (“Self-Portrait) at Galerie Finnforum in Helsinki between 17 November and 2 December 1979. The basis for the original attribution is unknown. Confirming the actual author of the work was ultimately very easy, by comparing the artists’ signatures. Keinänen used to signed his works “SAK” or “S. A. Keinänen”, whereas Krøyer’s “SK” signature and handwriting match the ones on our portrait. The reattribution was finally confirmed by curator Mette Harbo Lehmann of Skagens Museum in Skagen, Denmark. Skagens Museum is home to a significant collection of artworks by Krøyer, including three prints of the etching found at Kirpilä. One of the prints is signed “P S Krøyer” in pencil, in addition to the engraved “SK” signature. Peder Severin Krøyer was born on 23 July 1851 in Stavanger, Norway, from where he soon moved to Copenhagen, Denmark, with his foster parents. He took up art studies privately at the age of nine. In 1870, Krøyer graduated from the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, and he enjoyed the patronage of the German-born Danish tobacco magnate and art collector Heinrich Hirschsprung from 1874. Krøyer travelled around France, Spain and Italy between 1877 and 1881, thanks to a scholarship from the art academy and financial support from Hirschsprung. Studying in Paris under the French artist Léon Bonnat had a pivotal impact on his style. On his return to Denmark, Krøyer settled in the country’s northernmost part, Skagen, whose artistic community would be an important source of support for him in the following years. Krøyer is known in Denmark and internationally for his depictions of ordinary people, as well as for his blue-toned Skagen landscapes that often incorporate members of the local artistic community, including his wife, the artist Marie Krøyer (née Triepcke). Krøyer died in Skagen on 21 November 1909, at the age of 58. Juhani Kirpilä is said to have avoided buying foreign art because it was harder to confirm its authenticity and origins; in this case, what he had bought as a Finnish artwork has been revealed to have been authored by a foreign master. This increases the number of non-Finnish artists included in the collection from four to five, and adds the first Danish work to the collection. We are very grateful to Arto Isotalo for first bringing the misattribution to our attention. Image: Peder Severin Krøyer, Self-Portrait, 1899 / Kirpilä Art Collection
Jonna Kina’s Video Work at the Kirpilä Art Collection – Reading Performance on Opening Night 8.10.2024 Jonna Kina’s Secret Words and Related Stories video work will be on display at the Kirpilä Art Collection from October 24 to November 17, 2024. The work consists of anonymously collected passwords and the stories behind them, exploring the concept of security and personal “secrets” in contemporary society. By examining these passwords, the work unravels how security connects to identity—how passwords act as compressed fragments of language, encoding physical history and memory to access various services in the virtual world. In the video, young actors aged 12 to 16 stand against a red backdrop, reading from sheets of paper, narrating personal confessions, childhood memories, and clichéd rationalizations tied to these passwords. These stories are, at turns, thoughtful, humorous, and emotional, transforming simple chosen words into windows that reveal personal information—the very opposite of a password’s intended function. On the opening night, Thursday, October 24, actors Johannes Holopainen and Alina Tomnikov will perform (in Finnish) two readings at 5:00 PM and 7:00 PM, presenting true stories behind passwords anonymously shared with artist Jonna Kina. These stories reflect the tension between public and private, as the passwords, originally created to protect, often disclose deeply personal memories or references. Admission to both the exhibition and the opening performance is free. Jonna Kina (b. 1984) graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts, Helsinki, and Aalto University’s School of Arts, Design and Architecture. Her works have been widely exhibited internationally in in international exhibitions and festivals such as the Tokyo Photographic Art Museum, Berlinale Forum Expanded Cinema Program in Berlin, Kumu Art Museum in Tallinn, Kunsthal Charlottenborg in Copenhagen, EMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern Art, Galleria delle Carrozze di Palazzo Medici Riccardi in Florence, Musée de l’Elysée in Lausanne, and at the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR). Kina’s film Arr. for a Scene was awarded Best Nordic Short Film at Nordisk Panorama in 2017, and that same year, she was nominated for the VISIO Young Talent Acquisition Prize in Florence. Kina has participated in the Finnish Cultural Foundation’s residency program twice: in 2023 at the Fabrikken residency in Denmark, and in 2018 at Tokyo Arts and Space (TOKAS). Jonna Kina: Secret Words and Related Stories at the Kirpilä Art Collection during museum opening hours, October 24–November 17, 2024. Still image: Jonna Kina, Secret Words and Related Stories, 2013–2016, 4K, 20 min 12 sec
The Juhani Kirpilä Fund distributed a total of 360,000 euros in grants 16.2.2024 The October application round marks the first time the Finnish Cultural Foundation received over 10,000 applications. As a result, grants totalling over 30 million euros were awarded to support science, the arts, and culture. The Juhani Kirpilä Fund distributed a total of 360,000 euros in grants to 12 applicants this year, including the first ever Kirpilä Art Collection Research Grant, available for application to PhDs for research related to collecting art, collectors’ collections, memorial houses or artists in the collection of the Kirpilä Art Collection. This four-year research grant was awarded to M.A. Elina Sairanen for studying Finnish art museums founded by private collectors from the 1880s to the 2020s. Other recipients of grants were M.A. Maija Blåfield, M.A. Timo Bredenberg, M.F.A. Sonja Donner, M.F.A. Elina Juopperi, M.A. Sirkku Rosi, M.A. Essi Kausalainen and workgroup, M.F.A. Mikko Luostarinen, MSSc Sini Rinne-Kanto, M.F.A Pavel Rotts, M.A. Elina Sairanen, M.A. Niina Villanueva and M.F.A. Camilla Vuorenmaa. The Juhani Kirpilä Fund is based on a bequest made by Juhani Kirpilä (28.9.1931-3.8.1988), a Licentiate in Medicine, from his collection of over five hundred artworks, his home and other assets. The Foundation maintains The Kirpilä Art Collection as an art museum free of charge to the public and supports the visual arts and their research. Congratulations to all grant recipients! Photo: Kirpilä Art Collection archives
Artor Jesus Inkerö: Trophy 28.11.2023 From November 2023, Artor Jesus Inkerö will open gateways into other spaces from the Kirpilä Art Collection. The chandeliers in Inkerö’s exhibition Trophy will become doubled on the ceiling of the gallery’s ‘everyday living room’, while rugged ceramic sculptures provide a stark contrast to the collection’s porcelains. The exhibition includes works previously unseen in Finland: Short Reach (2019), which was filmed in Amsterdam, and ceramics from the My Hard Core installation (2021), seen at the Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten. The finishing touch is a new series of photographs entitled Big Ass (2023), whose inspirations are the artist’s own body and queer gym aesthetics. “When the Kirpilä Art Collection’s space was transformed from a home into an art gallery, it underwent a similar neutralisation process to that of the Oude Kerk, where I shot Short Reach: there, religious elements were removed from the church because it is currently mostly used for other purposes. In my mind, these spaces combine to be one and the same,” Inkerö explains. Although contemporary art exhibitions have been held at Kirpilä since 2017, Inkerö’s Trophy is the first-ever solo show to take place there. “We are interested to see what interpretations of the gallery and its collections the artist can come up with. Our home-like environment offers many opportunities for presenting art, and in Inkerö’s case it is fascinating to see how their works simultaneously merge into the space and wrestle against harmony,” says museum director Johanna Ruohonen. Artor Jesus Inkerö (b. 1989) is a Finnish visual artist, whose works have been seen at the New Museum in New York, Kunsthal Charlottenborg in Copenhagen, NOON Projects gallery in Los Angeles, the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma in Helsinki and SALTS gallery in Basel. Inkerö has worked in residence at London’s Somerset House and Amsterdam’s Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten. The themes that Inkerö processes through their exhibitions, performances, public artworks and projects are questions related to queer identity and society. The Kirpilä Art Collection is an art museum maintained by the Finnish Cultural Foundation, presenting modern Finnish art collection of Dr Juhani Kirpilä (1931−1988) in the collector’s former home. Inkerö is currently working under a two-year grant from the Finnish Cultural Foundation. They have also received funding from the Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten, the Saastamoinen Foundation and the Finnish Cultural Institute for the Benelux. Artor Jesus Inkerö, Trophy, Kirpilä Art Collection, 29 November 2023 − 3 March 2024. Open to the public free of charge, 2 pm–6 pm on Wednesdays and 2 pm–4 pm on Sundays. Group visits are also available by arrangement at other times. Guided tours will be conducted by the artist in Finnish at 1:30 pm on Sunday 3 December and Sunday 4 February, and in English at 3 pm on Sunday 4 February. Free entry. Caption: Artor Jesus Inkerö, 2019, Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten, Amsterdam, the Netherlands