Strange Awakenings in Nature

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Johanna Havimäki is a visual artist who works with recycling, material permanence and nature influences. She uses craft techniques to create sculptures from recycled leather clothing and textiles. The works are organisms or animal formations. Bringing cloths back to life produces strange figures.

As a material, leather is full of meanings, which the artist adds to and tones down. Leather is unforgiving; all traces of life remain in this organic material. The starting point for the works is the question of human's right to exploit nature for its own needs. A leather jacket is the skin of a dead animal.

His latest major work is a piece commissioned by the State Art Commission, which was selected in a competition and completed in 2023 for the Valteri School in Kuopio, Great Little Ones. Her works have been exhibited at WAM in Turku, the Oulu Art Museum, the Seinäjoki Art Hall and the Sculptor Gallery in Helsinki.

Johanna Havimäki has worked as a creative designer, illustrator and public art producer. You can find her graphic design services at here.

Havimäki lives and works in Kuru, Ylöjärvi, Finland.

  • "The imaginary creatures created from old leather jackets are so human-like that you simply cannot pas them without reacting."

    Veikko Halmetoja, Helsingin Sanomat, Aug. 8, 2013.

  • "How can a jacket be so expressive, with pockets still on the sides and buttons for eyes."

    Reija Ypyä, ET, Sep. 9, 2011.

  • "At Supermarket there are no walls between Johanna Havimäki's fantastic hybrid animals created from leather jackets and the Syrian artist group […].

    Jessica Kempe, Dagens Nyheter, Feb. 14, 2014.

  • "The metamorphosis from the cow to leather jacket and back to 'animal' is realized in Havimäki's inventive soft toys made from recycled leather clothing, which run across the gallery floor."

    Asta Kihlman, Turun Sanomat, Sep. 20, 2013.

  • "The characters look like mixed-breed street dogs—with floppy ears, half-closed eyes, and a little […]. Oh, poor animals!"

    Hannele Huhta, Voima, June 2014.

  • 2005–2009 Bachelor of Arts / Tampere University of Applied Sciences

    (2008 Exchange / Ontario College of Art and Design, Toronto, Canada)

    2004–2002 Artisan of Props Making / Lahti College of Arts and Crafts

    2001–1998 Artisan of Wood / Pirkanmaa College of Arts and Crafts

    (1997–1998 Graphic Design / University of Lapland)

  • 2023 Owners, Terde Finlayson, Tampere

    2022 Tamed, Kuru Library

    2018 Fabel, Voipaala Art Center

    2017 Evidences, Kangasala House Gallery

    2015 Visual Artist of the Year, Hailuoto Theatre Festival

    2015 Visual Artist of the Year, Volter Kilpi in Kustavi Literature Week

    2013 Kuulijaiset acoustic work together with Outi Yli-Viikari and Meri Kytö

    2013 Same Time Elsewhere, Gallery Sculptor, Helsinki

    2011 Restoration, Seinäjoki Art Hall

    2010 Alinen, Rajatila Gallery, Tampere

    Selected Group Exhibitions

    2026 (upcoming) Kuhmalahden taidepappila, Kangasala

    2026 (upcoming) Connecting People, PAVE Architects, Oulu

    2023 Hei Tyypit! Wäinö Aaltonen Museum, Turku

    2021 Guest/Stranger, Gallery Muuntotila, Tampere

    2019 Finlayson Art Area, Tampere

    2016 Bad (L)attitudes: Reassessing Finnish Feminity, Galway Arts Centre, Irlanti

    2014 Cats and Dogs, Oulu Art Museum

    2014 Destination Seinäjoki, Seinäjoki Art Hall

    2014 Red and Sweet, Voipaalan taidekeskus

    2013 Auran Galleria, Turku

    2013 The Great Play, Villa Roosa, Orimattila

    2013 Galleria Harmaja, Oulu

    2012 Taidekeskus Retretti, Gallery Himmelblau, Punkaharju

    2011 Haute Couture, Honkahovi, Mänttä-Vilppula

    2011 Gallery Himmelblau, Tampere

    2010 Slow Movement, Voipaala Art Center, Valkeakoski

    2009 Kingdom of Art, Aine Art Museum, Tornio

    2009 Diskurssidisko, Mältinranta, Tampere

    2008 Figure show, The Great Hall OCAD, Toronto

  • State Art Deposit Collection
    City of Turku
    Oulu Art Museum
    Hämeenlinna Art Museum
    City of Seinäjoki
    City of Ylöjärvi
    Raimo Anttila Foundation

  • 2023 Great Little Ones , Art in Valteri School, Kuopio
    State Art Commission, 2. prize, competition 2021

  • The Association of Finnish Sculptors
    Tampere Artists Association
    Rajataide
    Kuvasto

  • 2024 Arts Promotion Centre Finland
    2013 Arts Promotion Centre Finland
    2013 Art Council of Pirkanmaa
    2013 Nordic Culture Point (group)
    2012 Finnish Cultural Foundation
    2012 Art Council of Pirkanmaa
    2012 Art Council of Finland (group)
    2011 Art Council of Finland
    2009 Alfred Kordelin Foundation
    2009 Åkerlund Foundation

  • 2014 Villa Karo, Finnish-African Institute, Benin

  • 2025–2029 Member for the culture parlament, city of Ylöjärvi

    2013–2015 Board Member, Taidesuunnistus ry

    2011–2013 Chair, Taidesuunnistus ry

    2013 Board Member, Rajataide ry

    2009–2011 Vice Chair, Rajataide ry

    Responsibilities within the associations include fundraising and budgeting, event production, representing the organization at events, supervising staff, and developing operations

  • 2020–2021 Producer, Public Art Agency Finland
    Public art projects, art production, and graphic design.
    Graphic design subcontractor 2022–2023

    2019–2020 Curator/AD,in Work to Be Done exhibition and A Woman’s Work -project (European Prospects), Ffotogallery, Wales

    2016–2023 Advisor, in the field of sculpture and print making, Public Art Agency Finland

    2013–2015 Producer and Curator, New Arrangements -project, Rajataide ry, three exhibitions in Tampere, Malmö and Oslo

    2006–2018 Print Maker, Grafiikanpaja Himmelblau Oy
    Technical assistance for visiting artists, proofing of their works, and gallery work. Techniques: drypoint, line etching, aquatint, various photographic techniques.

    2010 Producer and Curator, Slow Movent the series of exhibitions, Photographic Centre Nykyaika. Curation, production, and graphic design for three photography exhibitions

Contact

Exhibition at Wäinö Aaltonen Museum, Turku 2023.
Image Ville Mäkilä/WAM.