Arno Rafael Minkkinen

Homework
Pictures from Finland




Pajakoski, Ivalo






Stranda






Saimaa






Frequent Flyer






The Bird of Väisälänsaari






Helsinki






Maija-Kaarina






Asikkala






Beach Pond






Pajakoski






Asikkala






Väisälänsaari, 1998






Jamestown






Fosters Pond






Bird of Lianzhou






Kallavesi






Kivisaari






Käsi ja Kivi






Logman






Kuusamo






Ivalo






Bouquet d´Arbes






Nude Descending






Karjusaari Triptych






A Man and His Dog






Chinese Boy






Self-portrait, Hirvensalmi






Self-portrait, Fosters Pond






Self-portrait, Fosters Pond






Self-portrait, Two Birches,
Fosters Pond






Self-portrait, Asikkala






Self-portrait, Ismo's Stick,
Fosters Pond






Self-portrait, Castello Barni,
Monterinaldi






Self-portrait, New City,
New York






Self-portrait, Bistrot Les Sans
Culottes, Rue du Lapp, Paris






Self-portrait, Helsinki Hotel,
Helsinki






Self-portrait with Laurence,
San Lawrenz, Gozo, Malta






Self-portrait, White Sands,
New Mexico





C V




Arno Rafael Minkkinen (born 1945) is a Finnish-born artist who grew up and studied in the United States. For over three decades he has made black and white photographic works taking as his theme his own naked body, which is often combined with a landscape or urban space.

Minkkinen is a kind of wizard, whose works are at once witty, profound, humorous and poetic. He does not manipulate his works; instead, they are ”real”. Therefore, some of them are truly surprising, arousing feelings of wonderment and confusion in the viewer. Minkkinen’s photographs are masterly works in technical terms: real, old-fashioned, richly toned and beautiful silver-gelatin prints.

I have often thought that when Minkkinen began this series of works over thirty years ago he must have had truly great confidence in himself and his cause. A man who ran around naked outdoors and photographed himself must have been regarded as completely crazy. It is therefore a source of satisfaction to see that these works have become an oeuvre and that important museums and galleries all over the world want to display them and they are self-evidently considered and viewed as interesting, diverse and refined art.

This exhibition is entitled ”Home Work” and presents works made over the years in Finland, at home. A book with the same title issued by Like publishers will appear in connection with the exhibition.

Ilona Anhava