< About
- ArtistVeera Kulju (b. 1975)
- EducationMaster of Arts / School of Art and Design, Helsinki (FI)
- MemberThe Association of Finnish Sculptors
- AteljeThe Finnish Artists’ Studio Foundation working facilities and studio apartment
- Represented byIn Finland:
Gallery Halmetoja
In USA:
Hostler Burrows - Contact
- CV

White and black, delicate and strong, dark and light. In Veera Kulju’s art, all concepts find their counterparts to show that opposites can coexist side by side. Kulju’s art is touching. She invests herself, imbues her art with personal meaning, making it speak to us in a relatable way. Hence her themes touch us all. Her art speaks of what it means to be human, of identity, of different ways to exist in the world.
Instead of giving answers, Kulju urges us to ask questions. Her foliage-framed looking glasses do not throw back reflections as a mirror does, but instead they pull us in, inviting us to intuitively grasp the limits of our consciousness. Kulju is from Helsinki and in many aspects she isa town-dweller, but her true home still lies in the forest, upon a mossy tussock beneath wuthering conifers. Her nature-themed sculptures are timeless yet topical, transporting us from ancient woodlands and breathtaking biodiversity to mass extinction and climate crisis.Clay is an elemental material that lends itself to Kulju’s flow of self-expression. She kneads, clasps, squeezes and pounds it until it finds a form that is solidified in the kiln.Kulju is like her art: sensitive yet strong. Uncompromising in her art. She is an artist who intuitively throws herself into the creative process without knowing where her alliance with clay might lead.In addition to modelling clay, Kulju is a multidisciplinary artist who works boldly across many materials and media, from textiles to photography and video art. What ever her medium, her visual worlds vary in mood from subtle and delicate to raw and menacing.
Selina Vienola, art historian, writer
Veera Kulju woks and lives in Helsinki. She studied art and design at the School of Design and Crafts, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, and Vihti School of Art and Craft, received a BA from Lahti University of Applied Science, Institute of Design, Experimental Design in 2005, and her MA in 2010 from Aalto University, School of Art and Design. She was the visiting artist at the Arabia Art Department in 2017-2018. Kulju’s work belong to the Finnish State Art Collection as well as the collection of the National Museum in Stockholm. Kulju has exhibited widely throughout Finland and internationally. In Finland she is represented by Gallery Halmetoja and in United States by art gallery Hostler Burrows in New York and Los Angeles.
Upcoming Exhibitions
- PUUN TAKAA -Mäntän KuvataideviikotPekilo, Mänttä11.6.-31.8.2023
Solo Exhibition History
- A Horse, The Forest, A FatherGallery HalmetojaHelsinki5.5.–22.5.2022
- NoirGallery HalmetojaHelsinki2020
- Metsä Palaa / Forest ReturnsTäky Galleria, muotoilusyksyLappeenranta2019
- Sounds of SilenceKonsthantverkarna GalleryStockhom2019
- NAKUMältinranta Artcenter StudioTampere2018
- Holy WoodGallery HalmetojaHelsinki2018
Group Exhibition History
- Ilo OllaTaiteilijat OHämeenlinna Art Museum2023
- AfterGlow - New Nordic Porcelain - Remix on BornholmKøppe Contemporary ObjectsBornholm, Danmark29 April - 20 May 2023
- Summer Group ExhibitionHB381381 Broadway, NY 10013June 24th - August 19th, 2022
- AfterGlow, New Nordic PorcelainKunsthall Grenland - PorsgrunnNorway2022
- AfterGlow, New Nordic PorcelainClay MuseumDenmarkMarch 27 – August 21, 2022
- AfterGlow, New Nordic PorcelainGustavsberg Porcelain MuseumSwedenJune 4th 2022 – April 23th 2023
- CONTEMPORARY FINNISH SCULPTUREHostler BurrowsNew York2022
- Ceramics Facing the NewEMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern ArtEspoo03.05.2021 - 07.08.2022
- Luonto RetkiNastola summer exhibitionNastola2021
- Solid GroundIAC Post Tour -program,Aalto University2021
- Coming home to SeoulFACTORY2Seoul, South Korea2021
- On the Edge – ÄärelläRovaniemi Art MuseumRovaniemi2021
- SIELUNMAISEMAGlasshouse HelsinkiHelsinki2021
- Ceramega 2020 – National Ceramic Exhibition,Voipaala art centerVoipaala2020
- FOREST PRIMEVALHostler BurrowsLos Angeles2020
- Mexico & the Nordics: A Meditation on Individuality in Craft, Tradition, & ModernismAdorno galleryCopenhagen2020
- Dark MattersArt Center East, Gallery RiuttaLappeenranta2019
- New ArtistsHostler BurrowsNew York2019
- London Design WeekAdorno galleryLondon2019
- CHART DesignLokal galleryCopenhagen2019
- PERSPECTIVESArabia Art Department Society summer exhibitionHelsinki2019
- CollectibleLOKAL GalleryBrussels2019
- RE/DEFINING FINNISH CONTEMPORARY ART & DESIGN, The Finnish Cultural Institute for the Benelux & Spazio Nobile GalleryCollectibleBrussels2019
- RE/DEFINING FINNISH CONTEMPORARY ART & DESIGN, The Finnish Cultural Institute for the Benelux & Spazio Nobile GalleryInstitut FinlandaisParis2019
- RE/DEFINING FINNISH CONTEMPORARY ART & DESIGN, The Finnish Cultural Institute for the Benelux & Spazio Nobile GallerySpazio Nobile GalleryBrussels2019
Press
- Taide lehti2022
- Helsingin Sanomat2022
- Helsinki Design Weekly2021
- Helsingin Sanomat2020
- Helsingin Sanomat2018
- Suomen Kuvalehti2018
Film and Website Credits
- DirectorEsko Räsänen
- WriterSelina Vienola
- TypographyEino Korkala
- ComposerTimo Kaukolampi
- Special ThanksIlkka Kärkkäinen, Mikko Arhippainen, Iiro Rautainen
- Supported ByTaiteen edistämiskeskus