Anni Laakso

Anni Laakso is known for dealing with the methods of social control and marginalization in her artistic work. She seeks to make visible the attitudes and actions that are generally believed to be natural and non-ideological.

Laakso’s handmade constructed forms consist of different and largely re-used materials. Her sculptures are often site-sensitive installations that encourage dialogue. The temporary aspect of the installations and the conversion of pieces into new ones are part of Laakso’s artistic process. Through her installations, Laakso intends to create new environments within an existing environment or a public space. She intervenes the public space through large-scale installations, or smaller installations that allow visitors to step in.

The polyurethane upholstered sculptures in Laakso’s latest exhibition FOAM are humanlike but grotesque. The broken and melancholic figures are portrayed as pawns in a game where the rules are unclear and team effort is impossible. The pieces address questions about the culture in which seeking economical profit has become self-evident. Although it seems invisible, seeking profit is quite a concrete action because it affects what is going on in our society and the ways we act.

Laakso is currently completing her doctoral studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Helsinki.

http://www.annilaakso.net/