Jussi Niva’s commissioned, site-specific, three-dimensional painting Free-floating has been installed at the foyer of the renewed and reopened WAM Museum of Contemporary Art in Turku. The work is included in the City of Turku Art Collection.
Niva’s art arises from a sustained exploration of the essence of painting, investigating the relationship of painting to space, time and place. Suggesting different viewing angles, the work changes accordingly.
“The name Free-floating could best be translated as a surface in a state of ascend or flowing motion. True to my typical approach, the painting is not confined to its own surface; rather, it connects with its surroundings, activating the space in its own way and altering the experience of it. The act of moving through the space becomes, in a sense, part of the experience of the painting. It maintains a physical presence while remaining in flux, thereby addressing themes of temporality and existence.” –Jussi Niva
Jussi Niva, Free-floating, 2026, oil on board, 350 x 160 x 50 cm. Photo: Jussi Niva