Rauha Mäkilä
Rauha Mäkilä is known for her colourful paintings depicting everyday events that are inspired by her own life and family. In recent years, Mäkilä has also reflected on her own status and identity as an artist. Her works are about being human, being an artist and being together. Mäkilä draws the themes of her works from her own experiences and life, showing how the immediate and the everyday are valuable things, worthy of painting.
In her works, family members, loved ones, pets, art objects and household objects form surprising spatial compositions with each other. The moments, or situations, in the works resemble compositions captured on camera that are later depicted on canvas in the artist’s studio. Mäkilä carefully plans her paintings in advance but also leaves room for surprises and chance – the painting has room to become an event in its own way, through the means of painting. Mäkilä mainly uses colour-saturated oil colours with occasional use of more earthy oil tones.
Rauha Mäkilä (b. 1980) is a Helsinki-based visual artist who graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in 2007. Mäkilä has also studied at the Städelschule in Frankfurt. Mäkilä’s works have been shown in numerous solo and group exhibitions in Finland and internationally, including the Munch Gallery in New York, the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art in Kansas City, EMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern Art in Espoo, Finland, the Landskrona Museum in Sweden, Galleri Thomassen in Gothenburg, Sweden, CHART art fair in Copenhagen, Galleria Susanne Pettersson in Stockholm and Aboa Vetus Ars Nova Museum in Turku, Finland. Her works are included in several important art collections, including those of the City of Gothenburg, HAM Helsinki Art Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma, Saastamoinen Foundation, Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation and the Niemistö Art Collection. In 2023, Mäkilä had solo exhibitions at TARA Helsinki Contemporaries and MOMO Aboa Vetus Ars Nova Museum in Turku. In 2015, Mäkilä was the chair of the jury for the Young Artists exhibition at Helsinki Art Hall.
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Lust for lifeRauha Mäkilä, Lust for life, Oil on canvas, 140 cm x 120 cm ,2023. Photo: Jussi Tiainen.
Hämeenlinna IIRauha Mäkilä, Hämeenlinna II, Acrylic and oil on canvas, 170 cm x 140 cm ,2023. Photo: Jussi Tiainen.
PiknikRauha Mäkilä, Piknik, Oil on paper, 65 cm x 60 cm ,2024. Photo: Jussi Tiainen.
OnnenkissaRauha Mäkilä, Onnenkissa, Oil on canvas, 100 cm x 80 cm ,2023. Photo: Jussi Tiainen.
TalvilomaRauha Mäkilä, Talviloma, Acrylic and oil on canvas, 170 cm x 150 cm ,2023. Photo: Jussi Tiainen.
HämeenlinnaRauha Mäkilä, Hämeenlinna, Acrylic and oil on canvas, x 50 cm x 50 cm ,2023. Photo: Jussi Tiainen.
Tara ja MomoRauha Mäkilä, Tara ja Momo, Acrylic and oil on canvas, 160 cm x 180 cm ,2023. Photo: Jussi Tiainen.
KarjaaRauha Mäkilä, Karjaa, Acrylic and oil on canvas, 100 cm x 100 cm ,2023. Photo: Jussi Tiainen.
Naapurin OlliRauha Mäkilä, Naapurin Olli, Acrylic and oil on canvas, 50 cm x 40 cm ,2022. Photo: Jussi Tiainen.
PunavuoriRauha Mäkilä, Punavuori, Acrylic and oil on canvas, 180 cm x 160 cm ,2022. Photo: Jussi Tiainen.
Rauha Mäkilä, TaraRauha Mäkilä, Rauha Mäkilä, Tara, Helsinki Contemporary, Helsinki, 2023. Photo: Jussi Tiainen.
Rauha Mäkilä,TaraRauha Mäkilä, Rauha Mäkilä,Tara, Helsinki Contemporary, Helsinki, 2023. Photo: Jussi Tiainen.
Rauha Mäkilä, TaraRauha Mäkilä, Rauha Mäkilä, Tara, Helsinki Contemporary, Helsinki, 2023. Photo: Jussi Tiainen.
SuzuRauha Mäkilä, Suzu, Acrylic and oil on canvas, 180 cm x 160 cm ,2022. Photo: Jussi Tiainen.
Suzu IIRauha Mäkilä, Suzu II, Acrylic and oil on canvas, 100 cm x 80 cm ,2022. Photo: Jussi Tiainen.
Rauha Mäkilä, Kansas City ( Anna )Acrylic on canvas 160 cm x 150 cm, 2020. Image: Jussi Tiainen.
Rauha Mäkilä, January 2017 (Aslak, Alvar, Jupiter & Martta)Acrylic on canvas, 200 cm x 240 cm, 2020. Image: Jussi Tiainen.
Rauha Mäkilä, It is what it isAcrylic on canvas, 215 x 175 cm, 2020. Image: Jussi Tiainen.
Rauha Mäkilä, 1930 ( Tamara de Lempicka )Acrylic on canvas, 200 cm x 244 cm, 2020. Image: Jussi Tiainen.
Rauha Mäkilä, BathhouseAcrylic and oil on canvas, 130 cm x 110 cm, 2021. Image: Jussi Tiainen.
Rauha Mäkilä, Nice Try 2Acrylic and oil on canvas 140 x 120, 2021. Image: Jussi Tiainen
Rauha Mäkilä, DearHelsinki Contemporary, Helsinki, 2020. Image: Jussi Tiainen.
Rauha Mäkilä, DearHelsinki Contemporary, Helsinki, 2020. Image: Jussi Tiainen.
Rauha Mäkilä, Ring a Ring O’ RosesHelsinki Contemporary, Helsinki, 2018. Image: Jussi Tiainen.