Raija Malka
Raija Malka is a Finnish artist based in Lisbon. Born in Turku in 1959, she studied at School of Arts, Design and Architecture of Aalto University in Helsinki before moving to Paris in the mid 1980’s to specialize at Daniel Graffin’s studio and displaying her own works first in Paris and Helsinki, then internationally in Europe and beyond.
Three-dimensional space and large volumes have been central areas of interest for her throughout the years. Malka has also carried out different stage design projects and interdisciplinary spatial artworks. Colors form an important tool for her to process the world through art.
Being an artist who wants to discover new ways of presentation, she develops her artistic language from one project to next in a logical way. While you recognize her personal touch, every work is a result of new discoveries.
Her largest work so far, Blick in 2021, Raija Malka presented at the Amos Rex Art Museum. The 2000m2 gallery turned into a multisensorial space including large objects of intense colors, an interactive room for visitors to create their own installations and a surround sound landscape designed by Kaija Saariaho.
Raija Malka says: “Waiting is really fascinating. We’re all continuously waiting for something. When that which we’re awaiting happens, we don’t even notice it, because we’ve already moved on to waiting for something else. It’s almost as if waiting is never accomplished, while that which we are awaiting is less interesting than the waiting itself. Waiting is a good subject in art, as it is always associated with something that is unrealised.”
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Raija Malka, Blick, exhibition view 1, Amos Rex 2021Photo: Sofia Okkonen
Raija Malka, Blick, exhibition view 2, Amos Rex 2021Photo: Sofia Okkonen
Raija Malka, Blick, exhibition view 3, Amos Rex 2021Photo: Sofia Okkonen
Raija Malka, Blick, exhibition view 6, Amos Rex 2021Photo: Tuomas Uusheimo
Raija Malka, Blick, exhibition view 5, Amos Rex 2021Photo: Sofia Okkonen
Raija Malka, Blick, exhibition view 4, Amos Rex 2021Photo: Tuomas Uusheimo
Raija Malka, Blick, exhibition view 7, Amos Rex 2021Photo: Tuomas Uusheimo
Raija Malka, Study of brutalism (the pool)Oil on canvas, 90 cm x 130 cm x 12 cm, 2018. Photo: José Manuel Costa Alves
Raija Malka, Study of brutalism (red wall)Oil on canvas, 90 cm x 130 cm x 12 cm, 2018. Photo: José Manuel Costa Alves
Raija Malka, Prada 1Oil on canvas, 55 cm x 70 cm x 10 cm, 2018. Photo: José Manuel Costa Alves
Raija Malka, Anatomy of Le CorbusierOil on canvas, 60 cm x 70 cm x 9 cm, 2018. Photo: José Manuel Costa Alves
Raija Malka, Studies of brutalism, exhibition view 1Photo: Antti Luutonen
Raija Malka, Studies of brutalism, exhibition view 2Photo: Antti Luutonen
Raija Malka, Studies of brutalism, exhibition view 3Photo: Antti Luutonen
Raija Malka, Last Pair OutOil on canvas, 55 cm x 100 cm x 10 cm, 2012. Photo: José Manuel Costa Alves
Curriculum Vitae
Download CV (.pdf)Events
12.4.-30.6.2024
Raija Malka – Eu Estou Aqui
This exhibition results from successive encounters.
The scenographic dimension of the space, with its spiral staircase and arched nooks, emerged as an appropriate stage for the entry of works by Leylâ Gediz (Turkey, 1974), Luisa Cunha (Portugal, 1949) and Raija Malka (Finland, 1959). Their biographies and experiences led to the reflection on displacement and transit between countries, the question of place and belonging – are we from where we were born or from where we live? – underlies the exhibition at a time when the city is increasingly a chosen place for foreign creators to live.
All these circumstances and approaches led to the title concept of the exhibition:
I Am Here.
On View from April 12 – June 30, 2024
Monday – Friday 10am – 12pm & 2pm – 4pm
By appointment: production@119marvilastudios.com