Raisa Raekallio and Misha del Val
Misha del Val woke up in Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain. He jumped out of bed, grabbed a couple of biscuits and a glass of milk, kissed his mum, his grandma, his aunties, and headed for art school. In the semi-darkness of the classroom, he was bewitched by the slides of Goya, Munch, Dumas, Doig floating on the wall. After the bell rang, tired and hungry, he spent 11 years in Australia. In the evening, he took a cab to Berlin. He was skipping around in the park when he met again his old friend Raisa Raekallio. The light of the new day found Misha in Lapland, munching rye bread toasts, daydreaming in the snow, and making paintings with Raisa.
Raisa Raekallio´s first tasting experience (after mother´s milk) was the juice of a chubby cloudberry from a swamp humming with mosquitos in Kittilä, Finnish Lapland. The seasons passed, with longings for cakes that were named after the spouses of important people. At the Institute of Fine Arts in Lahti, while flirting with the oil paints, she finally learned to drink coffee properly. On a sunny day in Plaka, Athens’ old quarter, Raisa had her first pita souvlaki (without meat) served from a dark hole in a crumbling ancient wall and met this cuckoo young artist. Now she enjoys her Basque milky cinnamony desserts in the old wooden house built by the former school cook of the village.
Add to My FavoritesFeatured artwork
MökkiRaisa Raekallio and Misha del Val, Mökki, Oil on linen, 170 cm x 220 cm ,2021. Photo: MdV and RR.
Raisa Raekallio and Misha del Val, Untitled (Self-portrait)Oil on linen, 115 cm x 135 cm, 2020. Photo: MdV + RR
Raisa Raekallio and Misha del Val, Taksikuskin Avautuva Sydän Oil on linen, 155 cm x 220 cm, 2020. Photo: Mdv + RR
Los amante volando sobre un mundo de maravillas irremediablesRaisa Raekallio and Misha del Val, Los amante volando sobre un mundo de maravillas irremediables, oil on linen, 135 cm x 115 cm ,2023. Photo: RR + MdV.
Raisa Raekallio and Misha del Val, ‘Sauna Painting (Awakening)’Oil on linen, 115 cm x 135 cm, 2021. Photo: MdV + RR
Painting #2Raisa Raekallio and Misha del Val, Painting #2, oil on linen, 210 cm x 600 cm ,2023. Photo: RR + MdV.
Raisa Raekallio and Misha del Val, ’Tivoli – La Feria’Oil on linen, 145cm x 172 cm, 2020. Photo: MdV + RR
Raisa Raekallio & Misha del Val, Kihottajat – BystandersRaisa Raekallio and Misha del Val, Raisa Raekallio & Misha del Val, Kihottajat – Bystanders, Oil on linen, 178 cm x 220 cm ,2022. Photo: MdV and RR.
Raisa Raekallio and Misha del Val, ‘Neighbours’Oil on linen, 30 cm x 40 cm, 2021. Photo: MdV + RR
Two Fools to EudaimoniaRaisa Raekallio and Misha del Val, Two Fools to Eudaimonia, Installation view, Makasiini Contemporary, 2023. Photo: RR + MdV.
Two Fools to EudaimoniaRaisa Raekallio and Misha del Val, Two Fools to Eudaimonia, Installation view, Makasiini Contemporary, 2023. Photo: RR + MdV.
LumipalloefektiRaisa Raekallio and Misha del Val, Lumipalloefekti, Installation view, Oulu Art Museum, 2021. Photo: MdV.
Curriculum Vitae
Download CV (.pdf)Events
13.12.2024 –13.4.2025
Raisa Raekallio & Misha de Val – Lapin Piha
The Aine Art Museum is presenting an exhibition by Raisa Raekallio and Misha del Val.
The exhibition Lapin Piha showcases the recent collaborative works of Raisa Raekallio and Misha del Val. The exhibition features paintings set across various seasons, where the northern landscape takes center stage, revealing the traces left by human presence.
Through their art, the artists explore the unexpected beauty found in the delicate northern environment, juxtaposed with the remnants of abandoned, decaying objects. Forgotten green tarps in the forest, a log splitter hidden among the pines, canisters and pallets scattered across a backyard, and an old car buried beneath the snow—all of these elements highlight the complex relationship between nature and human impact.
The Kittilä-based artist duo, Raisa Raekallio (born 1978 in Kittilä, Finland) and Misha del Val (born 1979 in Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain), have been working together for over a decade, producing a diverse body of work that includes paintings, drawings, performances, curatorial projects, and podcasts.
The Aine Art Museum, Torikatu 2, 95400 Tornio
Opening hours Tue-Thu 11-18, Fri-Sun 11-15