Karoliina Hellberg ́s painting practice spans both watercolours on paper and oil and acrylic on canvas. She also translates elements from the paintings into sculptural pieces which are cast in glass or formed in decorated ceramics. The core frames of action are buildings and rooms located in lush and floral surroundings. Room depictions apply to both exteriors and interiors, often with window sections, open doors and portals as visual passages. In certain works, ceilings resemble skies as there are also formal detours into landscapes with mountains, cloud formations and seas. Hellberg draws inspiration from places and their connected narratives, as well as from architecture, literature and art history. People are rarely portrayed directly. But with greetings to the classic tradition of still life, she paints traces of human actions, for example, a half-full wine glass, a smoking cigarette in a small tray or flowers arranged in vases and ceramic vessels. In many of her works, there is an abundance of details, sometimes obscure yet implemented as had they always been there. The motifs are tangible, dualistic, and rich in contrasts and symbols.
Karoliina Hellberg (b.1987) lives and works in Helsinki. She graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts, Helsinki in 2015 and studied at the Slade School of Fine Art, London in 2013. Helberg has exhibited extensively and her work is included in numerous public, corporate and private collections.
