Virve Lilja (f.1968)
Virve Lillja er født i Helsinki, men bor og arbeider nå i Kangasala i Finland. Hun har sin utdannelse fra Kankaanpää Art School i Finland. Som grafiker arbeider Virve Lilja med blant annet etsning som teknikk.
Himmelblau om Virve Lilja sin kunst
Leaving a trace and physical touch are an important part of the message conveyed by Virve Lilja’s production. The abstract but yet identifiable element, a certain unfolded map of the human body that is present in several of her large intaglio works is created by using her own body. Due to its delicateness, soft ground is the perfect method for this.
Lilja is also interested in activating ordinary people, her audience, through art. She created a public work in Kankaanpää by rubbing the feet of the local people and then imprinting the footsteps of her “customers” on a large, over four-metre plate that was fixed on a wall.
When creating smaller works, Lilja rolls the colour to create a painterly, compact background. Strong lines are attained by relief etching where the acid is left to bite for hours. These prints repeatedly depict an arch; mundane things are combined with mythical meanings and architectural details that represent various cultural layers. Because printmaking requires concentration and precision, it presents a fruitful challenge to Lilja who is interested in numerous techniques and installations. (Himmelblau graphic workshop)
