Gullichsen Collection

The Pori Art Museum was opened in 1979. The old warehouse was converted into a modern art museum respecting cultural values. Today two decades later the art museum has again a reason for celebration. In the spring 2000 the newest exhibition building called "Wing" was opened. The building is situated south of the old art museum in the oldest planned district of the city, founded in 1558.

The opening exhibition of the "Wing" displayed the life-work of prof. Maire Gullichsen. Thanks to her, known as the most important person of Finnish modern art and culture and as the international spokesman of her institutions like Artek, Free Art School and Modern Arts Association, which influenced in the breakthrough of modernism, developed in Finland. Villa Mairea in Noormarkku, designed by Alvar Aalto, was completed in 1939 for the private home of Gullichsen's family. Nowadays, it is one of the most well-known buildings of the Finnish modernism.

In 1971 Mrs Gullischen donated a collection of over 300 works of art to the foundation named after her for the basic collection of the new art museum. She had a clear opinion on the art "I hope that the outline of the collections of Pori Art Museum will be based on abstract art as such collections would be unique in our country."

In January 2001, the exhibition will start with Czech painter Frantisek Kupka. Kupka belongs to the first representatives of the abstract art and to the most important pioneers of modern art in Europe. The collection will get an own Museum in the old town of Prague during year 2001.

The exhibition of a young Swedish artist Peter Johansson, whose works have aroused a large discussion last year, will be next. The basis for his art is based by culture-identity and national symbolism, as well as encountering of material culture and spiritual values. Johansson handles serious basic questions of existence in the unconstrained, almost humorist way.