The Artist
Laila Aulikki Rantanen is a finnish painter and sculptor. Laila Rantanen’s paintings presents women and girls in surreal compositions. Artist tells that animals and weird objects in paintings are symbolic.
"I love symmetry, and I am looking for ecclesiastic expression of ’moment zero’; time before / after catastroph. The moment before reaction. Strong symbolism underlines absence of reality.”
"I love symmetry, and I am looking for ecclesiastic expression of ’moment zero’; time before / after catastroph. The moment before reaction. Strong symbolism underlines absence of reality.”
In her large sculptures Rantanen tells that she's going through different forms of women; godesses and godless women. Rantanen uses recycling materials making them look like stone or wood.
Rantanen refuses to explain her works any further. ”Making art is mystic process for me; ’talking to gods.’ Artwork forms itself and changes many times to be totally different than planned. Interpretation I will leave to the viewer.”
Rantanen has lived long time in Greece, and has exhibit in Athens and Kefalonia. After economic depression, time when galleries closed down, she financed her working by prostitution. Rantanen wants talk openly about economic status of artists. "Artist need money, in order to do art. My attitude is to do whatever needed to continue my work. Though, in my art I need not to sell myself.”
