Exhibition from 7 March to 9 May 2026
Inauguration on Friday 6 March 2026 from 6pm to 8pm
Institut finlandais presents Fragments, an exhibition by artist Tommi Toija, known for his sculptures and installations depicting characters that are at times grotesque, childlike, sensitive, or strange, but always profoundly human.
The exhibition unveils a selection of sculptures, reliefs, and drawings created over the past two decades, forming a body of work open to interpretation, inviting each viewer to explore their own inner world. In his works, Toija is less interested in expressing his own thoughts than in how they act as a mirror for the viewer, sparking a unique and personal encounter. His characters seem solitary, disconnected from one another, and yet we recognize ourselves in them. A connection is born.
Tommi Toija embraces imperfection; a broken, isolated, or repaired fragment is of more interest than a smooth, pristine form. A breach that evokes our hidden experiences of isolation and fear, and which, simultaneously, fosters connection, empathy, and a sense of community – provided we don’t look away.
Thus, the artworks become the stage for a coexistence of seemingly contradictory emotions. Light mingles with darkness, joy and sadness meet, humor blends with seriousness. Toija’s world, with its profoundly authentic characters, ultimately takes on a universal and liberating dimension.
Tommi Toija (born in 1974) is a Finnish sculptor and multidisciplinary artist. His works explore themes of humanity, vulnerability, and solitude, in an artistic universe that invites the public to reflect with humour and insight on the fundamental questions of existence.