Jaana Partanen

The happy curious

As an artist, I spend a great deal of my time thinking about such matters, and a lot of time studying science as well. I listen to people and watch the ways they live their lives. I consider their motivations. I am a constant observer, a witness to the magic of life. I also look deeper. I think of myself as an alchemist. Life astonishes me endlessly. Sometimes I notice that I am making conclusions about people and things, and other times I am a non-judgemental spectator.

 

It’s difficult for us to comprehend, even for a moment, our place in time, and just how far we have come. Ultimately I believe that life exists only in the now, and thus, life is endless and always new. We know that time is fleeting, but even that is just a seeming, an illusion. Still, the questions remain. What exactly is life? Does life exist beyond our human perception of it?

 

I look for life’s negative space, for that which is not evident in our visible world. I listen to the silence between spoken words. Light or dark, silent or loud, it all has a story to tell, a lesson to impart, if you are awake, aware. Art is my way of processing life as it flows around and through me. It is the air I breathe, yet for me art does not become real until I see another person experience it and realize some abstract or relative truth about it. Then the art becomes true for both me and the viewer. There is immense beauty in that shared experience.

Whether my art is to be part of a joint exhibition or I’m creating a single artwork for a commissioned client, my method is the same: I let my curiosity lead me. It’s a self-energising positive experience that always leads to discovery, to finding something new and unexpected.

My career’s work forms a trilogy that consists of my three major exhibitions: Everyday Alchemy, Mental Alchemy, and my most recent show, Space Alchemy. I have decided that Space Alchemy will be my final exhibit. I utilize a variety of art media and techniques in my work, including everything from paint and photography to more modern digital technology like large-scale, interactive multimedia installations.

 

 

Artist bio

Artist Jaana Partanen (born. 3.4.1967) lives and works in Kuopio, Finland. Jaana is married to architect Heikki Lamusuo and together they have one daughter. Jaana and Heikki manage their architecture firm together. They have a distinctive way of creating and designing spaces and buildings that combine both architectural design and art.

Jaana’s lifework is her art, which has been viewed over the last fifteen years in a number of individual and joint exhibitions around the world, from Latin America to South Africa and beyond.

Jaana’s art work consists of three major exhibition categories: Everyday Alchemy, Mental Alchemy, and her newest work, Space Alchemy. Jaana also creates commissioned art pieces and installations for both private and corporate clients.

Jaana has produced extensive photography, video, and multimedia collections. Many of her works showcase her experience as an artist living and working in Kuopio. Her themes explore the depths of human nature, our innermost secrets, the deeper thoughts and yearnings that guide us in our lives yet remain largely hidden from the visible world – a nod to the alchemists of yore. With an imaginative, experienced vision, Jaana utilizes modern technology to create compelling images that bring old and new worlds together and remind us that invisible forces are at play in our lives.

Download CV of Jaana Partanen

 

 

Contact

Jaana Partanen

Partanen & Lamusuo Ltd