MY COLOUR, YOUR COLOUR, Korjaamo gallery, Helsinki, 2015

Stig Baumgartner's new paintings are seen at Korjaamo Galleria's main exhibition space. The works are pit stop of memories, reflections of yearning and loss. The artist leans strongly to the art historical tradition by reffering to abstract modernism. Baumgartner doesn't himself call his works abstract, although they do contain some elements of abstract modernism. He plays with geometrical basic forms by examining their reciprocal relations.

"The colours of my paintings attract each other, long for each other, disturb each other or at least seek their places in relation to each other." The meaning of the greek word harmos (harmony) is to gather or to join. In other words harmony, or balance is formed from the reciprocality, convergence and unification of different parts. Colour is a significant part of the work and has more character than it's own name. Not only colours but also the geometrical forms are looking for their places. Baumgartner gathers them often mirror-likely and tries to stimulate conversation between them. Geometrical forms, such as squars, triangles and rectangles, aren't relevant as such. What is interesting is the order and the reciprocal relations they choose.

The paintings form an entity, a series, which parts are recognizable to belong to the same group. Every painting has it's own character and together they act like family members to each other. The works Minä olen / Heijastus sinusta (I am / a Reflection of You) were among the first paintings made for the exhibition. The series sums up the underlying message of the exhibition. Although a person is relative to an other, he or she is finally not more than a delay or a reflection from other residents.

Shame, 2014, oil on canvas, 180 x 280 cm

I am - a reflection of you, 2014, oil on canvas, 130 x 160 cm

We, 2014, oil on canvas, 120 x 130 cm