Harri Leppänen

Harri Leppänen, a graphic artist and sculptor (b. 1952) lives and works in Porvoo in the south of Finland and in Spain. He is one of the founders of the Finnish Paper Art Association and thanks to his initiative, there is an artist's residence and a studio available to Finnish artists in Oaxaca; Mexico.


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Curriculum Vitae

Harri Leppänen
Harri Leppänen has masterfully used paper as a material for his sculptures in various ways. He began his career as a graphic artist in the beginning of the 80’s by printing magnificient stone lithographs. Now he has developed a new way of lithography printing, using gilded handmade linen paper for the prints. Even thogh the dashingly beautiful surface structure of his works is clearly visible also on the computer screen, one can only imagine how the changes of light give an extra touch to them in reality.

CURRICULUM VITAE
Studies
M.A. in Media Studies, University of Tampere 1978

Participation in major group exhibitions in Finland since 1980

One-man Shows

Galleria Katariina, Helsinki 1983
Taidegraafikot -galleria, Helsinki 1985
Galleria 5, Kouvola 1985
Galleria Sculptor, Helsinki 1987
Lilla Galleriet, Helsingborg, Sweden 1987
Taidegraafikot -galleria, Helsinki 1989
Joensuu Art Museum 1991
Galleria G, Helsinki 1992
Galleria Uusikuva, Kotka 1992
Galleria Harmonia, Jyväskylä 1993
Paper Art Gallery, Kuusankoski 1994
TM-galleria, Helsinki 1995
Galleri Bergman, Gothenburg, Sweden 1996
Wanha Kappalaisentalo, Porvoo 1998
Ama Gallery - www.amagallery.net, 1998
Galleria G, Helsinki 1999
Galleria Paula Väänänen, Turku 1999
Suomi-Viro Instituutti, Tallinna, 1999
Villa Jankovski, Kajaani, 2000
Galleria Katariina, Helsinki, 2001
Museo Malkki, Tampere, 2003

Exhibitions Abroad
New Delhi, Intia 1985
Finska Grafiker i Danmark 1985
Finnish Printmaking in Ireland/Scotland 1986
Contemporary Finnish Printmaking, Albany USA 1988
Tio Finska, Tukholma 1988
5th Biennial of European Graphic Art, Baden-Baden 1988
8th Tallinn Graphic Triennial 1989
Imprimo Printmaking, Pecs, Unkari 1990
Finnish Printmaking, Tanzania/Zanzibar 1991
ARCO-92, Madrid/Vaal Galleria
Vaal-ryhmä, Collegio de Arquitectos, Galleria de Arte, Malaga 1992
Paper Art, National Gallery, Bangkok 1992
Paper USA/Finland, Contrast and Connections, USA 1992-1994
ARCO-93, Madrid/Vaal Galleria
Stockholm Art Fair 1994
Papier Klingen, Mönchengladbach 1995
Gross Museum, Leipzig 1996
Paper Road, IAPMA-Biennial, Kööpenhamina 1996
Härnösands Konsthalle 1996
Print Triennial '97, Krakova 1997
Letters From Russia, Borey Art Centre, Pietari 1997
Masters of Printers -Biennial, Györ, Unkari 1998
La Revolución del Papel, IAGO, Oaxaca, Meksiko 1998
Paper + Finland = Art
American Craft Museum, New York 1998; The Art Gallery of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, 2000; Galerie Montcalme, Hulm/Artbourfornt Centre, Toronto, Canada, 2001;  Susquehanna Art Museum, Harrisburg, 2001; Nash Gallery, Minneapolis, 2001
Holland Paper Biennial, Museum Rijswijk, Hollanti, 1998
11th Tallinn Print Triennial 1998
Shaumburg Art Museum, Chicago, 1998
Alphabet of New Symbolism, Little Hall of Union of Artists, St Petersburg, 1998
Mingei Museum, San Diego, 1999
Triennale '97, Nürnberg, Saksa, 1999
Museo d'Art Moderna in Rio de Janeiro, Brasilia, 1999
New Language of Art, St Petersburg, 1999
Art Invible, Bratislava, Slovakia 1999
Russian and Finnish Prints, Academy Art Gallery, St Petersburg, 2000
Kalingrad Print Biennial, Venäjä, 2000
Triennaali - Krakowa, Puola, 2000
Northern Borders, Fine Art Gallery, Georgia Perimeter College, USA, 2001
POP; Menas, Klapeida ja Vilna, Liettua, 2001
Paper Abstraction, St Petersburg, 2002
Three Dimensions, Jam Hall, St Petersburg, 2003
II International Art Biennial, Novosibirsk, 2003

Works in Collections
Aine Art Museum
Museum of Modern Art of Finland
Helsinki City Art Museum
Tampere Art Museum
Joensuu Art Museum
Kuopio Art Museum
Kouvola Art Museum
Alvar Aalto Museum, Jyväskylä
Porvoo Art Museum
Relander Art Museum, Kokkola
Wihuri Collection
Leonardo da Vilhu Foundation
Prizes
Ducat Award of the Finnish Fine Art Association 1985
Young Artist of the Year Award, Tampere Art Association 1987
Teaching Activities
Art Academy of Finland, Helsinki 1987-1992
Memberships
Society of Finnish Graphic Artists
Finnish Paper Art Association