Gunnar Pohjola - Come here

Gunnar Pohjola (b. 1927, Tyrvää, d. 2008 Tampere) was a printmaker, painter, and professor of art. His works, tinged with surrealism, explore everyday life in all its beauty and hardship. Pohjola’s pieces are often small watercolours or drawings that convey intense emotions upon closer inspection.

The small scale and minimalism of his works create a delicate and playful atmosphere. His subjects vary widely, but particularly after 1978, Pohjola entered a period of deep focus on animals. That year, the Pohjola family acquired a summer cottage, where the artist encountered a variety of creatures in nature, including birds, butterflies, and caterpillars. These elements have remained present in his art over the years. The mood of his gouache paintings is especially sensitive, often combined with gentle humour. In these cheerful works, the experiences of animals and humans merge, creating a sense of shared empathy.