Jukka Kettunen

Finnish artist, Jukka Kettunen, takes much of his influences from history, culture and nature. After moving from Helsinki to London in 1989, he studied Art at Central St Martins. He then pursued a successful career in advertising as a Art/Creative Director both in London and Hong Kong. However, his passion for painting and printmaking has always remained strong. He has exhibited work in a number of places including London's legendary art space, The Foundry. He lives and works in London.

As previously known more as an abstract artist, Jukka's current work is more figurative, he takes traditional subjects and gives them a modern narrative. He uses a variety of media: from acrylic paints and stencilling to spray painting and image transfers. He is constantly sourcing new techniques to create multiple layers and textures. These ongoing innovations, combined with his love of traditional fine art and modernist Scandinavian designs, results in a highly expressive, beautiful body of work.

Here Jukka explains the process behind his original works: "I begin by photographing a simple detail – a face, a hand gesture, a symbol – which has been “shaped" over the years. This will form the focal point for the work. I then build up and mix in multiple images from different artists adding details from other works which I have captured over the years. 

Next, I digitally “collage" these elements and transfer them onto canvas using different media such as print, paint and pencil. This is the most challenging but most rewarding stage. It's impossible to know whether the transfer will succeed and how much of the original image will be remain. Sometimes, the transfer gets completely lost and yet, even when this happens, I sometimes take these new images and textures and work with them. After all, this too is merely a continuation of the artwork's evolution.  

Finally, after the image is transferred, I start painting. I use layers of gesso, acrylic paint, printer ink, spray paint and different glazes – matte, satin, gloss – all of which play an important role in my work. I paint, draw, sand, scratch and stencil. I may photograph the picture again. I may digitally modify it and transfer it back to the canvas and do so several times.

This is a completely spontaneous process. I make no preliminary sketches. I follow no preconceived directions. Art evolves over time in random ways - sometimes subtle, sometimes dramatic. The essence of this melting and reformation is at the heart of my work. Where it is today may change tomorrow. But then, that's the effect of Time's endless melting and reforming."