Rediscovering the cultural wealth and natural beauty of Northern Italy was a welcome journey and start to the New Year, 2024! As an art-student in London in 1967, it was exciting to discover, for the first time – so many fine Italian Renaissance painters, sculptors and architects. Now – more than 55 years later – I was introducing Ken, a scientist and my dear life-companion, to this extraordinary wealth of Italian creativity…Our memorable journey began in late February 2024 in Venice…continued to Padua, Verona, Milan, Ravenna, Urbino, Assisi, Perugia, Arezzo, Siena and finally ended in Florence, 6 weeks later – an inspiring, veritable feast of Italian visual and cultural wonders.
September-October 2023
Alison took an 11,000 km journey from the West to the East coast of the USA with her life partner Ken. They explored some of the contrasting, natural wonders, America’s diverse history, along with its original inhabitants, the Native Americans. Alison also learnt about the art-works of Western US artists she had never heard of and was mightily impressed by several museums along the way.
Particularly striking was the Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation in South Dakota’s Black Hills: the world’s largest sculpture! It is a moving testament to oppressed Native Americans and Lakota Chief Crazy Horse’s head (27m.high) was completed in l998. The images below describe the scale of the challenge being carried on by children and grandchildren of the sculptor – Korczak Ziolkowski.
July 2023
Eeva, a Finnish women’s magazine, published an article (page 48) on Alison, her travels, her family and her art-work.
Following the excitement and heart-warming event of her retrospective exhibition, Alison took a relaxing break, to reconnect with her childhood roots in Portugal. The journey began in Porto with an exploration of this historic city, the winding Douro River, as well as magnificent flower-filled landscapes and medieval stone cottages in remote villages.
April 2023
Article about the exhibition has been published in HBL newspaper. The piece can be read here.
“Alison Wiklund: An Artist’s Journey” has also video documentation available on Youtube.
Alison was a guest in The Visit podcast. She shared glimpses of her studio as well as her life story, travels and details about her art practice. The full audio conversation with host Leda Vaneva is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. The video version of the talk is on Youtube.
Preparations are ongoing for the distribution of a book and a retrospective exhibition – both entitled “Alison Wiklund: An Artist’s Journey” at Kaapelitehdas, Helsinki, Finland – from 22nd March to 10th April 2023. The retrospective exhibition of Alison’s art-work, spanning over 6 decades, as well as her book – will reflect the evolution of her artistic output, her travels and the influence of Oriental cultures.
Both Alison’s book and the exhibition will also emphasize the importance of including art, as a subject and tool, in environmental education. A central theme in the exhibition is also the role of Alison’s sketch-book which has always been an essential part of her personal hand-bag. Whether living in Finland or during her many travelling expeditions, her sketch-book has been a powerful tool and a talisman. It is a simple means to communicate, share ideas and cultivate friendships with all cultures.
The exhibition will also include 2 workshops with two Helsinki High Schools: Tolo Gymnasium High School (Swedish-speaking) and Helsingin Kuvataidelukio (Finnish-speaking Visual Arts School, founded in 1925). These 2 workshops will focus on making hand-made paper, using organic waste. Alison’s former students from Malawi and Nicaragua will be leading these workshops. Furthermore, the public will have an opportunity throughout the exhibition to learn how to creatively recycle.
October 2020 – Grönqvist Stiftelse Award
Alison is deeply honoured to have been awarded a stipend in recognition of her artistic production from the Helene & Walter Grönqvist Foundation which has helped make this exhibition possible.
