Tyylin aika - Claire Aho, Taidehalli 29.4. - 7.8.2011
MUOTIA, MAINOKSIA JA KANSIKUVIA 1950–1967
Helsingin Taidehallissa herkutellaan 1950- ja 60-lukujen tyylillä. Aikakauden keskeisen valokuvaajan Claire Ahon muoti-, mainos- ja kansikuvat on ensimmäistä kertaa koottu näyttelyksi. Ahon värikylläiset ja humoristiset valokuvat välittävät tunnelmia aikakaudesta, jonka kuluessa salonkimuodin elegantit luomukset vaihtuivat reippaiksi mariraidoiksi, sukkanauhaliivien ylivalta alkoi murtua ja koneistettu keittiö teki tuloaan.
Helsinki-kuviensa näyttelyllä viime kesänä ihastuttanut Claire Aho (s. 1925) on suomalaisen värivalokuvauksen uranuurtajia. Juhani Ahon ja taidemaalari Venny Soldan-Brofeldtin lapsenlapsi sai ensimmäisen kameransa 10-vuotiaana. Hän oppi jo lapsena kuvasommittelun perusteet valokuvatessaan isoäitinsä maalauksia. Aho aloitti ammattiuransa uutisfilmien kuvaajana isänsä ja setänsä maineikkaassa Aho & Soldan -filmaustoimistossa.
Väri tuli aikakauslehtiin1950-luvun alussa. Aho & Soldanilla Claire Aho sai tehtäväkseen värivalokuvauksen kehittämisen. Aho valokuvasi mm. Eevaan, Sorjaan, Viikkosanomiin ja Hopeapeiliin. Nuoret Lenita Airisto ja Pirkko Mannola nähtiin ensi kertaa aikakauslehtien kansissa Claire Ahon kuvaamana. Aholla oli taito tavoittaa malliensa luonnollisuus ja herkkyys.
Claire Aho kuvasi paljon muotia lehtiin ja mainoksiin, olihan suomalainen vaatetusteollisuus tuolloin voimissaan. Ahon asiakkaita olivat mm. Suomen Trikoo ja Figura, jolle hän teki näyttävän kuvasarjan Figura-liivien valmistuksesta. Alusvaatemallien kasvot jätettiin vielä häveliäästi piiloon. Näyttelyssä päästään kurkistamaan myös studion kulissien taakse kuvaustilanteisiin, joissa mallit hikoilivat studiolamppujen paahteessa ja lakana-, laatikko- ja siimaviritelmillä rakennettiin illuusioita.
Age of Elegance - Claire Aho, Kunsthalle Helsinki April 29 - August 7, 2011
FASHION, ADS AND COVERS 1950–1967
Relishing the style of the 1950s and 60s, Kunsthalle Helsinki presents the first-ever exhibition of the fashion, advertisement and cover photographs of Claire Aho, a leading photographer of that age. Through colourful and humorous pictures, Age of Elegance recreates the atmosphere of a period when elegant couture creations were replaced by jazzy Marimekko stripes, when the supremacy of the garter belt began to crumble and the latest high-tech craze was the mechanised kitchen.
Claire Aho (b. 1925) is a pioneer of Finnish colour photography whose exhibition of photographs from Helsinki drew audiences last summer. Grandchild of the author Juhani Aho and the painter Venny Soldan-Brofeldt, Claire Aho obtained her first camera at the age of ten. She learned the basics of composition already as a child by photographing her grandmother's paintings. Aho began her professional career as a news camera operator in the famous filming office run by her father and uncle, Aho & Soldan.
Colour printing was first used in periodicals in the early 1950s. Claire Aho was put in charge of the development of colour photography at Aho & Soldan. She photographed for several magazines, including Eeva, Sorja, Viikkosanomat and Hopeapeili. The young Finnish celebrities Lenita Airisto and Pirkko Mannola first appeared on magazine covers in photographs taken by Aho. She had a knack for capturing the natural sensitivity of her subjects.
Claire Aho photographed a lot of fashion for magazines and advertisements; this was the heyday of the Finnish textile industry. Aho's customers included Suomen Trikoo and Figura, for whom she shot an impressive series on the manufacture of Figura bras, corsets and girdles. In lingerie ads, the models’ faces were modestly concealed. The exhibition also includes a look behind the scenes at shooting sessions, where models sweated under the glare of studio lamps and illusions were created with the aid of bedsheets, boxes and wire.
AGE OF ELEGANCE – Claire Aho Fashion, Advertisements and Magazine Covers 1950–67 KUNSTHALLE HELSINKI 29 APRIL – 7 AUGUST 2011
RELISHING THE STYLE OF THE 1950S AND 60S, KUNSTHALLE HELSINKI PRESENTS THE FIRST-EVER EXHIBITION OF THE FASHION, ADVERTISEMENT AND COVER PHOTOGRAPHS OF CLAIRE AHO, A LEADING PHOTOGRAPHER OF THAT AGE. THROUGH COLOURFUL AND HUMOROUS PICTURES, AGE OF ELEGANCE RECREATES THE ATMOSPHERE OF A PERIOD WHEN ELEGANT COUTURE CREATIONS WERE REPLACED BY JAZZY MARIMEKKO STRIPES, WHEN THE SUPREMACY OF THE GARTER BELT BEGAN TO CRUMBLE AND THE LATEST HIGH-TECH CRAZE WAS THE MECHANISED KITCHEN.
Claire Aho (b. 1925) is a pioneer of Finnish colour photography whose exhibition of photographs from Helsinki drew audiences last summer. Grandchild of the author Juhani Aho and the painter Venny Soldan-Brofeldt, Claire Aho obtained her first camera at the age of ten. She learned the basics of composition already as a child by photographing her grandmother’s paintings. Aho began her professional career as a news camera operator in the famous filming office run by her father and uncle, Aho & Soldan.
Colour printing was first used in periodicals in the early 1950s. Claire Aho was put in charge of the development of colour photography at Aho & Soldan. She photographed for several magazines, including Eeva, Sorja, Viikkosanomat and Hopeapeili. The young Finnish celebrities Lenita Airisto and Pirkko Mannola first appeared on magazine covers in photographs taken by Aho. She had a knack for capturing the natural sensitivity of her subjects.
Claire Aho photographed a lot of fashion for magazines and advertisements; this was the heyday of the Finnish textile industry. Aho’s customers included Suomen Trikoo and Figura, for whom she shot an impressive series on the manufacture of Figura bras, corsets and girdles. In lingerie ads, the models’ faces were modestly concealed. The exhibition also includes a look behind the scenes at shooting sessions, where models sweated under the glare of studio lamps and illusions were created with the aid of bedsheets, boxes and wire.
Age of Elegance was compiled from photographs in Claire Aho’s extensive archives by Merja Salo, Professor at the Department of Media of the Aalto University School of Art and Design, working with Taru Tappola, Deputy Director of the Kunsthalle, and J Brofeldt, the artist’s son. The exhibition’s architecture and visual identity were designed by Klaus Aalto and Jaakko Pesonen. The faded original photographs were restored to their original splendour at Otavamedia under the direction of Jarmo Wright.
The main sponsors of the exhibition are Anna, Kotiliesi and Suomen Kuvalehti magazines. The exhibition has also received funding from the Arts Council of Finland and the Patricia Seppälä Foundation
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Kaija Suni, Communications Manager, +358 40 4514 772 or Taru Tappola, Director of Kunsthalle, +358 45 77314 357. Email: firstname.lastame@taidehalli.fi
