Cia Rinne, Paavo Paunu, and Maija Annikki Savolainen Headline Rauma Art Museum’s 2026 Program
News
Rauma Art Museum will present a diverse range of art and events throughout next year. The collection exhibition The Heart of Pinnala – Art Collections of the City of Rauma and Cia Rinne: Wasting My Grammar will remain on view until spring. In May, the museum will showcase Paavo Paunu’s installations, followed in October by Maija Annikki Savolainen’s multimedia exhibition.
– The Heart of Pinnala collection exhibition can be seen on the upper floor of Rauma Art Museum. It features 64 works by 64 different artists, offering a glimpse into the City of Rauma’s and the museum’s collection from the late 19th century to the present day, says museum curator Taina Myllyharju.
Completed at the end of the 18th century, Pinnala is the oldest privately built stone house in Rauma. Over the years, it has housed various shops, and since 1970, it has been used by Rauma Art Museum.
The exhibition Wasting My Grammar by Swedish-Finnish artist Cia Rinne will be on display until April 2, 2026. This marks the multi-award-winning artist’s first solo exhibition in a Finnish art museum.
Born in Sweden, Cia Rinne grew up in a multicultural environment and has spent most of her adult life in Finland, Germany, and Denmark. She has enjoyed a long and distinguished international career. Rinne received the State Prize for Literature in 2019 and, in the same year, the Prix littéraire Bernard Heidsieck – Centre Pompidou literary award.
– Wasting My Grammar is a multilingual work combining media art and installations that explores interaction, community, language, and communication, Myllyharju explains.
Paavo Paunu – May 9 to October 4, 2026
Paavo Paunu, a visual artist based in Rauma since 1999, creates works that strive to break free from their frames. His practice includes painting, sculpture, and site-specific installations characterized by delicate color schemes and ambiguous themes.
Paunu’s works have been featured in numerous exhibitions in Finland and abroad and are included in the collections of the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma, HAM Helsinki Art Museum, Pori Art Museum, and Tampere Art Museum, among others.
His 60th anniversary exhibition, curated by Harri Laakso, PhD, will primarily feature new works and take place in Paunu’s hometown.
Maija Annikki Savolainen – October 17, 2026 to March 28, 2027
Maija Annikki Savolainen, a photographic artist and doctoral researcher born in Turku in 1980, combines themes of women’s sailing culture with concerns about the Baltic Sea’s blue-green algae problem in her work.
Her research-based, multimedia practice integrates biology, photography, and her personal passion for sailing. The exhibition will feature documentary photography, graphics, and object installations. Savolainen is currently pursuing her doctorate at Aalto ARTS, and the exhibition forms part of her dissertation.
Events at the Rauma Art Museum
The Art Takes Over Pinnala event will take place on the museum’s lower floor from April 10 to 12, 2026. Visitors will have the opportunity to explore Rauma’s visual arts communities, enjoy the exhibitions, and participate in accompanying programs.
Pinnala TALKS public lectures will be held on Thursdays January 15, February 12, March 26, and May 21 from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. These talks will spotlight topics and figures related to Rauma’s visual arts and history.
The museum will also offer extended hours on Wednesdays February 21, March 18, and May 20 from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m., with voluntary admission during these times.
