Heikki Portaankorva

Hybrids

I find the cubistic ideas of multiple views more fascinating than actual paintings, so this theme started as my attempt to continue what the cubists had achieved. Soon I realised that with my style it wasn’t going to be easy but almost impossible. Also I knew Hockney had already tried it and with better results.

When I visited The Asian Art Museum Gimet in Paris, I was very impressed with what I saw. Some of those ancient eastern sculptures gave me a better idea of how to depict movement and multiple views when you look at your objects.

After all, my paintings became sort of studies about how awkwardly the East mixes with the West. I’ve seen some Asian art books which introduce their versions of the impressionistic painting. To a western eye they look quite kitschy and I suppose so do mine to their eastern eyes.