A monumental exhibition celebrating the artist and author Tove Jansson opens at Helsinki Art Museum on October 25 as part of a series of events held around the country, to mark the 80th anniversary of the Moomins.
Jansson (born in 1914 and part of a minority of Swedish-speaking Finns) wrote the first of her Moomin novels, “The Moomins and The Great Flood”, in 1945, with a further eight books (plus five picture books) released over the following 48 years. The characters are beloved by children and adults around the globe.
So popular are the Moomins in Jansson’s native Finland that in 1993, the year of her final Moomin picture book ‘Songs from the Moominvalley”, a Moomin-inspired theme park was opened in Kailo, designed after Jansson’s drawings. The author’s birthday, August 9, is also celebrated across the country, as Finnish Art Day.
Tove Jansson in her studio © Eva Konikoff.
According to legend, the inspiration for the series of characters came from a warning Jansson received from her uncle as a child. He said that a “Moomintroll” lived in his kitchen and would punish her if she stole food. The design for the white, almost hippopotamus-like beings, were apparently born out of an unkind caricature Jansson drew of the philosopher Immanuel Kant.
Although her legacy is certainly dominated by the popularity of the Moomins, Jansson had her own successful art practice separate from her work as a children’s book illustrator and author. Having studied art in both Stockholm and Paris, Jansson mounted seven solo shows in Finland during her lifetime and was commissioned to create major murals across the country. She also illustrated the books of other authors including J. R. R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit” and Lewis Caroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland“.
Tove Jansson, Bird Blue (1953) © Tove Jansson Estate. Photo: HAM / Maija Toivanen.
Jansson’s life, particularly her lifelong partnership with the artist Tuulikki Pietilä (which began more than a decade before the decriminalization of homosexuality in Finland) was the focus of a 2020 biopic. “Tove” was directed by Zaida Begroth and starred Alma Pöysti.
The new exhibition “Tove Jansson: Paradise” celebrates Jansson’s illustrious career with a focus on the murals she created during the 1940s and 1950s. These were mostly made in Helsinki, where Jansson was born and spent the vast majority of her life. Sites included the City Hall restaurant, a children’s hospital, a local electromechanical factory, and a girls’ school.
Tove Jansson, sketch for Bird Blue (1953) © Tove Jansson Estate. Photo: HAM / Kirsi Halkola.
“Tove Jansson’s created her public works during Finland’s postwar reconstruction period, aiming to spread hope and joy” Arja Miller, the Museum Director of Helsinki Art Museum told Artnet News. “[This show] celebrates her remarkable range as an artist, while emphasizing her desire to bring hope and delight to everyday life. In today’s ever-changing, often uncertain world, her work feels more relevant than ever—reminding us of the power of art to inspire, uplift, and create a sense of connection.”
Tove Jansson, Party in the City (1947) © Tove Jansson Estate. Photo: HAM / Hanna Kukorelli.
More than 180 objects and artworks relating to Jansson’s public art projects are on display, taking up over 4,200 square feet across two floors of Helsinki Art Museum. HAM will also be celebrating the 10th anniversary since its reopening in 2015 following major renovations. Jansson’s murals Party in the Countryside and Party in the City (both created in 1947) are part of HAM’s permanent collection.
Tove Jansson, Niilo Suihko and Party in the City © Per Olov Jansson.
Also included are six life-size charcoal mural sketches, which have never been displayed publicly before. In fact, many were unrolled for the first time since their creation for their inclusion in this show. In addition to preparatory paintings and sketches, there are photographs, works on glass, videos and book covers. One such cover will be for Jansson’s popular 1972 novel “The Summer Book”. A film adaption starring Glenn Close premiers this month at London’s BFI Film Festival.
Tove Jansson, Party in the Countryside (1947) © Tove Jansson Estate. Photo: HAM / Hanna Kukorelli.
Jansson’s debut solo show was held at the Bäcksbacka’s Konstsalongen gallery in 1943, and paintings loaned from the collection of the Bäcksbacka family will be on display in the exhibition. Visitors to HAM will also be given a sneak-preview of a new documentary following Jansson’s creation of her only altarpiece, which she made for Teuva Church in South Ostrobothnia in 1953.
Unrolling of Tove Jansson’s preparatory charcoal studies at HAM: sketch for Bird Blue (1953) © Tove Jansson Estate. Photo: HAM / Maija Toivanen.
James Zambra, a relative of Jansson and the Creative Director at Moomin Characters Ltd. told Artnet News that the show is a “a deeply personal and meaningful celebration of Tove’s legacy” and that there’s “no better way to kick off celebrating 80 years since the debut of her first story in the Moomin series.”
“Tove Jansson: Paradise” is on view at HAM from October 25 to April 6 2025.