Viena Mertsalmi (1924-2019)

Self-taught textile artist Viena Mertsalmi (b.1924 - d. 2019) was born into a large family in Padasjoki and learned the art of weaving as a child.
Mertsalmi had not completed secondary school but was nevertheless admitted to study textile art at the Ateneum, where she graduated in 1948.
After graduating, she worked mainly as a self-employed entrepreneur and as an interior designer for Asko furniture factory.
In the early 1970s, Mertsalmi moved her business to the village of Kauratte, where she came to employ several weavers in the following decades.
In the 1950s, trips to Italy inspired Mertsalmi to experiment and develop new types of art textiles. Among other things, she introduced copper thread into the weaving. Mertsalmi actively participated in several exhibitions from the 1960s onwards, both nationally and internationally. Her art works can be found in a wide range of public spaces, such as churches and libraries.