Ismo Hölttö
Ismo Hölttö, "City Center Construction Site, Helsinki 1966"
Photograph, pigment print ed. 1/7 + 2 AP, signed and stamped a tergo. Image size 88 x 74 cm. Sheet size 112 x 85 cm. The edition is linked to the size of the work.
The general impression is good. Unframed.
Exhibitions
European Photographer (Europäische Fotografen), West Berlin, West Germany 1967; Helsinki Art Museum, Helsinki 2000-2001, Galleria Nykyaika, Tampere 2006; Finnish Museum of Photography, Helsinki, 2008; Vaasa Art Hall, Vaasa 2011; Ateneum Art Museum, Helsinki 2015; Kuntsi Museum of Modern Art, Vaasa 2015-2016; Helsinki City Museum, Helsinki 2020-2021.
Literature
"Ihminen pääosassa (People in the Lead Role)", Ismo Hölttö, Helsinki, 1989, p. 133; "Kohtaamisia 1960-luvun Helsingissä (Encounters in 1960s Helsinki)", Ismo Hölttö, Helsinki, 2021, p. 235.
More information
In the collection of: Ateneumin taidemuseo/Kansallisgalleria (Ateneum Art Museum/Finnish National Gallery).
Artist
Ismo Hölttö (b. 1940) is considered one of the greatest Finnish photographers of all time. Hölttö shot the main body of his artistic work during ten years between 1961 and 1970 while working as a goldsmith. The combination of his natural talent, social skills and the special time in history when he photographed his portraits resulted in photography that is also exceptional from an international point of view.
In 1970 Hölttö received a government grant for artistic work, quit his job as a goldsmith and founded his own studio. Hölttö continued to work in commercial photography until the year 2000 when he went into retirement.
Today Hölttö focuses his creative energy on croquis drawing that he started with already in 1964 when he went in to study drawing at Ateneum in his home town Helsinki. A familiar theme still runs in his art: the drawing are powerful, skillfully executed portraits of Finnish people.