The Free Art School Celebrated Its 90th Anniversary with Exhibitions and Events

The anniversary exhibition Vapaa 90, which opened in spring at HAM Helsinki Art Museum, brought together both established figures and current practitioners connected to the school. In the exhibition, the legacy of modernism—colour, surface and abstraction—entered into dialogue with contemporary painting. At the same time, it made visible the school’s influence on the development of Finnish visual art.

Founded in 1935, the school emerged as an alternative to the academic teaching of its time. It was shaped by the idea of a freer mode of study, reminiscent of the free academies of Paris. Its founder, Maire Gullichsen, sought to create an environment in which painting is, above all, a practice.

That premise remains evident today. The Free Art School has maintained its position as an institution dedicated to painting at a time when visual art has expanded in many directions. At the core of its teaching are observation, colour, and the development of personal expression.

Published in conjunction with the anniversary year, the book 90 Years of Teaching Painting brings together the school’s history. It traces a trajectory from French-influenced modernism to the diverse field of contemporary painting, while highlighting artists who have left their mark on Finnish art.

Current students were also strongly represented throughout the year. The graduation exhibition Vapaa ’25 at Cable Factory (Puristamo) introduced a new generation of painters. Once again, the exhibition demonstrated that the school’s tradition is not static, but living and evolving.

In early 2026, a seminar on painting and architecture for invited guests, followed by an evening event, concluded the anniversary programme.

The milestone year was also built from smaller moments: open doors, discussions and encounters through which the school’s activities were shared with the public and alumni. In doing so, it made visible what often remains unseen—the sustained, decades-long commitment to painting.

The Free Art School’s 90th anniversary demonstrated that the significance of an institution does not arise from history alone. It lies in the ability to preserve its core ideas while continuing to renew itself. The school now moves into its next decade, and towards its centenary, still on the terms of painting.

We warmly thank Finnish Cultural Foundation, Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation, Swedish Cultural Foundation in Finland, Society of Swedish Literature in Finland, and Amos Anderson Art Foundation (Föreningen Konstsamfundet) for making the anniversary year possible.