Events

We are delighted to invite you to the opening of Emma Ainala’s solo show Delulufesting Dimension on Thursday, May 23, at 5–7p.m.!

Emma Ainala’s fourth solo exhibition at Helsinki Contemporary Delulufesting Dimension embarks on a freshly nuanced and deepening exploration of her signature themes: femininity and the gaze.

The term “delulufesting” is a portmanteau of the internet slang terms “delulu” and “manifesting”, both of which refer to the blurring of boundaries between reality and fantasy. Delulufesting Dimension takes us to a dimension where the digital and material worlds collide, and where reality is hybridized with dreams, wishes, and delusions. 

While her paintings’ content invokes the short-lived fads of the digital era, her work also alludes frequently to art history. Sometimes she might combine allusions to the mystical worlds of the Renaissance painter Hieronymus Bosch with references to hyper-specific TikTok trends in one and the same painting.

Womanhood and girlhood are long-standing themes in Ainala’s oeuvre. The figures in her latest paintings are portrayed in princess-like gowns and wedding veils, sometimes blending in with the ornate interiors. The figure’s gaze is usually averted, or her eyes are closed, or the head and eyes might be absent altogether. Bridal gowns and veils are trappings associated with the #bridalcore fashion trend that is on the rise on social media.

Delulufesting Dimension takes us to a dimension where the digital and material worlds collide, and where reality is hybridized with dreams, wishes, and delusions.

That said, every artist must inherently embrace a near-delusional conviction in a positive outcome. When painting or preparing an exhibition, the artist must cling to the unshakeable belief that something will eventually manifest out of thin air.  The artist must be able to picture the desired outcome and invest boundless trust in a process that is inherently indeterminate.

Emma Ainala’s Delulufesting Dimension will be on view at Helsinki Contemporary from May 24 to June 30.

Read more about the exhibition and the artist here