STUDIES

1990            Master of Arts, University of Art and Design, Helsinki

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SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2022.           Glasshouse, Helsinki Nemus - Forest

2022            Valo  Gallery, Rovaniemi, Time, Place, Light

2021            Jyväskylä  Art museum, Turku Arthalli, Nordic Photocentrum, Oulu, Whose Nature?

2021            Kainuu Museum, Kajaani, North-Karelian Museum Joensuu: Suomen itä

2020            Kuopion Museum, South-Karelian Museum: Suomen itä

2019            Lihula Muusikapäevad, Estonia

2019            The Finnish Museum of Photograph, Helsinki, Festival of Political Photography: Potentiality

2017            Lokal, Helsinki, Encanted Forest

2017            Hossa nationalpark opening, Suomussalmi, Ritva Kovalainen: They're so hopeful, so green

2017            Kerava Artmuseum, Green Land – Blooming City

2016            Kuopio museum, Hundred years –hundred pictures

2016            Nordic photographic center, Oulu, Hundred years –hundred pictures

2015            Embassy of Finland, Washington, USA, Trees are Poems, Albrecht, Eskola, Kovalainen & Sammallahti

2015            Pyhäniemi Mannor, Pyhäniemi, Hollola

2014            Gallery Gumbostrand, Sipoo, FI Shout and whisper, Ritva Kovalainen & Sampsa Sarparanta

2013            Sinebrycoff Art Museum, Helsinki, Trees are Poems, Albrecht, Eskola, Kovalainen & Sammallahti

2012            Nordic Light Festival, Kristiansund, Norway

2011            Serlachius-museum, Mänttä FI, Forest

2011            An Event of Contemporary Art, Hyvinkää, FI, Sense of wood, XII TAJU -

2010            Festival Surpas, Portbou, ES, Vida local, Kovalainen, Seppo, Turunen

2010            Joensuu Art Museum, Luvassa Lämpenevää

2010            Fiskars, Kuparipaja, FI, Wood Works

2009            Gallery Luova, Helsinki, New Prints

2009            Awagami Paper Factory Gallery Tokushima, Kamiyama Artist reidence-gallery, Japan, Tree People,

                    Kovalainen, Nireki, Seppo

2007            Tennis Palace Art Museum, Helsinki, Kuntsi Museum of Modern Art, Vaasa, FI, My Country!

2007            The Finnish Stone Center, Juuka FI, Face to Face with the landscape,

2006            Kulturbahnhof Eller, Düsseldorf, Germany, Rangebiete, J. Eskildsen, R.Kovalainen, E. Männikkö, P. Turunen

2006            Salo Art Museum, FI, Green Art

2006            Sanoma House, Helsinki and Victor Barsokevitch –gallery, Kuopio, Foto Finlandia

2005            Kutur Bahnhof Eller, Düsseldorf, Germany, Von Blaupause bis Edeldruck

2005            Wäinö Aaltonen Museum of Art, Turku, Finland, Breakfast on the Quay

2004            CAP-house, Kobe, Japan, Both Sides

2004            Photofesta Maputo, Mosambik, The Eyes of a Woman

2004            Turku Art Museun, Finland, Concerning the commonplace

2004-2006   Impressions Gallery, York, Art Institute at Bournemouth - Gallery, and Dick institute, Killmarnock,

                    Tulley House and Art Gallery in Carlisle, GB, Facing East

2003            Otso-gallery, Espoo, Finland, Both Sides

2003            Tolosa Art Museum, Es, Dimensio Nordico

2003            Frombork and Puoltsuk, Poland, Ethics of Ecology

2002            Mänttä Art Festival, FI, Environments

1999            Gallen-Kallela Museum, Espoo and Nordic House in Reykjavik Iceland, Long Live Kalevala!

1998–99       Stockholm Metro, Sweden, UNDER/EXPOSE

1998            Fotografi Gallerie NK, Lillehammer, Norway, Nordisk Kunstnerisk Fotografi

1997            Ancient & Modern gallery,  Michigan, USA, Prints, with Pentti Sammallahti and Kristoffer Albrecht,

1997            Kuopio Art Museum, Hello Forest

1996            St Petersburg, Russia, Helsinki-St Petersburg, Exhibition of Young Artists

1994            Museum of Photographic Art in Tallinn, Estonia, Three Finnish Photographers

1993            Acquario Romano, Italy, Corporacion Cultural de la Condes, Santiago de Chile,Una Luce dal Nord

1992            Around Europe and South America, Decennium

1992            Artina Gallery Helsinki, Making Visible, Ritva Kovalainen and Ipi Kärki

1992            Kerava Art Museum, Finnice

1991            Diplo Florence, Italy, Exhibition of Artist books

1991            Arles France and around Europe, Kodak Award

1991            Mikkeli Art Museum. FI, M’ars EXIT

1991            Strand Gallery Oulu, Norbottens Museum Luleå and Fotogallery Lund, Sweden, Body of Nature

1991            Finnish Museum of Photography in Helsinki, Fotofinlandia

1988            Arthall, Helsinki, Where?

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SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS (Ritva Kovalainen and Ritva Kovalainen & Sanni Seppo co-operation)

2023           Kajaani Art Museum, Forest of the North Wind, Ritva Kovalainen & Sanni Seppo

2022           The Finnish Museum of Photography, K1, Helsinki, Forest of the North Wind, Ritva Kovalainen & Sanni Seppo

2020           Gallery Teijo Masuuni, Salo          

2019           Laterna Magica, Helsinki, Rooms for Trees

2018           Galleri Majnabbe,  Göteborg, Sweden Ritva Kovalainen, Ritva Kovalainen & Sanni Seppo

2018           Light Factory, Charlotte NC, USA, Tree People, Ritva Kovalainen & Sanni Seppo

2014           Centro De  Arte Alcobendas, Madrid, ES, El Bosque Dorado, Ritva Kovalainen, Sanni Seppo

2013           Centro Andaluz de la Fotografía, Almeria ES, El Bosque Dorado, Ritva Kovalainen, Sanni Seppo

2012            Alma Gallery, Söderlångvik, FI, Under a tree

2011-12       Helsinki Art Museum, Jyväskylä Art museum, Hämeenlinna Art museum, Kuopio Art Museum Golden Forest,

                    Ritva Kovalainen & Sanni Seppo

2008            Around Slovakia and Czech republic, Tree People, Ritva Kovalainen & Sanni Seppo

2005-08       Salo Art Museum, Victor Barsokevitsch  Photographic Centre, Kuopio, Hippolyte Gallery Helsinki, FI,

                    Side Gallery, Newcastle UK, Land of Beautiful Horses

2005            Länsmuseet Västernorrland, Härnosand, and Skosmoseet, Lycksele, Sverige , Tree People, Kovalainen & Seppo

2001-02       Gallery Peri Turku, Hämeenlinna Castle, Strand Gallery Oulu FI, When a Child a Child Was

1999            Zebra Gallery, Karis FI, Once in a Lifetime

1999            Rotterdam, Netherlands, and around Belgium
1998            Finnish Institute in Paris, France, Petites Series Singing Tree,

1997–2001  Touring exhibition in the art museums of eleven Finnish cities, beginning with Hämeenlinna Art Museum,

                    Tree People, Ritva Kovalainen and Sanni Seppo

1996            Gallery Peri, Turku FI, Pictures from Tanzania

1993            Gallery Peri Turku FI, Fotografisk galleri Copenhagen Denmark, Photographs

1992-1993   Fotofest happening, Estonia and Finland, Sticks

1991            Laterna Magica, Helsinki, KJIK

1990-1991   Soardi Gallery Nice France, Hippolyte Gallery Helsinki, Strand Gallery Oulu FI Photographs

1984            Hippolyte Gallery Helsinki, Strand Gallery Oulu, Kajaani Art Museum,  No Man's Land

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BOOKS

2023.           Pohjoistuulen metsä, R.Kovalainen and S.Seppo (Hiilinielu Tuotanto & Miellotar)

2019            Meren maa – Havets land, Ritva Kovalainen & Pekka Turunen (John Nurmisen Säätiö)                   

2017            Det här vill jag säga , photos & design,  R.Kovalainen (Hiilinielu Tuotanto)

2017            Crooked and Wild, R.Kovalainen (Musta taide)

2014            Tree People (Puiden kansa) new editions by R.Kovalainen and S.Seppo

2009            Silvicultural operations, (Metsänhoidollisia toimenpiteitä), a photographic book  (Hiilinielu Tuotanto & Miellotar)

2006            Tree People / Das Wolk Der Bäume, new editions by R.Kovalainen and S.Seppo

2005            Talande Träd, a photographic book about trees in Kimito

2005            Land of Beautiful Horses, a photographic book, Like, Helsinki

2001            When a Child a Child Was, a photographic book (Hiilinelu Tuotanto)

2000            Sagalund – min kostsamma leksak, a photographic book of Sagalund Museum, Kemiö (Li Näse,

                     Ritva Kovalainen & Pekka Turunen)

1997 (1998)  Tree People (Puiden kansa), a book about the mythical and spiritual meaning of trees and forests,

                     by Ritva Kovalainen and Sanni Seppo (Pohjoinen and Hiilinelu Tuotanto)

1990             Untiteled, a photographic book (Opus)

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PORTFOLIOS

2013            Trees are poems, Albrecht, Eskola, Kovalainen, Sammallahti (edition 40)

2013            A Dansing God of Tree, portfolio (edition 8)

2007            New Prints, Albrecht, Eskola, Kelaranta, Kovalainen, Sammallahti (edition 15)

2001            AXIS- graphic art from Finland (Edited by Kari Holopainen, edition 50)

1992            Sticks portfolio (Opus, edition 400)

1991            KJIK portfolio (Musta taide, Opus)

1986            Earth Holds Them All, (Maa pitää kaikki) portfolio of Canadian Indians (TAIK edition 100)

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SELECTED VIDEOS AND MULTIMEDIA

2021            Virtaava metsä – Flowing forest, shortfilm, 19 min    

2020            Poecile Poetica, shortfilm, 14 min 

2011            Forest Talk, shortfilm, Ritva Kovalainen, Sanni Seppo and Ville Tanttu

2007            End of the Rainbow, documentary shortfilm, Ritva Kovalainen & Sanni Seppo

2000            Searching for the Forest (Metsää etsimässä) multimedia artwork, Ritva Kovalainen & Sanni Seppo,

                    Production of Maaseudun Sivistysliitto, Carbon Sink Partnership and Sanni Seppo

1986            One Night Stop, video for Commercial TV in Finland/Drama (Pekka Turunen)

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PUBLIC WORKS

2023            Satasairala S-hospital, Pori, Ritva Kovalainen & Tuuli Turunen: Riippumatot ja Aamiainen rannalla 

2021            Hovirinta school building, Kaarina, several works

2021            Aikamatka – Tidsresan, Taalintehdas Artpark, Ritva Kovalainen & Tuuli Turunen  

2015            Forest,  Winter, Beach, Night tree, Fallen tree and So small we grew,

                    Silva, a daycare center of Kemiönsaari

2007            Birches, ITE-Medical center, Joensuu (R. Kovalainen and S. Seppo)

2005            Caught in a ‘forest-cover’, Metsätalo, University of Helsinki (R. Kovalainen)

2001            Tree of Happiness, Relief in Metsätalo, University of Helsinki (R. Kovalainen and S. Seppo)

2004            Cabines on trees, Joensuu Training School (R. Kovalainen and S. Seppo)

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COLLECTIONS

Paulo Foundation, Finland

Jyväskylä Artmuseum

Finnish Museum of Photography, Helsinki

Collections of the State of Finland

Collections of the Parliament of Finland

Wäinö Aaltonen Art Museum, Turku, Finland

Espoo Art Museum, Finland

Collections of Kodak, Finland

Collection of Photographs of the Royal Library in Copenhagen, Denmark

Statens Museum for Kunst, Denmark

Kuopio Art Museum, Finland

Finnish Forest Museum, Punkaharju, Finland

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MEMBERSHIPS

Member of the Finnish Union of Artist Photographers

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PRIZES

Artist Professor, Finnish state grant,  2015-

Finnish Art Society, Literature Prize, 2009

Environmental Action Award, 2006

Suomi (Finland) Prize, Finnish state award for artists, 1997

Finnish Kodak Award, 1991

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