In Finland, the 1970s is often perceived as a decade of political art that had a strong message. It was also the decade of Finlandisation, structural change and self-censorship. New trends were not adopted or developed readily in art. This is why many think of the 1970s as a period of stagnation. Yet there were several surprising trends and individual artists whose work warrants more attention.

After the 1960s, a decade of many great changes, art focussed on who it was made for and how. Subjects became more varied and artists started to portray their friends and families and depict home and street scenes. Printmaking and drawing were especially common techniques, which made art accessible for more people.

The exhibition presents Finnish art of the 1970s with more than 150 works that deal with personal, fantastical, direct, ironic and cunning topics. The exhibition is a visual journey to a period that is different from and yet surprisingly similar to ours.