Finnish ITE and Outsider Art Travels to Baltimore – Three Finnish Artists Featured in International Exhibition at American Museum

Finnish art is gaining international visibility in Baltimore, where works by Erkki Pekkarinen, Maima Tani and Satu Tani will be featured in Flaunt: When Appearance Speaks, the main exhibition at the American Visionary Art Museum. The exhibition opens on 10 October 2026 and will be on view through September 2027.

When Clothes Become More Than Clothes, Appearance Becomes Art

In Flaunt: When Appearance Speaks, clothing, the body and a wide range of materials become powerful means of self-expression. The exhibition features 12 artists from USA and Europe.

Distinctive Art from Birch Bark, Textiles and Cinematic Worlds

Erkki Pekkarinen, a master of birch bark weaving from Asikkala, Finland, is one of the best-known Finnish ITE artists. (ITE art is a term used in Finland for self-taught creators of visual contemporary folk art. The name is an abbreviation of the words ‘Itse Tehty Elämä‘ = ‘Self-Made Life’.) His full outfit made entirely of birch bark, complete with accessories, will be shown for the first time in an international museum exhibition. Pekkarinen is known for his virtuoso birch bark weaving and his record-breaking birch bark footwear. His work combines traditional craftsmanship with a highly distinctive artistic expression.

The works of Helsinki-based Maima and Satu Tani, meanwhile, include imaginative, cinematic costumes and short films. The sisters’ artistic practice combines visual art, making by hand and a strong, distinctive visual world.

Bringing Pekkarinen’s works to the exhibition has been made possible through collaboration between the Asikkala Local Heritage Association, Lahti Museums and Maaseudun Sivistysliitto MSL (Association for Rural Culture and Education in Finland). The collaboration also builds on the MSL’s long-standing relationship with Jennifer Gilbert, one of the exhibition’s curators. The exhibition also includes photographs of Erkki Pekkarinen by Veli Granö.

“The Baltimore exhibition is yet another indication that Finnish ITE and outsider art is attracting interest within the international outsider and contemporary art scene,” says Raija Kallioinen, Cultural Producer at the MSL.

“Having my name mentioned in a museum exhibition as an artist is a dream come true for me. It feels like the years of working with my sister Maima as an artistic duo are now being seen and appreciated. It is also a great honour to be included in the same exhibition as a legend like Erkki Pekkarinen,” says Satu Tani.

Finnish ITE Art and the Outsider Art Scene

ITE art is a form of contemporary folk art that emerged in Finland, in which self-taught artists create distinctive works, often using everyday and unexpected materials. For three decades, the Maaseudun Sivistysliitto MSL has documented and presented ITE art both nationally and internationally.

Kettuki ry is a nationwide expert network and advocacy organisation in the field of art activities for people requiring additional support. Kettuki promotes opportunities for artists requiring additional support to study, pursue and work in the arts.

Flaunt: When Appearance Speaks

American Visionary Art Museum, Baltimore
10 October 2026–5 September 2027

American Visionary Art Museum – Flaunt: When Appearance Speaks
Jennifer Lauren Gallery – Flaunt: When Appearance Speaks

The Artists

Maima Tani (b. 1986) is a Helsinki-based artist who works at the Vallila Art Studio of Autism Foundation Finland, at home and together with her visual artist sister Satu. Maima Tani’s works have been exhibited in numerous contemporary and outsider art exhibitions in Finland and abroad. In 2025, she received the Kettuki Artist of the Year recognition, awarded to artists requiring additional support.

Satu Tani (b. 1984) is a visual artist from Helsinki and a doctoral researcher at the University of Lapland’s Faculty of Art and Design. Alongside her artistic practice, she works part-time as a nationwide mentor for artists requiring additional support in a Kettuki project funded by the Kone Foundation. She also works on her doctoral research examining the social agency of neurodivergent artists. Satu Tani’s artistic work is currently supported by the Finnish Arts and Culture Agency. The sisters are proudly neurodivergent.

Erkki Pekkarinen (b. 1936) is a master of birch bark weaving from Asikkala and one of Finland’s best-known ITE artists. His work is on display at the Tuohitalli exhibition space at the Asikkala Local Heritage Museum, where visitors can see a collection filled with highly skilled and inventive birch bark works. Pekkarinen’s public art can also be found in Vääksy: the five-metre-high Tuohipeikko (“Birch Bark Troll”). He is also known for his birch bark outfits and the world’s largest and smallest birch bark virsut (traditional Finnish birch bark footwear).

Further information

Raija Kallioinen, Cultural Producer, Maaseudun Sivistysliitto
Tel. +358 40 563 6876
raija.kallioinen@msl.fi

Satu Tani, artist
Tel. +358 44 292 985
satu.k.tani@gmail.com

Sirpa Taulu, Executive Director, Kettuki ry
Tel. +358 44 0405 107
sirpa.taulu@kettuki.fi