I paint what is important for me: persons close to me, relationships between us, the way I see my actions and myself. I deal with humanity, human dignity and viability: grace, honour, faith, courage, fallibility and vulnerability.

Movement and change are not its own justification in my reality. Although people in paintings are for real -comes close portrait painting- they are under protection. Paintings don’t give direct answers of what is right or wrong, immoral or entitled to. Knowledge makes space and time.

  So close it is allowed to come. Forgetting is not merciful, meeting is. At times things that are lacking are all you need/what is needed. Paintings got everything and now, though I would live in dead zone. I paint the upright I see and moments when thinking alike matters that does not have words.

Riikka Pekanpalo

e-mail: rpekanpa@uiah.fi