Inspiration is an Intangible Concept
For Anna-Maija Reés, the inspiration for her strikingly original sculpture comes from a wide range of sources, which could perhaps best be described as “kinetic”. Anna-Maija´s work is characterized by movement. The movement of, and realtionship between, the human senses. The movement of natural forces. The movement of light, of dark and of half-dark. The movement that holds everything together and keeps everything apart.
The energy within Anna-Maija´s sculptures and reliefs evokes a movement in response from those who are exposed to it. The viewers´ senses cannot help but flow almost in Pavlovian response as they separetly and jointly encounter the kinetic energy of her sculptures.
Sherelisa Bossi
Curriculum Vitae
Anna-Maija Reés was born in Helsinki, Finland. There she grew up in an atmosphere where all kind of creativity, craftsmanship, visual arts and architecture were appreciated. Her father was a goldsmith and her grandfather a carpenter and cabinetmaker. Among the many talents of modern Finnish design, three names stand out: Tapio Wirkkala, Timo Sarpaneva and Kaj Franck. The latter being a teacher of Anna-Maija´s father in the early 50´s. Thus, design was a subject often discussed in the family. Her main interest since school days has been mathematics, three dimensional creation and visual arts. Mathematics being a useful tool in planning how a sculpture will work and three dimensional thinking enables your imagination create the objects. Inspiration has come to Anna-Maija from the modern masters Jean Arp, Alexander Calder and Joan Miró and into her work of sculpting. The old Italian masters from the Renaissance have also made a strong impression on her.
Since 1995 Anna-Maija has had a Raku-studio in Hallaröd, in the South of Sweden. Three years later, in 1998 she opened her own studio in San Pedro Alcántara, Marbella in Spain. Her works are represented in private and public collections in England, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the USA.
Studies:
- 1975 apprentice to the artist of Finnish Academy of Fine Arts, K. Nurmisalo-Tuominen
- 1976 art school, Vapaa Taidekoulu-Fria Konstskolan, Helsinki, Finland
- 1977 studies in economics at the University of Lund, Sweden
- 1978-82 studies of architecture at University of Lund, Institute of Technology
- 1980 travelled to Italy and studied Palladian architecture
- 1982 Master of Architecture, examiner Prof. Hans Asplund, wellknown architect and son of the world-famous Swedish architect Gunnar Asplund
- 1994-96 studies in ceramic and sculpt at the Musik- und Kunstschule, Lübeck, Germany
- 2001 course in welding at Hierros Europa, Coin, Spain
- 2009 workshop in etching at Taller Tinta Roja with Ana Matias, Marbella, Spain