Tor Arne is highly respected among his colleagues and art experts, an ’artist’s artist’. He studied at the Free Art School in the 1950s under Sam Vanni and Unto Pusa, teaching at the same place from 1962 to 1988, and being its rector from 1966 to 1988.

Arne’s paintings have been described as bright, absolute and profound. Even though derived from the ordinary experiences and memories of nature, they are not descriptive. They are independent works, presenting only themselves, and lying somewhere between the representational and the abstract in expression. What is essential is that something alive can be found in his paintings.

Arne’s paintings are both tranquil and powerful emotional experiences obtained by purely visual means. His art possesses an intense painterliness that makes way for colour and light. His works are without title, date or place because he does not wish to influence the meeting of viewer and painting. As he says: “My wish is to have the capacity to bring joy.”

Parvs Publishing and EMMA will jointly publish a book in Finnish and English on Tor Arne edited by Timo Valjakka.