Hotel Ax exhibition 10.1. -1.4.2026
Curated by: Emilia Kannosto
Macoumba Ndiaye
Macoumba Ndiaye is a Senegalese-Finnish painter and artist living in Finland. He is an ambassador of the Afro-Nordic art form, blending African and Nordic culture, and diversity through his visual artistry. His art is a reflection of inner movement and cultural resonance, where African rhythm meets Nordic minimalism. Through abstract forms, layered textures, and symbolic figures, Maku Dakar builds a unique visual language that speaks of memory, migration, and transformation. His canvases reveal a dance of colors and emotions at once grounded in heritage and open to the infinite play of light and possibility.
Jenni Vakkilainen
Jenni Vakkilainen born in 1984, lives in Porvoo and works in Vallila, Helsinki. Her paintings move on the border between representational and non-representational, creating spatial and colorful worlds. Through a playful atmosphere, the paintings take the viewer to the edge of reality, creating worlds of the mind. Here and there, referential symbols and signs can be seen in the works. For her, conveying the power of positivity and the interaction of colors is important. The desire to share good things and to give the opportunity to stop by oneself and the work are an essential part of painting. In the paintings, thin and thick, as well as translucent layers, alternate, creating a sense of depth and space. There are many paintings under work at the same time and the works take shape and reveal themselves as the painting process progresses. Paintings change and come to life the longer you look at them, and they are meant to provoke thoughts that you might not otherwise stop to ponder or experience. They can be something that touches or pauses for a moment, or makes the body tingle and the mind gallop along tickling paths.
Petra Kinnunen
Petra Kinnunen (b. 1991) is a Helsinki-based visual artist and dancer who works in a multidisciplinary manner with painting, glass, ceramics and crafts. Her art is characterized by surrealist elements, symbolism, themes of femininity, fleeting moments and stages of life. In her paintings, Petra deals with personal and social themes and the layers of her identity.
AX Under 3.3-4.5.2026
Martino Fraschini
Martino Fraschini is an Italian illustrator and tattoo artist based in Helsinki, and the owner of a
private studio in the historic district of Katajanokka.
His illustrations are created with Faber-Castell Polychromos pencils and range from refined
black-and-white works to richly layered color compositions, all grounded in a strong foundation of
pencil drawing. Some of the exhibited pieces were originally created for the Design Museum Shop in Helsinki
and the HAM Museum Shop. His work is distinguished by exceptional precision and meticulous
attention to detail — defining characteristics of his artistic language.
E-mail: martogoto@gmail.com
Instagram: martinofraschini
Anni-Julia Tuomisto
Anni-Julia Tuomisto (s. 1984) is a designer, illustrator and an emerging artist and she has been an
entrepreneur for over a decade. Although most company collaboration related projects are produced as
digital art, the passion of making traditional art has become a way for Anni-Julia to express herself on a
whole new level. Ten years ago the artist started to paint street art. The new animal and lettering related
plywood pieces represent Anni-Julia’s journey in mixing different techniques and passions together.
E-mail: contact@anni-julia.com
Instagram: __annijulia__
Matti Räty
“My work walks on the borders of reality and fever dreams. I was heavily
depressed when painting these pieces and it often felt that everything
around me feels blurry. Painting was a way to clear my thoughts. A way
to explore emotions that had been buried somewhere deep.”
E-mail: contact@mattiraty.com
Instagram: mattiratythings
Website: mattiraty.com