Forest Creatures

10.10-22.2.2026

Over a hundred years ago, the Swedish visual artist John Bauer (1883–1918) wandered through the forests of Småland. In his sketchbook, he captured tree trunks, roots, mosses, stones, and animals. From Bauer’s nature excursions emerged a mystical visual world that spread widely in the form of the Among Gnomes and Trolls publications. The sympathetic trolls, delicate princesses, tiny gnomes, and other mysterious forest creatures have delighted children and adults alike for decades.

The wondrous beings, drawn from folklore, have inspired the contemporary artists; Valtteri Alanen & Eglė Šimėnaitė, Caracara Collective, Rune Gottberg, Meri Hallenberg, Denisse Islas, Kristiina Kivimäki, Anni Oja, Lotta Rapeli, Sarah Råholm, Mailis Saralehto ja Maija Westerholm featured in the exhibition. Using their chosen expression, style and technique, they have created works that engage in dialogue with Bauer’s imagery.

The exhibition’s approximately thirty works — including prints and sketches — offer insight into how John Bauer created illustrations and how he worked with storytelling.

John Bauer’s artworks have been loaned by the Jönköping County Museum (Sweden), which manages his legacy. Some of Rune Gottberg’s sculptures come from the collections of the Västra Nylands museum, while others have been borrowed from private individuals.

The exhibition is a collaboration between Chappe, the Children’s Culture Center Färi (Turku), and the Jönköping County Museum (Sweden). The curators of the exhibition are PhD Pia Hovi, curator at Chappe; MA Marika Leinonen-Vainio, director of the Children’s Culture Center Färi; and PhD Martin Sundberg, Head of Documentation and Collections at the Jönköping County Museum.