On April 23, over 100 people attended the opening of the exhibition by Michigan artist Bonnie Loukus with close connections to both Finland and Estonia.
The exhibition, entitled Liminal Sanctuaries, features oil paintings of solitary animals and forest floor ecosystems, in between reality and some incorporeal place where they exist without human interference.
Bonnie Loukus is a Keweenaw-based multidisciplinary artist practicing oil painting, printmaking, letterpress, and book arts. Her work explores themes such as the intrinsic value of animals, plant diversity, small ecosystems, symbolism, incorporeal life, and solitude. Her work is part of US and international collections and recent artist residencies have taken her to Estonia, Isle Royale National Park, and Keweenaw Land Trust’s Silver Island. She is the executive director of the Copper Country Community Arts Center in Hancock. Loukus continues to enjoy living on a beautiful and remote peninsula in Lake Superior while visiting Finland and Estonia as often as possible to connect with contemporary art, heritage, and the land.
The exhibition will be on display at the Finlandia Art Gallery (Finnish American Heritage Center) in Hancock through June 10.
