Since the end of February, FoReDi has been negotiating with Sanomatalo (Press House) and Merkki (Printing Museum), as well as with Finnish public organizations specializing in Karelia and the Karelian-Finnish poetic epic "Kalevala", regarding the organization of an exhibition for Russian artist Anastasia Dyudyaeva.
Anastasia is an artist and illustrator with a background in fine arts education. She lived in the village of Taitsy, Gatchina District, Leningrad Region. Over the past ten years, her work has mainly focused on war and repression.
On July 18, 2024, she was sentenced to three and a half years in a penal colony, while her husband, Alexander Dotsenko, was sentenced to three years in prison. The Russian FSB claimed that they had distributed Ukrainian-language leaflets in a store, which were classified as public calls for terrorist activities. Currently, Anastasia is imprisoned.
While in prison, Anastasia has created numerous drawings illustrating "Kalevala". You can view her prison-made "Kalevala" illustrations here:
Anastasia’s dream is to present her work to the Finnish audience. We believe that it is important for Finns to hear her story and see her art. Additionally, this year marks the 190th anniversary of the first publication of "Kalevala", which could further increase interest in the exhibition.This exhibition would also be an act of solidarity, providing Anastasia with moral support in her fight for peace and democracy.
If you have suggestions for venues where we could organize this exhibition in Finland, please share your ideas. The main requirement is that the location should be well-visited and freely accessible to all visitors.
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