Jan-Olof Mallander - Extended Play

Artist, art critic, gallerist, and art collector Jan Olof Mallander (b.1944) has been a living legend in the Finnish art world since the 1960s. He was a central figure in introducing international avant-garde, Fluxus, and underground art to Finland. His early works in minimalism and conceptual art also brought together interdisciplinary joint events and happenings. Mallander co-founded the significant artist group Elonkorjaajat (The Harvesters) in the early 1970s.

The gallery Cheap Thrills, founded by Mallander in Helsinki, served as a center for events in the 1970s. Cheap Thrills presented photographic art, comics, installations, postcard art, conceptual art, and performance – the obvious art forms in today’s contemporary art. The first exhibition of Elonkorjaajat (The Harvesters) was shown in 1972 at Vaasa City Art Gallery. The group’s activities were an essential part of Mallander’s career. As an art critic, he worked in both Finland and Sweden, presenting the latest forms of international art in his writings.

The extensive solo exhibition at Kuntsi Museum of Modern Art showcases the artist’s impact in various roles. The exhibition’s title work, Extended Play (1968), is a classic of conceptual art that, as a sound work, reflects the political climate of the time. In addition to Mallander’s own artistic production, a selection from his art collection, which includes nearly 300 works by international and Finnish artists, will also be displayed. The collection has arisen from an interest in Eastern religions and philosophy and to realize his own spiritual development.

The exhibition is supported by the Finnish Heritage Agency and it has been chosen Art Testers 2025.