Sofia Karinen is Kettuki’s Artist of the year 2026!

Sofia Karinen (b. 2000) is a Finnish-French visual artist based in Oulu. She has been an enthusiastic drawer and painter from a young age. She studied at the Oulu School of Art for Children and Young People in 2009–2011, and since 2021 she has been studying at the Liminka School of Art on the open programme, where she has expanded her practice to include oil painting, watercolour, and printmaking.

The subjects of Karinen’s works emerge from her everyday environment and nearby nature. Photographs she takes with her phone function as a sketchbook for her paintings, which she most often executes in oil. In her distinctive style, one can recognise the influence of her inspiration, the French painter Henri Matisse (1869–1954). More recently, she has also become interested in the works of another French painter, Pierre Bonnard (1867–1947).

The selection was made by curator of art collection Liisa Mäkitalo from the Lahti Museum of Visual Arts Malva. The 2026 Artist of the Year solo exhibition will take place at Malva from March 10 to May 17, 2026. Kettuki has been awarding the Artist of the Year recognition since 2004.

Learn more about the artist:

Sofia Karinen Artist Directory Page (in English)
Sofia Karinen own webpage (in English)