top of page
We are artist couple and we share our creative work completely. Our collaboration began in 2006 with the Master degree exhibition at Aalto University of Design, Art and Architecture, Helsinki. Our first museum exhibition as a duo was held in Museo Ex Teresa Arte Actual in 2008, followed by exhibitions at Diego Rivera Anahuacalli museum and Polyforum Siquieros in 2009. We then ran own art space, Invalid Robot Factory, in Neukölln, Berlin until 2013. Couple of years we sailed on Baltic sea researching relations between art, robots and sea. Since 2018 we have established Isorättyä artist Studio where we create and produce our large public space sculptures and art robots. We have exhibited internationally in galleries and museums, including Kobe Studios; Ierimonti Gallery, New York City and KIASMA Museum of Contemporary Art, Helsinki. In 2017 we were nominated for Finland’s Ars Fennica art prize. Since 2018 we have completed various public art commissions in Finland.

BUKO robot, portrait of Charles Bukowski, 2024

Buko robot is an interactive sculpture that you can talk to. He answers back with straights quotes from Bukowski´s literature works that he choses to correspond the questions. He also drinks beer and pees in bucket.

Material: Founded objects, ceramics, electronics, beer, code, Charles Bukowski literature,

code by Jaakko Niska

Following Bukowski's books have been downloaded to robot's brains:

Post Office (1971);  Factotum (1975); Women (1978);  Ham on Rye (1982);  Burning in Water Drowning in Flame : Seected Poems 1955-1973 (1974);  Play the Piano Drunk Like a Percussion Instrument Untill the Fingers Begin to Bleed a Bit (1979); Septuagenarian Stew : Stories & poems(1990); The Last Night of Earth Poems (1992); Open All Night ( 2000);  The night Torn Mad With Footsteps (2001); Sifthing Trough the Madness for the World, the Line, the Way New Poems (2003); The People look like Flowers at last (2007); South of No North (1973),  More  Notes of a Dirty Old Man ( 2011)

image_2022-03-01_10-01-59.png

Article by Pia Parkkinen, Yle (Yleisradio, Finnish Broadcasting Company)

ROBOHEMIANS 2022

is a playful artwork that features three robots getting wasted at a bar. Two of them talk shit to each other, and the third one recites poetry. 

 

Robotized sculptures, mixed media; Open source;

Veke & Tortsua eyemechamisms and Tortsua mouth mechanism: open source 3Dprinting & engineering Nilheim mechatronics/Will Cogley, 

Script and realization of robot voice (Marina): Marina de Ita

Script and realization of robots voice (Veke & Tortsua): Samuli Pörhölä

Programming Jaakko Niska

robobaari Wam.jpg

Photographs: Ville Mäkilä / Turun museokeskus

love gear päivä ja yö pieni.jpeg

Love Gear 2023

Aalto University, Espoo Finland

Materials: Wood, Stainless steel, copper, glass, electronics, mirrors 

Size: Width 2,6meters, Height 4,6meters.

 

Lovegear is a playful artwork where the key themes are the scales of mechanical and digital engineering and the beauty of machines. The movement of the non-human-like machine is still strangely familiar and produces emotional response in us touching the uncanny. The artwork creates an illusional effect into the façade of the building by opening a tunnel to eternity in dusk and reflecting the forrest in the front at dawn. This way  flora steps into relationship of man and machine.

 

DT2022-9-17_edited.jpg
Robots6.jpg
Robots1-3.jpg
Robots5.jpg

Photographs: Juha Åman

INVALID ROBOTS 2010-2011

 

Series of electromechanical sculptures.

 

Materials: car electronics, hospital waste, hair, bones, metal. Size:1,5 x 0,8 x 0,5 meters.

Pekka and Teija Isorattya_Binary Operations_Ierimonti Gallery NY_04,2018_0094.jpg
BINARY OPERATIONS
Pekka and Teija Isorattya_Binary Operations_Ierimonti Gallery NY_04,2018_0060.jpg

Photograph: Dario Lasgni

Pekka and Teija Isorattya_Binary Operations_Ierimonti Gallery NY_04,2018_0053.jpg

Enlightenment, Now.  2018

Materials: surgical instruments, chemistry glass, acrylic, wood, electronics.

Pekka and Teija Isorattya_Binary Operations_Ierimonti Gallery NY_04,2018_0065.jpg

In a Leash. 2018

Materials: surgical instruments, acrylic, glasstable, chain, electronics.

Pekka and Teija Isorattya_Binary Operations_Ierimonti Gallery NY_04,2018_0005.jpg

Sacrament Chiller. 2018

Materials: surgical instruments, chemistry glass, acrylic, lamp, electronics.

Pekka and Teija Isorattya_Binary Operations_Ierimonti Gallery NY_04,2018_0022.jpg
photo_2022-03-08_16-22-46.jpg
photo_2022-03-08_16-22-38_edited.jpg

Forever & Ever.  2018

Materials: surgical instruments, acrylic, lenses, electronics.

Pekka and Teija Isorattya_Binary Operations_Ierimonti Gallery NY_04,2018_0094.jpg
Pekka and Teija Isorattya_Binary Operations_Ierimonti Gallery NY_04,2018_0038.jpg

Photographs: Dario Lasgni

Space Diamond. 2018

Materials: surgical instruments, irises, lenses, acrylic, electronics.

binary operation
Mechanic wolf 2018 konst museet i norr_edited.jpg
KmiN_ISORATTYA-TEIJA-PEKKA_AdobeRGB_DSC_4258.jpg

MECHANIC WOLF 2018

 

Robotizised sculpture: taxidermy wolf, dna test, mixed media.

The material starting point of this work is a taxidermy wolf, which had been used for biology instruction until the 1990s. 

We found the wolf in the basement of an abandoned school and sent samples of fur and a molar to the University of Oulu for genotyping which revealed that the wolf had lived in a wolf pack in Inari Lapland of Finland more than 100 years ago. Inari region there are no wolfpacks for the harm of reindeer farming

Mechanic wolf 2018 konst museet i norr.jpg

Photographs: Lisa Kejonen Pauker / Konstmuseet i Norr

mechanical wolf
Nature Morte Web_edited.jpg
Nature Morte Photo Pirje Mykkänen.jpg

Photograph: Pirje Mykkänen

Photograph: Petri Virtanen 

NATURE MORTE 2017

 

Material: surgical instruments, wood, acrylic glass, electronics, flowers.

 

Nature Morte is a multi-dimensional kinetic installation that lives betwixt and between the tensions of contemporary life and its uncertain relationship to the one beyond. It calls to mind the ambiguous relationship of the human to the mechanized and is rooted in the reuse of materials as an expression of the power of a transformative process that reflects the memory of a discourse
with our collective past. The installation encourages its audience to befriend the anxiety of the unknown, simply by inviting them to participate in it. This garden of life, and potentially the afterlife, is labyrinth-like in structure. It is composed of real and mechanical flowers and over 80 kilograms of surgical instruments, rife with their own rich histories of use, donated by the surgeons of the Länsi-Pohja
Central Hospital in Kemi, Finland. The participation of the visitor in Nature Morte is key to the conceit. The scalpels, clamps, needles and surgical tools respond to the presence of the viewers. Ultimately the deeply profound and playful Nature Morte, is a reminder of the opportunity of consciousness, hope and transcendence found in art to guide us in letting go of fears and embracing life in its fullness in the midst of an imminent and uncertain future for our contemporary world.

                                     

Kathleen Forde 

love gear tausta pieni_edited_edited.jpg
KUUSILUODON
MERIKILPIKONNA
2014
SOLAR
SEA TURTLE 

 

 Electromechanical sculpture.

Materials: solar panel, drift wood, electronics, metal, plastic.

Size: 1,6 x1,4 x 0,5 meter.

solar sea turtle
DT2022-9-21_edited.jpg
DT2022-9-22.jpg
20220409_151955.jpg

Photograph: Ville Mäkilä / Turun museokeskus

LILJA'S GARDEN 2022

Electromechanic installation

Material: IV lines 1224 pcs, hoses, waterpumps, metal 

Size of one flower height: 4 meters; lenght: 5 meters; width: 5meters

 

The IV lines used as the material for the piece come from eight-year-old Lilja Widenius. Lilja has a rare disease: her body cannot break down fats, which is why she cannot tolerate being without nutritional intake.  Part of the treatment for this condition is a nightly IV drip. At night, when Lilja is going to bed, her parents connect an IV line to a small port placed in her abdomen. This ensures that Lilja gets the nutrients she needs while she sleeps. In the morning, her parents clean the disposable plastic line and store it as material for artwork. This treatment will continue throughout Lilja’s growing years. With the treatment, Lilja is a healthy and happy girl. The disease and its treatment were discovered some twenty years ago, before which it invariably resulted in the child's death.

We will expand the Lilja’s Garden work as more IV lines used by Lilja are collected. The work was exhibited for the first time at the Mäntta Art Festival in 2016. At that time, there was one Lilja Flowersculpture. The three Lilja’s Flowers on exhibit at WAM are compsrised of 1,224 IV lines. Water flows through them like the water veins in plants that are also part of their communication system. As artists, we find the story of Lilja and her family to be a powerful metaphor for the well of strength that people, often unconsciously, draw from to maintain their mental well-being. The significance of this mental resilience is particularly highlighted in unforeseen and difficult situations that challenge people's habits and thoughts.

DT2022-9-20_edited.jpg
merenneito web juha.jpg

Photograph: Juha Åman

MERMAID 2015

Materials: Tuna skin, wood, water pumps, electronics, plastic tubes and bottles. Size: height: 2,5 m; length: 4 m; width: 0,5 m.

 

The Mermaid imitates japanese puto dance. The movements are powered by liquids running between the bottles. During this dance, the Mermaid pumps air with its heart to an air pillow and then releases the air so time to time it sings a melancholy sigh.

iltakuva syksy.jpg

Photograph: Ilari Tapio

 BASS STRING WINGS, JYRKI KANGAS MEMORIAL 2022  PORI, FINLAND

Materials: Stainless steel, concrete, stainless steel wire. 

Size: Width 12meters, Height 6meters.

 

Interactive monument.  The railings on the upper level have bass strings that can be played.

The monument was commissioned by the city of Pori to honor Jyrki Kangas, a versatile influencer in cultural life, who was one of the founders of Pori Jazz and worked as the artistic director of the festival for a long time.

 

Monument is inspired of Jyrki Kangas being a great visionary and his way of fly in his ideas as well as the state of flow created in jazz musicians' jams. The wings and the sound world they produce refer to Jyrki’s own instrument, the double bass.

love gear tausta pieni_edited.jpg

Photograph: Jari Hannuniemi

LAPSENVAHTI
VINTAGE NANNY 

2012

Electro-mechanical sculpture

Material: Baby carriot, spinning wheel, car electronics, hand drill, metal.

Size: Height 1,8 meters Lenght 2,0 meters Width 0,5 meters.

vintage nanny
love gear tausta pieni_edited_edited.jpg

CV PEKKA & TEIJA ISORÄTTYÄ

EDUCATION

 

2010 Masters of Arts, Aalto University, Helsinki, Finland

 

 

DUO EXHIBITIONS (SELECTED)

2022

Porvoon Taidehalli, Porvoo, Finland

WAM, Wäinö Aalaltonen Museumuseu, Turku,Finland

2018

• Ierimonti Gallery, New York, U.S.A.

2015

• Galleria Sculptor, Helsinki, Finland

• Conference on Art and Art  Projects: Kobe studios, Kobe, Japan

2014

• Aine Art Museum, Tornio, Finland

2012

• Galleria Sculptor, Helsinki, Finland

• Finnland Institute in Deutchland, Berlin, Germany 

• Gängeviertel: Galleri Loge, Hamburg, Germany

2011

• Invalid Robot Factory, Berlin, Germany

2009

• Polyforum Siqueiros, Mexico City, Mexico

2008

• Museo Diego Rivera Anahuacalli, Mexico City, Mexico

• Museo Ex Teresa Arte Actual, Mexico City, Mexico

 

 

COLLECTIVE EXHIBITIONS (SELECTED)

 

2024

LINNUNRADALLA, Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art, Helsinki, Finland; curated Jari-Pekka Vanhala

ENNOVA ART BIENALE, Ennova Art Museum, Langfang, China; curated Fumio Nanjo

SUNSHINE IN A SHOEBOX, Gallery Durden & Ray, Los Angeles, USA

NORD ART Budelsdorf, Germany

2022

SUPERMARKET ART FAIR, Stockholm, Sweden

2019

WORMHOLE, Rio Honda Gallery, Los Angeles, USA 

2018

TRANSITIONS, Konstmuseet i Norr, Kiruna, Sweden

ACHTUNG, Galleria Rankka, Helsinki, Finland

2017

ARS FENNICA 2017, Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art, Helsinki, Finland.

SPRING OPEN STUDIOS, ISCP, New York, U.S.A.

OPEN ART biennale, Örebro, Sweden

KIMMO PYYKKÖ taidemuseo, Kankaanpää,Finland

SULOISESSA SUOMESSAMME, Kouvola Finland; curated by Kaarina Kaikkonen

2016

MÄNTTÄ ART FESTIVAL Mänttä, Finland; curated Anssi Kasitonni

NORD ART International exhibition, Büdelsdorf, Germany; curated Wolfgang Gramm/Inga Aru

2015

OCCUPY SPACE ! Association of Finnish Sculptors exhibition, Korundi Art museum, Rovaniemi, Finland ;curated Daniel Werkmäster  

12 NO MADO Confrence on Art and Art Projects, Kobe, Japan

2014

ON/OFF Exhibition of kinetic sculptures, Hyvinkää Art Museum, Finland 2014 

•ARS LIEKE Exhibition of electronic art, Poikilo Art Museum, Kouvola, Finland

2013

 Gallery Casona, Playa del Carmen, Mexico  

EFEKTI Purnu, Finland; curated Petri Eskelinen

2012

48 STUNDEN NEUKÖLLN Berlin, Germany 

Galleri Heike Arndt, Berlin, Germany 

2011

UUSI VEISTOS Lahti Art Museum, Finland.

 CRUCE DE CAMINOS - EUROPA EN MEXICO Museo de Arte de la SHCP Antiguo Palacio del Arzobispado, Mexico City, Mexico; Curated Martha Papadimitrieou

IHMEEN LÄHELLÄ Oulu Art Museum, Finland 

2010

NORD ART International Exhibition & Symposium, Büdelsdorf, Germany ; Curated Wolfgang Gramm/ Inga Aru

EXPO BICENTENARIO Guanajuato, Mexico; Curated Martha Papadimitrieou

 PIXELACHE Kerava Art Museum, Finland

 

 

PERFORMANCES (SELECTED)

 

2015

• Isorättyä Swingers with Mimosa Pale, Mikko Myllylahti, Martti Kaartinen, Riku Rousu. Helsinki festival, Finland

2014

• Isorättyä Swingers with Mimosa Pale, Martti Kaartinen, Riku Rousu, Jyrki Hakomäki. KalottJazz & Blues Festival, Tornio, Finland

2013

• Isorättyä Swingers with Mimosa Pale, Martti Kaartinen. Biofilia openings, Aalto University, Helsinki, Finland

2012

• Isorättyä Swingers with Mimosa Pale, Martti Kaartinen. Fusion Festival, Neustrelitz, Germany

• Isorättyä Swingers & Martti Kaartinen. Embassy of Nordic Countries, Berlin

• Isorättyä Swingers & Martti Kaartinen.  Gängeviertel festival, Hamburg

2011

• Isorättyä Swingers & Roku Rousu. Muusajuhlat -Literary art festival, Oulu, Finland 

• Isorättyä Swingers & Roku Rousu. NordArt, Büdelsdorf, Germany

2010 

• Isorättyä Swingers & Ray Vera. UrsusFest - Kaapelitehdas, Helsinki, Finland

• Mimproject & Invalid Robot Factory.  Vabauduse Väljak, Tallinn, Estonia 

2009

• Polka Madre & Chicharrona project. Glastonbury Contemporary Performing Art  Festival, Glastonbury, England

• Tuomari Nurmio, Polka Madre & Chicharrona project. Jyväskylä Summer Festival, Finland

2008

• Polka Madre & Chicharrona project. Festival de Centro Historico, Mexico City, Mexico 

• Polka Madre, Trans American Gipsy Punk Tour.12 Galaxies, San Francisco, U.S.A.

• Polka Madre, Trans American Gipsy Punk Tour. Mehanata Bulgarian Bar, New York, U.S.A

 

COMISSIONS

2023

LOVE GEAR, kinetic sculpture, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland

2022

HUU-HA, Steel sculpture, Kuopio Finland

EXUVIA, ceramic, glass, steel sculpture, Vaasa, Finland

BASS STRING WINGS, Jyrki Kangas Memorial,

steel and concrete sculpture, Pori Finland

2021

KOJAMO, steel sculpture Tornio, Finland

POLIISIN MUIKUT, Steel sculpture installation, Lappeenranta, Finland

2020

INTERSTELLAR WALL, ArtesanianGlass sculpture, Kaksakslauttanen, Finland

LOVE OF LUNULATUM, ceramic, steel, iron sculpture, Kakslauttanen, Finland

FLOAT, Driftwood sculpture, Kakslauttanen, Finland

2018

 STREAM design for restaurant/planetarium edifice  Kakslauttanen, Finland

2013

BROKEN LANTERN steel and glass sculpture at riverside plaza. Tornio, Finland

 

TEACHING

 

• 2016 Lappland University of applied sciences, painting & drawing teacher

• 2013Academy of Fine Arts, Helsinki. Department of sculpture- period for 1st year students.

 • 2007Lappland University of applied sciences, painting& drawing course

 • 2006 Tornio High School,Visual art teacher

 • Workshops of Kinetic sculptures: 

2018 Scandinavia House, New York U.S.A.

2017 ArtGear, Lappland University intergration program, Tornio, Finland

2015 C.A.P Kobe, Japan; Ii High School, Finland; Aine art museum, Finland

2010 Kerava Art museum, Finland

 • Invited presentations (selected) :

2017 Scandinavia House, New York U.S.A.

2016 IHME contemporary art festival, Helsinki Finland; Academy of Fine Arts, Helsinki, Finland

 2014 Academy of Fine Arts, Helsinki, Finland

2012 Finnland institute Berlin, Germany

2011Art 360 Oulu, Finland

2010 Aalto University Helsinki, Finland

 

AWARDS & GRANTS (SELECTED)

2022 Arts Council of Finland. 3 year grant for artistic work.

2018 William Thuring prize

2018 Finland state Art commission's art competion 1 st prize

2018 Arts Council of Finland. Grant for artistic work.

2017 Ars Fennica, Nomination.

2017 Ars Fennica, Public Choise Award.

2017 Lappland Art Price

 2016 Art council of Lapland. Grant for artistic work

2015 Finnish Cultural Foundation. Grant for artistic work

2014 Alfred Kordelin Foundation. Grant for artistic work

2014 Arts Council of Finland. Grant for artistic work.

2013 Finnish Cultural Foundation. Grant for artistic work

 2012 Arts Council of Finland. Residency Grant

 2011Arts Council of Finland.  Grant for artistic work

 2010 Nord Art, Public Choice Award, 1st prize.  

2010 Finnish Art Association. Grant for artistic work

2009 Finnish Cultural Foundation .Grant for artistic work

2008 Arts Council of Finland.Grant for artistic work

2007 FRAME. Project grant

 

WORKS IN COLLECTIONS 

•Kiasma Finnish National Gallery

• Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation Art Collection

• Finnish Art Association Collection 

• Aine Art Museum, Tornio, Finland 

• Wäinö Aaltonen Museum of Art, Turku Finland 

• Poikilo Art Museum, Kouvola, Finland 

• Basware Art Collection, Finland

•Private Collections

 

MEMBERSHIPS 

 

• Association of Finnish Sculptors 

• Artists’ Association of Lapland 

 

RESIDENCIES, STIPENDS

 

2017 ISCP New York

2015 The Saari residence, Mietoinen, Finland

2015 Conference on art and Art Projects, Kobe, Japan

2014 Heike Arndt Residency, Kettinge, Denmark

2012 Gängeviertel Hamburg, Germany

2010 Art council of Lapland residency, Berlin, Germany

© Pekka & Teija Isorättyä

bottom of page