Reviews
4.6.2009 Rantalakeus News
Anneli Di Francis to Chianciano Biennale
Anneli Di Francis has been chosen to take part to Chianciano biennale 13 – 27.9.2009 in Italy. ”I don’t know how many Finnish artists have been participating earlier, but now there will be two of us. I wish people to see and feel my art works on their personal level, to find their own stories within. Art should not be anything mystified but a collective right for everyone to enjoy.” she says.
9.5.2010 Uutis-Jousi News
Thematic of an Egg in Artsi gallery
An egg is an ancient symbol of life, but the theme can be approached by humour as the artist Anneli Di Francis has done. Her hilarious sculptures reveal eggs as ’Streetcar called desire’ and ’Tea for 2’, which one can’t watch without joy. ’The hope’ and ’Times are changing’ have more serious aspect though.
Hanging of the exhibition is very appealing which leaves air enough for the art work to breathe.
Ilkka News
Your shoes reveal your nature
Humorous ceramic sculptures of Anneli Rissa tell stories and change form, depending of the angle viewed. Tree standing on the yard can look like a human, an angel or a lizard. The dog passing by lifts his leg against a fence.
Cool shoes
By her shoe sculptures Rissa comments the materialism of today. High heel glitter rock boot of 70's grows a home of many corners. Another tree has been planted into a sandal and a trendy young man drives around in a sport shoe.
and that's a reality, I guess. Shoes will reveal our inner self. Shoes give a picture of our identity and mental stability.
August 2005 Pohjalainen news
Two women, mind alike
Clever Oval form by Rissa
Art works of Anneli Rissa follow tight oval form. Irony and gentle humour are shining through the sculptures, commenting the human nature. She is using hand building techniques in ceramics, basically yellow raku.
Ceramics, according to Rissa, appeal her best because she is "an earth person". "When the idea comes, I need to give it a form. Sometimes just a word I've overheard can trigg the process for a new sculpture." Rissa says.
Home devils, one of the most hilarious sculptures by Rissa shows two Nicks in armchairs sitting face to face holding remote controls, naturally.
Rissa has already had exhibitions at Varikko, Raahe and Pori this year. Exhibition in Pietarsaari will end the year.
28.4.2005 Uusi Aika magazine
Weeds and free line at Portait gallery
Anneli Rissa is a ceramic artist, who uses clay in her sculptures because of the warm properties of medium. Sculptures are hand built, unique and mostly without glazing. According to artist, she wants to bring up the natural colour and roughness of the ceramics. She wants to open a door to viewer's own imagination, so that everyone could find a story and a meaning of ones own.
December 2007 Pohjolan sanomat news
Rough surfaces
Versatility shows up also in artworks by Anneli Rissa. Her paintings carry messages dressed up in surrealism. The painting "Good night, my Love" goes deep in mattresses being rather scary in details.
The most interesting pieces are her ceramics. Sculptures "The Island" and "The Dark Stream" follow the same reduced form and colour. The bare ceramic surface appeals by roughness and coloured glazings give right amount of life on "The Lady" and "The Spring". "The Moon gaze" is filled with mystics and symbolism. All is covered with benevolent humour.
12.6.2008 Lapuan Sanomat news
Varikko girls seducting art museum visitors by the exhibition
Tickling interpretations
Every person interprets art differently. Big eggs capture visitor's attention right at the door. A small fist breaks out from the other and the other is protected by a hand. "To hear the different interpretations is truly tickling." says the artist Anneli Rissa.
Round forms appeal the artist most. Rissa doesn't want to give ready made answers how to look at her work, but wants to give everyone a chance to find the interpretation of ones own. Thoughts she had while creating she is willing to share though. "Force keeping together" and "At last!" tell how you can't keep things the same forever.
Lapua Art Museum publication no. 6
"Rissa makes pieces of art containing portraying elements. The subjects, however, are not totally from this world but rather small stories which each viewer can interpret in their own way. In her work Rissa depicts humanity, small things, as well as insects that she finds very beautiful. Rissa's pictures are both individual pieces as well as entities that form a series. She also combines her pieces into larger entities consisting both paintings as well as ceramics. Rissa does not sketch her pieces onto paper but lets all her ideas mature in her mind. When she then begins working, the whole process with all its stages and materials has already been thought through.
Art making and art as a whole in all its forms is a way of life for Rissa. She is a mass consumer of art who, in addition to making ceramics, writes poetry and frequently visits art exhibitions and the theatre. Nevertheless, Rissa does not take art and her pieces too seriously but with a pinch of salt. Therefore she says she makes nonsense with a clear conscience. She is torn by the fact that art is turned into something grave instead of letting it just be a source of joy and resource. According to Rissa, culture should be a communal activity open for everybody to take part in and to understand. The purpose of culture is to serve people rather than to be put up on a podium that an ordinary person could never reach.
Rissa's unique ceramics feast on multi-dimensional humour. She also considers important the relation between the name of the image and the picture itself, in other words how the image expresses the matter and bears it's name. For Rissa art is not something peculiar, mystical or tricky but, rather, things that bring joy to everyday life."
by Kirsi-Maria Tuomisto, translation from Finnish by Jenni Gray