Petri Ala-Maunus’ has explored apocalyptic paradise landscapes in his paintings, portraying a kind of supernatural realm — an idea of a landscape composed of multiple elements. In his new works, the landscapes have taken on dreamlike and surreal tones.
For Ala-Maunus, painting — the space defined by the stretcher bars — is a gateway to an otherworldly reality where the laws of physics do not limit expressive power. Through painting, it becomes possible to imagine parallel universes; past, future, or beyond our comprehension. The tension in Ala-Maunus’ landscapes is palpable, while at the same time they invite the viewer to peek beyond the hill. At a time when much of our surrounding world has already been explored, the imagined worlds in his paintings open up endless possibilities on the journey toward new, unknown territories.
Ala-Maunus’ technique is meticulous and highly refined. Like the old masters, he devotes precise attention to detail; achieving a level of illusionism so convincing that the mastery appears effortless. By building layer upon layer and working with opaque colors, Ala-Maunus gradually constructs dense, immersive worlds that seem both tangible and unreal. Phantasmal and enigmatic, his landscapes hover between reality and dream, evoking a sense of the sublime while remaining grounded in the traditions of classical painting.
Petri Ala-Maunus has graduated from the Uniarts Helsinki’s Academy of Fine Arts. His works have been exhibited e.g. at the Finnish National Gallery, Amos Rex and Ateneum Art Museum, as well as at Serlachius Manor in Mänttä, Hyvinkää Art Museum, Turku Art Museum, Aboa Vetus Ars Nova and Valamo Monastery. He was awarded the Pirkanmaa Art Prize in 2007 and the William Thuring Award by the Finnish Art Society in 2010. In 2019, he was nominated for the Ars Fennica Award. He also won the audience vote at the Mänttä Art Festival in 2007, the Turku Biennial in 2013, and the Ars Fennica nominee exhibition in 2019. Ala-Maunus’ works are included in several collections, e.g. the Finnish National Gallery, Amos Rex, Sara Hildén Art Museum, Helsinki Art Museum, the Saastamoinen Foundation, Serlachius Museums, Tampere Art Museum, Turku Art Museum, the Wihuri Foundation and the Heino Foundation as well as numerous private art collections.