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04 Aug 2026
Textile Artist of the Year 2026: Johanna Pöykkö 29.7.- 23.8.2026
Textile Artist of the Year 2026
J O H A N N A P Ö Y K K Ö
29 July – 23 August 2026
The Association of Textile Artists TEXO has awarded the Textile Artist of the Year prize since 1981. The award recognizes outstanding work as a textile artist and designer, as well as contributions to the advancement of the field.
The Textile Artist of the Year 2026 is Oulu-based textile and visual artist Johanna Pöykkö (b. 1977), Master of Arts. Her work as a textile artist is both respectful of history and responsive to the present moment. Lived experience and the layers of place are reflected in her spatial installations, patterned textiles, and the free movement of materials.
Pöykkö’s primary material is bed linen fabric. Bed sheets accompany people throughout their lives, from the cradle to the shroud. We slip under a blanket for privacy and comfort, yet a bed is also shared with our loved ones. Through the personal and intimate, Pöykkö’s artistic practice moves toward interaction and sharing. She demonstrates how even the most ordinary objects can hold a multitude of meanings. Pöykkö explores different possibilities for working with textiles and constructs spaces from completed textile elements, with light serving as an important component of the work.
“In my work, I carry with me something almost lost. Fragility is always present in my thoughts. What has been lost belongs to the past, yet exists in this moment.”
Johanna Pöykkö’s works have been exhibited at, among others, the art museums of Oulu, Kemi, and Jyväskylä, the Craft Museum of Finland, and galleries throughout Finland. Her works are included in the collections of the Oulu Museum of Art, Kuopio Art Museum, and the City of Oulu, and are permanently displayed in the new Oulu University Hospital.
The Textile Artist of the Year exhibition will be on view at Gallery Moletti from 29 July to 23 August 2026.
Gallery Moletti
Wahreninkatu 12
30100 FORSSA, Finland
Opening hours: Tue–Fri 10 am–4 pm, Sat–Sun 12 pm–4 pm
For further information:
Johanna Pöykkö
Tel. +358 50 537 9978
Association of Textile Artists TEXO
Maija Esko
Tel. +358 50 365 0645
Email: info@tekstiilitaiteilijattexo.fi
Association of Textile Artists TEXO
Founded in 1956, the Association of Textile Artists TEXO is a professional expert organization dedicated to promoting textile art and textile design. In 2026, the association celebrates its 70th anniversary with a diverse program of commemorative events.
https://tekstiilitaiteilijattexo.fi/
Instagram: @texo_ry
#texory #tekstiilitaiteilijattexo #TEXO70
Photo: Textile artist Johanna Pöykkö. Photographer: Ester van Dam.
