About my working

I think of geometric themes in my works as pictorial subjects, figures and objects that refer to easily identifiable everyday observations, such as the urban environment or children's building blocks. In my paintings, geometric compositions take on an archetypal character. In addition to their obvious abstract appearance, my works are also narrative in their depictions of pyramids, towers, and various systematic diagrams.

I think of abstract visuality as a considerably older phenomenon than, for example, modern art. Various geometric arrangements, classifications, and the collection of things into meaningful arrays have accompanied the development of our species since its early days. On the other hand, the abstract thinking of the works refers equally to familiar rational choices, i.e. normative and invisible structures behind, for example, urban planning or other social activities.

My works combine a dialogue of opposites, where a calligraphic expressive painting brushwork is paralleled by a precise and harmonious geometric composition. In my paintings, I seek space for contortions and deviations, with which I lead my expression to a more humane one. The architectural motifs of the works can thus also be seen as images of mental structures and images of the idea of ​​humanity.

Stig Baumgartner (b. 1969) has been exhibiting since 1995. Alongside his artistic practice, he is also a long-time lecturer in drawing and perception at the Academy of Fine Arts, the University of the Arts Helsinki. He completed his doctoral degree in 2015. Baumgartner's paintings are held in many of Finland's most prestigious collections, including Saastamoinen Foundation and the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma.

Clean Mind, 2025, oil on canvas, 160 x 130 cm