GALLERY ASKI: MARIA YLIKOSKI – INVISIBLE ESTER

Invisible Ester is a long-term artistic project by visual artist Maria Ylikoski, in which she constructs a portrait of her aunt, Ester Markkola (1920–2010). From 1952 to 1986, Ester worked in the service of President Urho Kekkonen, overseeing the presidential couple’s wardrobe, private quarters, and the smooth running of everyday life. She lived in the attic of Tamminiemi, the President’s official residence, and accompanied the presidential couple on state visits abroad. She was one of those individuals whose work was indispensable, yet whose role required them to remain largely unseen.

The project is based on the materials Ester left behind: photographs, letters, clothing, personal belongings, and other traces of a life about which very little is known. Ester rarely spoke about her work, gave no interviews, and generally refused to be photographed. Her story has remained on the margins of official history, even though she lived for decades at the heart of Finnish power.

Ylikoski approaches this material both as an artist and as a kind of archivist. She organizes, catalogues, interprets, and reworks the estate, creating artworks in which personal memory intersects with national history. Through photographs, videos, and installations, everyday objects—scarves, gloves, detachable collars, bed linens, letters, and wrapping paper—become vessels of history, bearing witness to a life that was largely undocumented.

The works explore questions of memory, archiving, and historical representation. Whose lives are preserved? Who remains outside the frame? Is it possible to create a portrait of someone who deliberately stayed out of sight? Ylikoski’s work makes visible the labor and experiences of Ester and others like her. At the same time, it offers a glimpse into the quiet, often overlooked work upon which institutions, power, and history ultimately depend.

Maria Ylikoski (b. 1966, Ikaalinen, Finland) studied photography at the Turku School of Arts and Communication and at the School of Photography and Film in Gothenburg, Sweden. She received her Master of Fine Arts degree from the Academy of Fine Arts in Helsinki in 2011.

Ylikoski’s work explores themes of memory and personal history, often through the medium of video portraiture. Photography frequently serves as the starting point for her artistic process, although her works also take the form of installations and moving-image pieces. Since 1995, her work has been exhibited in Finland and internationally. Works from the Invisible Ester project have been presented at Hippolyte Photography Gallery, Galleria Huuto, Photographic Centre Nykyaika, Studio Laikku at Tampere Cultural Centre, and the Kovelahti Village House. Ylikoski is currently working on an artist’s book based on the project material.

The exhibition and the artist’s work have been supported by the Kone Foundation, The Finnish Cultural Foundation, the Niilo Helander Foundation, the Oscar Öflund Foundation, and the Greta and William Lehtinen Foundation. Special thanks to the Archives of President Urho Kekkonen.

Website: https://www.mariaylikoski.com

Welcome to the opening of the exhibition on Thursday July 9th from 5 to 7 pm!

An artist talk will take place on Sunday, July 26, from 3 to 4 PM. Welcome!