Fransu 100 - Frans Toikkanen Centenary Exhibition

2026 marks the centenary year of Frans Toikkanen, a Saarijärvi-born artist, graphic designer and sculptor. Frans "Fransu" Toikkanen (1926-2008) was originally a farmer who became one of the leading figures in Finnish contemporary art in the 1970s after his breakthrough with cat mezzotints at the Florence International Graphics Biennial in 1972.

The Saarijärvi Museum's centenary exhibition presents a comprehensive overview of Frans's work from the 1950s to the 2000s: nature studies in woodcut, cat mezzotints, commemorative serigraphs, unique wooden and bronze sculptures, and previously unseen works. The exhibition also features the artist's personal objects from the 1950s onwards - tools, sketchbooks, photographs and letters. The works have been gathered from the collections of Saarijärvi Museum, Saarijärvi Mannila Art Foundation, Beda, Katri and Aune Herala Foundation, the Frans Toikkanen family collection, other museums and private collections.

Admission: adults 10 €, pensioners and students 9 €, children 4-12 years 5 €, under 4 years free.