About the Artwork

Human Rights Watch and Market Art Fair are deeply grateful to Aki Turunen and Schwarz Contemporary for their generous donation.

Find information about the artwork and a statement from the artist below.

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About Work 

Aki Turunen, Ripe Moons, 2023

Oil on canvas

105 x 120 cm

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About Ripe Moons

​​​​“I flirt with the painterly concept of presenting an oxymoron by making an orange resemble a moon and vice versa. The envisioned orange grove consists of trees that produce half-moons, crescent moons, and full moons. All phases of the month can be experienced simultaneously. The image of the dragon prompts us to reminisce about our animal instincts, subconscious fears, and historical roots. The dragon defies a clear taxonomic classification between an imaginative invention and a real creature,” says Turunen.

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About partnership and donation 

“Defending and improving human rights, whether through internationally ratified treaties, national constitutions, or national legislation, are at risk in these times. Many international aid organizations have faced or are facing substantial cuts in their funding. As an artist, I want to signal the importance of ongoing, proactive funding that helps to defend an equitable life: for example, girls’ access to education and minority rights. Artistic freedom and human rights cannot be separated; they lie intertwined in the ability to express oneself in whatever feels compelling, to exhibit works of art without censorship, and for the public to be literate before them.” (Turunen)

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