Mikko Hintz

Mikko Hintz (b.1974) is a German-born Finnish artist, who lives and works in Helsinki. He has studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Helsinki and Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen under Prof. Erik Steffensen in the Graphics department.

Upon graduation, and already during his studies, Hintz has exhibited widely in Finland presenting solo exhibitions in Helsinki galleries and museums, as well as in the Baltics. His works have been included in group shows abroad and belong to several collections in Finland, including Kiasma contemporary art museum and Helsinki Art Museum.

Hintz’s works are characterised by their strikingly small size, while his exhibition titles like “On enter ok, on exit ok” (2010) and “You’re hello I’m goodbye” (2012) by their apprehensive play on words and phrases. While it would be easy to interpret the seeming naivety and quiet elegance of his graphic geometrical paintings as a kind of timidness, they are designed to unsettle the viewer. The insistence with which the artist continues to make these small scale works suggesting that the message is much stronger and confident. The scale invites to approach closer, abandoning the distant audience relation to painting. 

Hintz’s recent shows include "Hidden matter", with Inga Meldere, Helsinki Contemporary (2019); ”on entre ok, on sort ok”, Temnikova & Kasela, Tallinn (2016); “Lost/Saldejums”, Juras varti, Ventspils (2015); “Kiasma Hits: 13th Collection Exhibition”, Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art, Helsinki (2013–2014); Kalnciema Quartier gallery, Riga (2012); “Believe It Or Not – New Works from the Collection”, Meilahti Art Museum, Helsinki (2011–2012); “Enough Is Enough”, with Inga Meldere, Temnikova & Kasela, Tallinn (2011).