THE GUILD OF MEDALLIC ART IN FINLAND

FOUNDED IN 1965
THE PATRON, MS TARJA HALONEN, PRESIDENT OF FINLAND

MAIN PAGE THE YEAR MEDALS MEMBERSHIP

The Guild of Medallic Art in Finland was founded as a connecting link between artists, collectors, art museums and similar institutes to promote medal art, "the little brother" of monumental art. Our members today (winter 2001) total about 235 including artists, sponsors and collectors mainly from Finland but also from some foreign countries. The Guild is a non-profit making society which receives annual financial support from the Ministry of Culture. The Guild usually arranges two annual meetings and excursions for its members in Finland. Lectures have been given all over Finland by our experts.

ART MEDAL EXHIBITIONS

Since 1965 the Guild has arranged more than 120 medal art exhibitions either in Finland or abroad. Most typical places for our exhibitions have been museums, galleries, libraries, schools and banks. Our close co-operation with the regional Art museum of Pirkanmaa was started in 1988.

THE GUILD INTERNATIONALLY

Our international exhibitions have taken place in Scandinavia, the Baltic (Latvia 1994), China, the USA. In addition, the Guild is a member of FIDEM, the International organisation of some 35 countries from four continents. FIDEM arranges its congresses and exhibitions in a member country every second year (Helsinki hosted FIDEM in 1973 and 1990.). In FIDEM exhibitions the latest art medals from all over the world are being displayed.

COMMISSIONING MEDALS

In addition to the year medals the Guild has also commissioned a great number of struck medals. The Finnish presidents is a series of two-sided struck medals started in 1968. The latest presidential medal is the one on Ms Tarja Halonen (2000). Some of the earlier presidential medals are still available. The Guild has organised national medal projects, including medal competitions for our medal artists, in order to keep up the high standard of our medal art. Struck medals such as Kalevala 150 years (1985), Finland 75 years Independent (1992), Finland 80 years Independent (1997), Icehockey World Championships in Helsinki in 1997, Zacharias Topelius, the writer (1998), the Jubilee Year 2000 of Christianity (1999), and the City of Helsinki 450 years (2000) are all closely connected with the Guild.

THE YEARBOOK

The Guild started to publish Mitali-Medaljen journal in 1987. The journal, which was issued twice a year till 1999, was substituted by the Yearbook of Medallic Art in 2000. The Yearbook consists of articles and reviews on medallic art, interviews with sculptors and artists, information on exhibitions and on collecting medals among other things. Most articles are illustrated with excellent photos. The Book has even a Swedish summary on all the articles.

CONSULTATION

The experts of the Guild are often consulted on questions dealing with making a commemorative art medal or having it made. We are happy to tell you more about the works of our medal artists, about organising competitions when necessary and about casters and mints in Finland.