Timo Aho (b. 1980) is a Helsinki-based visual artist whose practice operates at the intersection of sculpture, installation and site-specific art. In his works, he employs a wide range of materials and media, including ephemeral elements such as light, air and sound, to create multisensorial experiences that seek to embody something essential about presence, absence and being. Aho’s works respond to their surroundings — space, lighting conditions, and natural processes — positioning the viewer as an active participant within environments in constant flux. He is fascinated by how human-altered environments, societal structures, and natural processes intertwine, and his practice invites direct, bodily engagement to explore that entanglement.
Being chosen for RSA New Contemporaries was an important thing on graduation. Having an exhibition to look forward to and work toward meant continuation for my sculptural practice, as well as a focus on moving forward. I think of New Contemporaries as a kind of diving board — it can generate the push needed to maintain direction and focus at a moment when that can be hard to hold onto. I knew the world after studies would hit hard: peers, facilities, time - everything becomes sparser and more complicated. Finding a path and learning to navigate that world is also deeply rewarding, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to show work at New Contemporaries exactly when it mattered most.
