Artist Family Jansson

HAM Helsinki Art Museum has reopened an expanded Tove Jansson Gallery, now spreading across three exhibition halls. The gallery’s first exhibition focuses on the Jansson family of artists and opens the door to a home where art was a way of life.

The Tove Jansson Gallery at HAM presents Tove Jansson’s art in a multifaceted way, highlighting new perspectives on her as both a Helsinki-based and international artist. The gallery is built around the beloved frescoes Party in the Countryside and Party in the City, which are permanently on display.

“We aim to reinforce Tove Jansson’s artistic legacy and significance in both art history and Finnish society. Tove’s art appeals to an ever-wider audience and is also attracting international interest. For example, Euronews recently included the renovated gallery in its list of the top 10 most anticipated exhibitions of 2026,” says Museum Director Arja Miller from HAM.

The first exhibition at the Tove Jansson Gallery focuses on the Jansson family of artists. Visitors have a chance to immerse themselves in the unapologetic bohemian boldness of this Helsinki-based family and gain an insight into the trajectory of the family members’ artistic careers, their hard work and their lives in their home studio.

“The members of the Jansson family gave each other, perhaps without realising it, the courage to express themselves artistically. Art was their lifeblood—it was both a means of creative expression and a way to earn a living. Art gave the family a sense of unity, which became their strength,” Sophia Jansson notes.

At the heart of the exhibition: artist family Jansson
The Swedish-speaking Janssons are one of the most significant artist families in Finnish art history. The creative work produced by its five members has left its mark on many branches of art, from public sculptures to postage stamps to literature. 

During the first decades of the 20th century, the artist couple Signe “Ham” Hammarsten Jansson and Viktor “Faffan” Jansson were creating art and starting a family. Wars and social upheavals made life anything but easy. But the couple’s passion for creating art, their strong work ethic and close family ties helped them pull through and provided an encouraging and inspiring home environment for their children. 

The mother, Signe, was an illustrator and graphic designer and the father, Viktor, a sculptor, and both encouraged their children to pursue art. All three siblings were authors, and Tove also became a painter, Per Olov an art photographer and Lars a cartoonist. In their bohemian home, everyday life and making art blended naturally: art was a way of life. Filled with art supplies, literature and creativity, their home was also a gathering place for their friends and a place for parties. 

This exhibition presents the diverse forms of expression and shared artistic projects of the Jansson family of artists. Photographs also provide a glimpse into the family’s leisure time. The home’s atmosphere, close relationships and shared family adventures were later reflected in the Moomin stories that launched Tove Jansson to international fame. 

The Artist Family Jansson exhibition brings together more than 140 objects and works of art. It includes 50 drawings by Signe ​​Hammarsten Jansson, more than 20 ex libris, banknote and stamp designs, dozens of printed stamps and a wallpaper covered in caricatures drawn by her. The collection also includes 13 statuettes by Viktor Jansson, as well as frescoes, paintings, drawings, magazine cover illustrations and ex libris by Tove Jansson. Lars Jansson’s signature style is on display in the form of a sculpture, books and original comic strips, while Per Olov Jansson’s displayed works include photographs and books.

The exhibition is curated by HAM’s Curator Heli Harni and Audience Engagement Specialist Lotta Kjellberg.

The Tove Jansson Gallery is produced in collaboration with Moomin Characters Ltd.