Anu Kaipainen

Anu Kaipainen (née Mustonen; 14 March 1933 — 29 September 2009) was a prolific Finnish writer and literary critic.[1][2]

Anu Kaipanen at her desk
Anu Kaipanen in 1963
BornAune Helinä Mustonen
(1933-03-14)14 March 1933
Muolaa, Finland[1]
Died29 September 2009(2009-09-29) (aged 76)
Helsinki, Finland
OccupationWriter, critic, teacher
LanguageFinnish
EducationMaster of Arts
Alma materUniversity of Helsinki
Notable works
  • Arkkienkeli Oulussa (1967)
  • Granaattiomena (2002)
Notable awardsPro Finlandia (1983)
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1955, died)​
Children3, incl. Jouni Kaipainen

Early life and education

Aune ("Anu") Helinä Mustonen was born in Muolaa, Karelia, to the school principal Johan Emil Mustonen and his second wife Signe Julia née Sjöblom.[3]

She completed her secondary education in Helsinki in 1951, after which she studied at the University of Helsinki, graduating with a Master of Arts in 1955.[3]

Career

Before dedicating herself to writing, Kaipainen worked as a Finnish teacher for several years.[3][2]

She had wide literary and cultural interests, contributing to literary criticism, as well as holding board and council roles at numerous literary and cultural organisations.[3]

Throughout the 1960s and 70s, Kaipainen served as city councillor in her home town of Kauniainen.[3]

Writing

Kaipainen's debut novel, Utuiset neulat, came out in 1960, followed by a poetry collection, Kädet helmassa, in 1961.[3]

Afterwards she published a new novel every couple of years — over 20, in total — as well as several plays and TV scripts, short stories and a fairytale book.[4][2]

Her 1967 novel Arkkienkeli Oulussa 1808-1809 ('Archangel in Oulu') is considered her breakthrough work, after which she became a full-time writer.[5]

Her 2002 novel Granaattiomena ('Pomegranate') was shortlisted for the Finlandia Prize literary award.[6]

Common themes in many of Kaipainen's works are on one hand myths and legends; on the other, contemporary realism and criticism of societal injustices and problems.[7][8] She felt that a novel must be written openly and honestly, without trying to sugar-coat difficult issues.[7]

Awards and honours

Kaipainen won the Finnish State Prize for Literature twice, in 1966 and 1969.[3]

In 1983, she received the Pro Finlandia medal of the Order of the Lion of Finland.[9]

She was awarded the state pension for artists (Valtion taiteilijaeläke) in recognition of her life's work, from 1994.[2]

In 2006, Kaipainen was recognised with the annual award (Suomen Kirjailijaliiton tunnustuspalkinto) of the Union of Finnish Writers.[4]

Personal life

In 1955, Anu Mustonen married the physician and later politician Osmo Kaipainen; the couple had three sons, the eldest of whom was the composer Jouni Kaipainen.[3][8]

References
  1. "Anu Kaipainen". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). 29 September 2009. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  2. "Kirjailija Anu Kaipainen kuollut" (in Finnish). Yle. 29 September 2009. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  3. Kuka Kukin On (Who's Who) (in Finnish). Helsinki: Otava. 1978. p. 332. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  4. "Kaipainen, Anu". Kirjasampo.fi (in Finnish). Public Libraries of Finland. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  5. "Anu Kaipainen". OuKa.fi (in Finnish). City of Oulu. 27 June 2018. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  6. "Finlandia-ehdokkaat julkistettiin" (in Finnish). Yle. 14 November 2002. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  7. "Kaipainen, Anu (1933-2009)". Kansallisbiografia.fi (in Finnish). National Biography of Finland. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  8. "Kaipainen, Anu". Uppslagsverket.fi (in Swedish). Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  9. "SUOMEN LEIJONAN PRO FINLANDIA -MITALIN SAAJAT 1945-2020". Ritarikunnat.fi (in Finnish). The Orders of the White Rose of Finland and the Lion of Finland. 9 October 2020. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  • Anu Kaipainen profile and bibliography on Kirjasampo (Public Libraries of Finland literary database; in Finnish)
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