Nita Virkki
Skulls like petals, devouring night blooms
11.6.–28.6.2026
Opening/Avajaiset 10.6. 16:00–18:00

Skulls like petals, devouring night blooms is a series of ink drawings about chiropterophily in flowers: the visual imagery of these works is based on night-blooming flowers and the anatomy of bats that feed on them. 

Many species of bats pollinate flowers, spread their seeds by carrying those in their fur, and feed on insects harmful to the plants, functioning as a crucial part of ecosystems. Bat-pollinated plants include agriculturally significant species such as agave and durian, as well as wild plants, such as the wild bananas that commercial bananas are cultivated from. Some of these flowering plants have had a coevolution with bats, developing features that help bats to locate them and feed on their pollen and nectar. Bat-pollinated flowers are usually large, robust and light in colour; they bloom at night and their strong smell attracts bats to visit them. The pollinating bat species, in turn, have evolved to possess anatomical traits, such as elongated skulls, that allow them to reach the pollen more efficiently.

Traditionally, in Western culture and art, bats are associated with Gothic imagery, witchcraft and vampires, and have been seen as symbols of death. Considering their contribution to plant fertility, they can, on the other hand, be seen as life bringers that work the graveyard shift of pollination, seed dispersal and pest control for many plants, aiding both natural ecosystems and agriculture.

While working on this series of drawings, the artist has studied the anatomy of bat-pollinated flowers as well as their pollinator bats; she has looked for petal-like shapes in the structures of bat skulls and wings, and drawn these visual analogies with thin lines on almost transparent paper. The drawings invite reflection on what kinds of cultural conceptions and narratives we associate with species other than our own, and the roles they play in nature. How can art help us shift these narratives when necessary – and if we associate bats with growth and fertility instead of death, what will our views of them be like?

Artist bio

Nita Virkki is a painter who lives and works in Helsinki. In her drawings, she combines organic, nature-inspired shapes and abstraction with influences from historical art. She favours simple materials such as black ink, reed pens, and paper.

Virkki holds a painter’s diploma from Vapaa taidekoulu and a MA degree in Aesthetics from the University of Helsinki. Her works have previously been exhibited at Galleria Toinen Silmä in Helsinki and Asbestos Art Space in Helsinki. Her next solo exhibition will be at Galerie Pleiku, Berlin, in 2027.

Instagram: @initiavi

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