According to the artist, the exhibition is about the ironies and dysfunction of our screen-centric existence, highlighting the cycle of instant gratification driven by our obsessive consumption of the "empty calorie" content found in social media feeds.

"Despite being acutely aware of the detrimental effects on our mental health, creativity, deep thought and genuine human connection, we seem content or powerless to resist the constant distraction available for us on demand," he explained. "The constant drip feed of mindless content is mirroring our relationship with low-nutrient processed foods in Western diets. While providing easy and accessible sustenance to stay alive, these empty consumption habits lower our quality of life by making us sicker and more passive in the long term."

Lehikoinen noted that his solo exhibition also reflects on his own personal paradoxical relationship with loneliness and persistent struggle in connecting with the outside world.

"In having tendencies to self-isolate and finding comfort in solitude, I also often find myself suffering from the effects of self-imposed isolation," he acknowledged. "With my current art practice, I am interested in the escapism of video games and experimenting with an otherwise highly entertainment-based medium in creating apathetic interactive works related to mental health. Featured here are new experimental video games, installations and 2D works."

"Empty Calories," the artist said, offers an ironic exploration of the malaise of the "social media age," inspired by pixel art aesthetics typically associated with the lighthearted fun of retro gaming.

Jyväskylä native Finnish artist Samuel Lehikoinen is a visual artist currently based in Helsinki. He earned a BA degree from Kankaanpää School of Fine Arts in 2016 and MA degree in Contemporary Art in 2023 from EKA. Lehikoinen has chiefly worked and exhibited as a painter, with six solo exhibitions and multiple group shows since 2016. His works are included in the collections of Jyväskylä Art Museum.

In recent years, Lehikoinen has delved into video game development as the primary part of his art practice. The artistic portion of his master's thesis at EKA, "Unemployment Simulator 2018," is an autobiographical video game focused on male loneliness and the Finnish welfare system. This work earned him EKA's 2023 Young Artist Award.

"Empty Calories" will remain open at  Hobusepea Gallery through Sunday, August 5.

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