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12.4.-14.9. Eija-Liisa Ahtila: The Power of Trees exhibition at Kew Gardens

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FINNISH INSTITUTE IN THE UK AND IRELAND

Finnish Institute in the UK and Ireland is an expert on Finnish culture and society. We identify signals of change in the fields of art, culture and society and support new perspectives to contemporary issues.

What’s On

24.3.-16.5. Henna Asikainen: Lintukoto/Haven exhibition in Lancaster

24.3.-16.5. Henna Asikainen: Lintukoto/Haven exhibition in Lancaster 'Lintukoto/Haven' exhibition explores experiences of displacement and belonging through an installation that combines sculpture, sound and natural materials. Henna’s own experience of migration and family heritage of displacement comes together with her conversations with people seeking sanctuary, inviting empathy and reflection.

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7.3.-26.4. Anssi Kasitonni: Gentle Means and Easy Tasks exhibition at Beaconsfield Gallery

7.3.-26.4. Anssi Kasitonni: Gentle Means and Easy Tasks exhibition at Beaconsfield Gallery Below Zero Finnish Art Award 2024 winner Anssi Kasitonni, who wryly describes himself as the ‘country cousin of Jeff Koons’, is bringing his DIY aesthetic of crafting ‘fast’ sculptures from lo-fi materials glamourised in chrome to Beaconsfield Gallery this spring. The exhibition, titled Gentle Means and Easy Tasks, runs from 7 March until 26 April.

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6.-30.3. Nordic circus performances at Jacksons Lane

6.-30.3. Nordic circus performances at Jacksons Lane Jacksons Lane is bringing three joyful circus performances to London from Agit Cirk, Sakari Männistö and The Nordic Council.

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Bengi Ünsal: “Post-Brexit, facilitating international exchange has become more crucial than ever.”

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Our latest video

Together Again Festival recording Rewatch the Festival live stream from Helsinki, 8 September 2023

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We had a wonderful preview yesterday at the @thesh

We had a wonderful preview yesterday at the @theshowroomlondon unveiling 'Remedies - Lullaby Nest' by Sasha Huber and Petri Saarikko, in collaboration with Matshidiso.

A heartfelt thank you to the artists and The Showroom team for making it happen!

The exhibition runs from 27 September to 7 December 2024.
Opening hours: Wednesday – Saturday, 12–6 pm.

The exhibition is supported by the Finnish Institute in the UK and Ireland as part of the pARTir initiative funded by the European Union - NextGenerationEU, with further support from Frame Contemporary Art Finland, the Finnish Cultural Foundation and the Arts Promotion Centre Finland.

3rd image: Remedies: Sasha Huber & Petri Saarikko, Lullaby, performance at Art Prospect Performance Festival in St. Petersburg, 2016

@kulttuurirahasto @frame_finland @taikegram

#LullabyNest #SashaHuber #PetriSaarikko #TheShowroomLondon #pARTirproject #NextGenerationEU

#ThrowBack to @LindaKokkonenofficial stunning OENA

#ThrowBack to @LindaKokkonenofficial stunning OENANTHE collection launch during London Fashion Week at The Old Church in Stoke Newington. Huge congratulations to Linda and her talented team on the successful launch!

The Fashion Week debut was made possible by @kulttuurirahasto and The Finnish Institute for UK & Ireland.

See more on Linda's website at lindakokkonen.com

📷 Johanna Stroud

#ThrowBackThursday #SustainableFashion #FashionWeek #LindaKokkonen

Illustrator and comic artist Reetta Niemensivu @re

Illustrator and comic artist Reetta Niemensivu @reettabeetta will be participating this year in the @lakesinternationalcomics! Join us in Bowness-on-Windermere from September 27–29 for live draws, interviews, and workshops 🖍✨ #LICAF2024 #ReettaNiemensivu #ComicArtFestival #LakeDistrict

To celebrate #LondonDesignFestival and #LondonFash

To celebrate #LondonDesignFestival and #LondonFashionWeek, we kicked off yesterday with an inspiring Design Brunch, gathering 13 incredibly talented London-based Finnish artists and designers at the Institute’s office at Somerset House.

A huge thank you for joining us, sharing your unique insights and engaging in thought-provoking conversations about sustainable design, the future of fashion and your creative practices! 🔥

#DesignBrunch #LondonDesign #FinnishDesigners #SustainableFashion #LDF2024 #SomersetHouse

Tom of Finland Foundation is celebrating their 40t

Tom of Finland Foundation is celebrating their 40th anniversary, and as part of the celebrations in London, the foundation is organising 'Art as Social Justice' symposium on Friday 20 September.

This one-day event features keynote speakers, screenings, and panel discussions featuring a diverse array of notable academics, activists, artists, and guest speakers. Our Institute's very own director Jaakko Nousiainen, together with the President of the Tom of Finland Foundation, Durk Dehner, and curator/producer Gary Everett, will kick off the event with welcoming remarks. ✨

🗓 Fri 20 Sep
🕙 10am-5pm
📍 University of Westminster
4-12 Little Titchfield St, W1W 7BY

Book your free tickets now, please find more information in our bio! 🔥

📌 THIS FRIDAY 13th September - Oenanthe Collect

📌 THIS FRIDAY 13th September - Oenanthe Collection Presentation during @londonfashionweek by @lindakokkonenofficial 🥀

For the Finnish designer’s UK debut, the guests will be able to explore the latest Linda Kokkonen collection and selected art works from the designer.

To RSVP, please contact: info@lindakokkonen.com

The London debut is supported by @kulttuurirahasto and The Finnish Institute in the UK and Ireland.

#UKdebut #LindaKokkonen #OenantheCollection #London #LFW #LFW40 #SlowFashion

Visual arts cry for help! Severe cuts proposed t

Visual arts cry for help!

Severe cuts proposed to arts and culture funding in Finland. Visual art is more popular than ever, but planned cuts to the culture budget threaten its existence.

⚠️ Art exhibitions in many Finnish localities will significantly decrease or even cease completely if the cuts to the funding of culture take place as proposed by the Ministry of Finance. The employment of visual artists and other art professionals and the opportunities to work in their profession would also be weakening.

⚠️ Last year, an all-time visitor record was set, when Finnish visual art exhibitions and events had more than 5 million visits.

We stand with artists and art organisations around Finland with the joint message to the government: defend art in Finland.

Read more in our link in bio. 🔗

We are delighted to support the @curatorialprogram

We are delighted to support the @curatorialprogram and the upcoming Core Program that will be held in Finland, Norway and Sweden including Sápmi in September-October 2024. Congratulations Isra Al Kassi (United Kingdom), Rose Bouthillier (Canada), Kholisile Dhliwayo (Australia/US), Azar Mahmoudian Esfahani (Iran), Tina Petersone (Latvia), Samuele Piazza (Italy), Talia Smith (Australia), Larisa Zmud (Argentina) for being selected as part of the programme!

The international roster of participants selection was made by the CPR Founding Director Carmen Ferreyra; CPR Europe Director Susanne Ewerlöf; Ruben Steinum (Director, Office for Contemporary Art, Norway), Lena Malm (Head of IASPIS Visual Arts Program), Mariangela Mendez Prencke (Director, Havremagasinet Länskonsthall Boden), Elina Suoyrjö (Director of Programs, Finnish Institute in New York).

This project is realised with joint support from The Nordic Culture Fund, The Swedish Arts Council, Region Norrbotten, Frame Finland, The Finnish Cultural Institute of New York, The Finnish institute in the UK and Ireland, The Office for Contemporary Art, Norway, IASPIS, the Swedish Arts Grants Committee’s International Programme for Visual and Applied Arts, Jokkmokk Municipality and the Visual Artist Support Center, Norrbotten.

#curatorialprogram #curatorialresidency #artistresidency #cpr

We are excited to support @ossiraippalinna's trave

We are excited to support @ossiraippalinna's travel to Cove Park for #MakingTracks2024 residency and tour!

Meet Ossi, a Finland-based percussionist, producer, researcher, educator, and drum maker. As part of his recent master’s studies at @sibeliusglobalmusic, research trips to Senegal, Mali, Scotland, and Cuba have enriched his understanding of the interplay between rhythm and melody in percussion traditions - particularly within West African drum traditions.

Ossi’s repertoire includes the drum kit, keyboard, electronics, talking drum, djembe, bodhran, sabar, bugarabu, and congas. Ossi is also an expert drum maker, who crafts high-quality congas and djembe drums from sustainable Finnish wood.

Ossi’s residency is also supported by @nordiskkulturfond

Congrats Ossi! 🌟 Please visit the link in our bio for more info about the artist and residency. 🔗

📷 Rio Gandara

#makingtracks #percussion #intercultural #interspecies #uk #finland #nordics

Our popular Finnish classes kick off again on Mond

Our popular Finnish classes kick off again on Monday 9 September! 🔥 Course levels range from absolute beginners to advanced, classes taking place on weekday evenings and Saturdays. Until further notice, the classes will be online only.

Secure your spot in the class now! Please visit the link in our bio for more information. ✨

Join @mimauseful at Art + Social No. 18 today (18

Institute of Contemporary Art's (ICA) Director Ben

Institute of Contemporary Art's (ICA) Director Bengi Ünsal answered a few questions about the newly announced strategic partnership for 2024-2026 between the Finnish Institute in the UK and Ireland and ICA. 💫

Read the interview to find out what’s in the pipeline for the next couple of years and how the collaboration started in the first place. Link in bio ✨

Image: Muhsin Akgun

The Institute is on holiday in July. We wish you a

The Institute is on holiday in July.
We wish you a wonderful summertime, see you in August! ✨

A snapshot from last Saturday, when we celebrated

A snapshot from last Saturday, when we celebrated Pride with our fellow Nordic countries and thousands of others in the London Pride parade! 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

The fight for equality continues, and we remain committed.

Happy Pride! 🌈

#NordicsForEquality #LondonPride

Choreographer-dancer Maija Nurmio took part in a m

Choreographer-dancer Maija Nurmio took part in a mentoring programme which started last autumn as a part of Performing HEL showcase. Read the interview on our website to find out more about her experiences of the programme, link in bio! ⭐

@chisenhaledance
@circusdancefinland

Photo: Johanna Tirronen

Surrender to the intimacy of dancing and derives i

Surrender to the intimacy of dancing and derives its choreographic material from the context of club and rave culture this July 🔎

down below things shudder
📅 4th and 5th July 8pm
📍 ICA
🎟️ £14

🔗 Book your tickets via the link in our bio

Kaisa(@kaisacleva )is a dancer-choreographer. Her dance background is in street dance; mainly in hip hop and punking/waacking.
Marika(@marikapeura )is a freelance choreographer and dancer. Her background is in street and club dance culture. She works multidisciplinary in the fields of dance and contemporary performing art.

With grinding as its movement landscape, five dancers engage in a search of pleasure of the dancing body.

In partnership with @icalondon

📷 Venla Helenius

#downbelowthingsshudder #ica #dance #performance