Matti Aikio

Matti Aikio, MFA Tromsø Academy of Contemporary Art, is a Sámi visual artist rooted in Finnish Sápmi, intricately explores the aftermath of colonial contact zones between Finnish, Danish-Norwegian, Swedish, and Norwegian settlers and the Sámi people. Drawing from his background in Sámi reindeer herding culture, Aikio delves into pressing issues, as well as the history of land rights, skillfully blending moving images, sound, text, and still imagery in his installations.

His work, noted for highlighting marginalised perspectives, has graced significant venues, including the Helsinki Biennial and Tate Late at Tate Modern and institutions like Botkyrka Konsthall, Bildmuseet Umeå, National Gallery of Canada, Cairo Off Biennale and the National Museum of Finland. In 2022, he was named a Fellow at the TBA-21 Ocean Space, Venice, Italy and in 2023 a Fellow at Vera List Center for Art and Politics, New York, USA.

Aikio’s art becomes a powerful lens, illuminating the complexities of Sámi heritage and global indigenous challenges, inviting viewers into a world where culture, history, and activism intersect. Artistically his main focus is the conflict between the indigenous and non-indigenous relationship with nature.