Curator Yue Yu. Photo: Jesús Noguera Guillén
Frame’s grants enable over 100 international presentations of Finnish contemporary art annually. Often the projects also evolve into new ones. In this blog text, Curator Yue Yu writes about her experiences with continuing collaborations that have emerged from Frame-funded projects.
Since relocating from Paris to Helsinki, I have visited quite a few Finland-based artists’ studios, from painting to multimedia. Many artists have expressed interest in exhibiting internationally. This encouraged me to reflect on potential exhibitions abroad, mainly in France and China, where I have extensive networks. However, after speaking with several gallerists in Paris, including one I had previously worked with, I realised that Chinese galleries were more willing to take risks and exhibit new artists.
I was introduced to artist Erno Enkenberg through the Finnish Art Agency, and his work resonated with me. ARR Gallery, based in Hangzhou, China, shared the same impression, and as a result, Enkenberg held a solo exhibition Prelude at the gallery in September 2025.
Frame’s grant played a significant role in making the collaboration with the gallery possible. The support from Frame reassured the gallery to carry on a collaboration with an artist previously unknown in China. Frame’s support helped us make this first step into the collaboration, which would later open the doors for many future opportunities.
Erno Enkenberg’s a solo exhibition Prelude at ARR gallery in Hangzhou, China in September 2025.
Frame supported the exhibition with a grant.
Enkenberg’s exhibition was very well received, and many Chinese artists, curators, and collectors attended the opening. Also, the Consul General of Finland, Anu Vuori, and the whole Consulate team came from Shanghai to Hangzhou for the opening. Many visitors expressed strong interest in Enkenberg’s paintings’ unique setting and colour scheme, which reminded them of Nordic sensitivity. This is, of course, very subjective; it’s an imagination of the “others”, but in a way, I believe Enkenberg’s works serve as an open dialogue for the Chinese audience to connect with Finland.
Accompanying his exhibition, Enkenberg held a lecture at the China Academy of Art in Hangzhou, which was met with a very positive response. He talked about the fine arts programme and graduation evaluation process at the Uniarts Helsinki’s Academy of Fine Arts, and his own artistic practice evolving from paper cutting and photography to 3D modeling. Students and professors engaged actively in the discussion and expressed genuine interest in Enkenberg’s artistic practice, as well as in the varying artistic approaches between Europe and China. I hope I can help organise more university-level collaborations between Finland and China in the future.
Yue Yu and Erno Enkenberg at Enkenberg’s solo exhibition Prelude at ARR Gallery in September 2025.
Collaboration with Finnish contemporary artists continues
Fortunately, the collaboration between me, Chinese art institutions and Finnish contemporary artists continues. I recently finished another project, Tommi Toija’s solo exhibition at the West Bund Art Fair in Shanghai in November 2025. I first noticed Toija’s public sculptures when I visited Porvoo after arriving in Helsinki. After introducing Toija’s works to ARR Gallery, they became very enthusiastic to present his solo exhibition at their space in November 2026.
Inspired by the positive feedback from Erno Enkenberg’s exhibition and lecture, I felt the necessity to create more opportunities for Finland-based artists to go to China and for Chinese artists to come to Finland. I am currently in the process of initiating residency exchanges between Finland and China, hoping to have our first exchange during 2026.
Jere Vainio’s works on view in a group exhibition at Paradise Works in Manchester, UK in 2024. Photo: Yue Yu
Frame supported the exhibition with a grant.
Frame funded projects generate new presentations of contemporary art
In 2024, I curated a group show, The Unbearable Lightness of Being, presented at an artist-led gallery space Paradise Works in Manchester, UK. The exhibition brought together Helsinki-based and Manchester-based visual artists, and it received a grant from Frame. The exhibition emphasised the similar textile industry histories between the two cities. From Finland, I invited artists Jere Vainio, Timo Vaittinen, and artist duo SASHAPASHA, to participate.
It became clear to me that it would be interesting to continue the project in Helsinki. I discussed the idea with the director of HIAP, Emma Beverley, with whom I connected at the opening of the show in the UK. That might be the beauty of collaborations in international projects: you never know who you will meet along the way, or where it might lead you several years later. That’s how we began planning for an exhibition on Suomenlinna Island at Gallery Augusta, managed by HIAP, for Autumn 2026. To initiate more dialogue among the international art community, I also invited two more artists, Laurie Charles from Belgium and Jaanus Samma from Estonia. Given that Suomenlinna is a site marked by historical events that have left a legacy of suffering and conflict, I decided to explore the themes of trauma and repair in the upcoming exhibition, which resonates strongly with the artists’ practices.
I think Frame’s support is truly essential for these projects to continue evolving and growing past the initial ideas, especially when taking the first step toward new international collaborations. Finland’s geographic location makes international collaborations challenging, as travel and the shipping of artworks are costly in both directions. This is why Frame’s support is so important. Its funding for international projects helps fill the gap of Finland’s geographical disadvantage and supports Finnish artists’ visibility in the international scene. Frame funding can also encourage partner institutions to take part in projects that involve a certain level of risk, such as working with new artists or initiating exchanges between countries. Also, it helped us gain more support elsewhere; for example, we obtained Arts Council England’s grant for the UK project. I am really looking forward to all the new opportunities to work with Finnish artists internationally and continue these projects that have emerged from Frame-funded presentations.
– Yue Yu, Curator
Dr. Yue Yu is a Helsinki-based curator and art historian. Inspired by her experiences in China, Japan, France, and Finland, her research and curatorial practice focuses on cross-cultural dialogues and the exploration of ‘otherness’. She is committed to cultivating meaningful conversations in the international art community.
This blog is a platform for reflecting on work, current issues, and discussions in the arts by Frame staff members and other contributors. This blog post is published in English.