Finnish Pavilion in the Gwangju Biennale presents four contemporary artists from Finland

Finnish Pavilion in the 15th Gwangju Biennale, opening in September, presents works by four visual artists living and working in Finland: Nayab Noor Ikram, Hertta Kiiski, Maija Tammi and Sampsa Virkajärvi. The exhibition Acts of Care is curated by Kati Kivinen and Pirkko Siitari.

The Finnish Pavilion is part of the Gwangju Biennale Pavilion programme, highlighting contemporary art from various countries. This year marks the 30th anniversary of this oldest and one of the most significant art biennials in Asia. The 15th Gwangju Biennale, curated by Nicolas Bourriaud and titled Pansori, a soundscape of the 21st century, runs from 7 September to 1 December 2024 in various locations in the city of Gwangju, South Korea. 

Through a selection of videos and installations, the Finnish Pavilion exhibition raises questions about the role and significance of care and nurturing in today’s societies. The recent pandemics, aging populations, and the environmental crisis have highlighted the inadequacy and necessity of care for the living and non-living alike. On political and personal levels, the artists’ works reflect the relationships between society and the individual, humans and other organisms.

The exhibition Acts of Care approaches care and nursing from different perspectives, looking at parent-child relationships of human and non-human actors, hierarchies between species, and possible futures where care is provided more equally. Building connections between human and non-human, organic and inorganic, it asks, what can we learn from nature, animals and each other about nurturing, empathy, and care?

The Finnish Pavilion: Acts of Care is presented in the Ha Jung-woong Museum of Art between 7 September and 1 December 2024.

The Finnish Pavilion is supported by Frame Contemporary Art Finland, The Embassy of Finland in Seoul and the Gwangju Biennale Foundation.