HELSINKI BIENNIAL

Creating a platform to communicate the diverse and dynamic nature of the contemporary Finnish art scene, the Helsinki Biennial looks to establish links and collaborations with the wider global artistic landscape.
Free to the public, each edition of Helsinki Biennial will primarily comprise of major new, site-specific commissions by leading international artists. Fostering a sustainable approach to exhibition-making, the biennial embodies Helsinki’s ambitious, cultural vision.
Rooted in the significance of its maritime location, the biennial’s exhibition takes place on the former military island of Vallisaari. Situated only a 15 minute ferry ride from the city center, Vallisaari opened to the public for the first time in 2016. A landscape defined by its history and a remarkable level of biodiversity, the biennial reflects on this context to address ongoing public debate around the evolving relationship between humanity and nature.
Presented by Helsinki Art Museum (HAM), the biennial is directed by HAM director Maija Tanninen-Mattila and curated by HAM’s head curators Pirkko Siitari and Taru Tappola. Responsible for Helsinki’s extensive art collection, including its significant number of public artworks, the museum plays a crucial role in the city’s mission to support, maintain, and pioneer art in the public sphere. The biennial is further supported by an international advisory committee made up of curators and academics.
With a reputation for world-class design and architecture, Helsinki is committed to further developing the city’s art scene both on a grass-roots and institutional level.
Helsinki Biennial will also have a presence on the mainland in HAM and in the form of events organized in collaboration with the city’s arts organizations, museums, and galleries.