The same sea. An online discussion with the director and curators of the First Helsinki Biennial

The First Helsinki Biennial is being held from 12 June to 26 September 2021, surrounded by the one-of-a-kind natural environment of the former military island of Vallisaari. The name of the first biennale, The Same Sea, is a reminder that everything is connected to everything else and therefore mutually dependent.

The island is located in the open sea, not far from Helsinki, and is a natural reserve: its unique natural environment and the ruins of its historical structures are inviolable. The Helsinki Biennale is founded on principles of careful and responsible interaction with the surrounding nature, and the exhibitions shown on Vallisaari have been installed with the utmost care for the needs of the environment.

The artists participating in the biennale created their works on Vallisaari itself, inspired by its picturesque and wild nature. The island provides the themes for contemplation, helping to crystallise the various concepts of interconnection and mutual dependence. Among these themes are the relationship between humans and nature, time and transformation, borders and identity, and kinship and empathy.

Bios

Director Maija Tanninen-Mattila has a long and diverse background in the visual arts, museums and audience engagement. She has led a variety of visual arts institutions: Ateneum Art Museum, the Finnish National Gallery (2006-2013) and the Helsinki Kunsthalle (2001-2006). Currently she is Director of HAM the Helsinki Art Museum (2013-). HAM is one of the largest art museums in the Nordic countries with a collection of approximately 9 000 artworks. In addition to an extensive international exhibition programme and collection, HAM is responsible for public art in Helsinki. The latest addition to HAM’s program is the Helsinki Biennial which takes place on the island of Vallisaari.

Pirkko Siitari is the Head of Exhibitions at HAM. She previously directed various institutions including Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art in Helsinki (2010-2015), where she also worked as a chief curator (2008-2010), Kerava Art Museum (2004-2008) and the Northern Photographic Centre in Oulu (1990s). Siitari was also the chief curator of the Finnish Museum of Photography in Helsinki (1999-2004). Past curatorial projects include, among others, Katharina Grosse, Chill Seeping from the Walls Gets between Us, HAM (2021), Paweł Althamer, I (am), HAM (2019), Nature as a Playground, Museum of Photography, Seoul (2018), Alfredo Jaar, Kiasma (2014), and ARS11, Kiasma (2011). She studied Art History and History at the Jyväskylä University and Art Theory at Jan van Eyck Akademi, Maastricht, Netherlands.

Since 2017, Taru Tappola has been the Head of Public Art at HAM Helsinki Art Museum, leading a team that commissions public artworks for the City of Helsinki. She formerly worked as Curator of Exhibitions at Helsinki Art Museum (2001-2003), Kunsthalle Helsinki (2004-2006) and KiasmaMuseum of Contemporary Art (2006-2009), curating numerous international and Finnish contemporary art exhibitions. Tappola further developed her professional background in curating, mediating art and engaging audiences as the interim director of KunsthalleHelsinki (2010-11) and Head of Education at HAM (2013-17). She studied Art History at the University of Helsinki.

The discussion will be moderated by Anna Kirikova (Manege).

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Первая Хельсинкская биеннале проходит c 12 июня по 26 сентября 2021 года среди неповторимой природы бывшего военного острова Валлисаари. Вписанная в приморский ландшафт, биеннале носит название «Одно и то же море» (The Same Sea) и напоминает о том, что все в нашем мире взаимосвязано, а значит, и взаимозависимо.

Художники — участники биеннале создавали свои произведения непосредственно на Валлисаари, вдохновляясь его живописной и дикой природой. Остров дает темы для размышлений, из которых выкристаллизовываются различные концепции взаимосвязи и созависимости. Среди этих тем — отношения человека с природой, время и перемены, границы и идентичности, родство и эмпатия.

Спикеры:

Майя Таннинен-Маттила имеет долгий и разнообразный опыт работы в сфере визуальных искусств, музейного дела и взаимодействия с публикой. В настоящее время она является директором Хельсинкского художественного музея (НАМ, 2013–). НАМ — один из крупнейших художественных музеев в Северной Европе: его собрание насчитывает около 9000 произведений искусства.

Пиркко Сиитари возглавляет Отдел выставочной деятельности НАМ. Ранее она руководила различными учреждениями культуры: Музеем современного искусства «Киасма» в Хельсинки (2010–2015), где до того работала главным куратором (2008–2010); Художественным музеем Керавы (2004–2008).

Тару Таппола руководит отделом паблик-арта Хельсинкского художественного музея (HAM) с 2017 года. Она возглавляет группу специалистов по отбору и заказу произведений искусства для общественных пространств города Хельсинки.

Модератор встречи — Анна Кирикова.

Видео The same sea. An online discussion with the director and curators of the First Helsinki Biennial канала ЦВЗ «Манеж»