Erkka Nissinen and Nathaniel Mellors discuss their 2017 Finnish Pavilion video installation at Venice Biennale

At the 2017 Venice Biennale, Erkka Nissinen and Nathaniel Mellors showcased Finland through a video installation that incorporates animatronic sculptures. Their artistic exploration delves into themes of nationalism, the construction of national identity, mythology, and extraterrestrial terraforming. The project, filmed in Los Angeles, necessitated the creation of a custom studio and took 18 months to develop. The artists expressed a desire for their success to conclude their exhibition involvement. They perceive Venice's distinctive medieval aquatic character as setting it apart from other biennials, which they regard as politically shallow. Nissinen, who is Finnish, and Mellors, a Yorkshire expatriate, faced significant pressure, leading to therapy funded by their budget. Mellors takes pride in representing Finland and wishes to stay as a cultural refugee. They produced two separate pieces: one for the opening week likened to a Bollywood version of La La Land, and another for general audiences that engages with cultural theory via pop-cultural appropriation. The artists are eager to see former Rijksakademie participants, such as Pauline Curnier Jardin and Katja Novitskova's Estonian pavilion. The Venice Biennale is scheduled from 13 May to 26 November 2017, with the Finnish Pavilion situated in the Giardini.