Helsinki Biennial's Inaugural Edition Opens on Vallisaari Island

The first Helsinki Biennial, titled 'The Same Sea', runs until September 26, 2021, on Vallisaari, a former military island. Curated by Taru Tappola and Pirkko Siitari, the biennial features 41 Finnish and international artists, including Dafna Maimon, Tuomas A. Laitinen, Samir Bhowmik, Tadashi Kawamata, Janet Echelman, Mario Rizzi, Katharina Grosse, and Margaret and Christine Wertheim. The island's military history and modified landscape provide a backdrop for themes of the Anthropocene, colonialism, and ecological crisis. The biennial is part of Helsinki's 'reclaiming the sea' strategy to open the archipelago to citizens and visitors. Over 3,000 Helsinki residents participated in the Wertheims' crochet coral reef project. The event also includes off-site works at HAM Helsinki Art Museum and other venues, such as Echelman's aerial sculpture over Senaatintori in August and Grosse's first solo exhibition in Finland. The biennial aims to boost Helsinki's cultural influence and foster international exchange, with about half the artists from abroad. The curators described the selection process as a mosaic, starting with artists who could interact with Vallisaari's unique conditions.