News
30 years of dialogue – what should we talk about next?
In 1990, the Finnish Cultural Institute in New York was founded at a time that was critical for how our world is now shaped – the Berlin Wall had just come down, the World Wide Web was in its infancy and the term Global Warming had entered the public domain. Our Executive Director Kaarina Gould invites you to join the FCINY’s 30th-anniversary celebrations.
The institute was founded as a residency center for Finnish artists, architects, and designers – to offer them a chance to immerse themselves in the visual arts scene in New York, to network and exchange ideas – an experience many of them describe as transformative, both for their practice and their career. Since our early days we have expanded into offering fellowship programs for curators and producing timely, relevant projects. We like to think of what we do as putting seeds in the ground – some sprout fast and tall, some take a longer path – but in each case the encounters we facilitate have made the difference.
Through our MOBIUS Fellowship Program we have enabled project-based fellowships for US-based curators in Finland, and for Finnish curators in New York. These curator exchanges have resulted in the world premiere of new works for the planetarium by Lucy Raven and James N Kienitz Wilkins; the commissioning of a series of new artworks for Helsinki’s new Central Library Oodi and most recently a collaboration with the Judd Foundation on their exhibition Aalto + Chamberlain.
Recent highlights of our other key initiatives include Fashion after Fashion, an exhibition at the MAD Museum in summer 2017 addressing the questions of representation and identity in fashion; Zero Waste Bistro, an installation for WantedDesign Manhattan in May 2018 that took a holistic approach on the theme of circular economy and went on to win the prestigious FRAME Design Award; and Bastard Cookbook, a collaboration with artist Rirkrit Tiravanija and chef Antto Melasniemi, acclaimed by readers and critics alike.
30 years into our story, the world does not look the same. Connecting with one another and sharing ideas has never required less effort. Yet recognizing and focusing on what is relevant and meaningful is harder than ever.
As a small but dynamic non-profit, our Institute’s role is to start conversations – the oldest method for making friends, and making peace. As we look towards the new decade, our goal of facilitating dialogue feels more immediate than ever. Through languages of art, design, and architecture – we will raise topics of sustainability and inclusion. With the shared threat of climate change alongside increasing nationalist rhetoric in our countries and cultures, it is critical that we build intentional space for cross-Atlantic cultural exchange, supporting relevant, progressive ideas and debates in the visual fields. In 2020 we are committed to hosting a range of artists, designers, architects, curators and experts, both here in the US and Finland –constantly being mindful about our footprint.
For our 30th anniversary we have planned exciting new initiatives – progressive projects that spark conversations, create new opportunities for artists and designers, and build partnerships that benefit institutions and professionals on both sides of the Atlantic. We invite you to join the celebration. Here’s to another 30!
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