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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.

One of the highlights of 2020 will be the inaugural Helsinki Biennial, arranged on the historic island of Vallisaari. FCINY will be hosting a trip to visit the opening – stay tuned for details. Photo: Matti Pyykkö

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.

Furniture by Alvar Aalto and Donald Judd. In January 2020 the FCINY and the Judd Foundation will co-host a panel on architectonic wholeness with speakers such as Sir David Adjaye.

3rd floor, 101 Spring Street, Judd Foundation, New York. Image: Justin Chung © Judd Foundation. Donald Judd Art © Judd Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

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.

Bastard Cookbook, which we co-published in 2019, was reviewed in Hyperallergic as 'a form of resistance to the seemingly insatiable two-headed monster of nationalism and xenophobia.’ – could not make our work feel more meaningful. Photo: Kathryn Ryan Photography

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. 

Our summer 2020 designer-in-residence Anna Ruohonen's fashion philosophy is based on sustainability. All the designs are produced on demand only in order to have no surplus or unsold garments – no waste.

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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