Curator Elina Suoyrjö joins FCINY as Director of Programs

The Finnish Cultural Institute in New York welcomes Elina Suoyrjö as Director of Programs, starting October 2020. Suoyrjö will be succeeding Ilari Laamanen who has served the institute since 2013. Due to travel restrictions between the United States and Europe, Suoyrjö will start in her new position remotely.

Suoyrjö, with a degree in art history, curating and gender studies, has recently finished her PHD at the Middlesex University in London. She has worked as an independent curator for years, curating exhibitions and events in collaboration with leading contemporary art institutions in Helsinki, Stockholm, Paris, London and New York. She also regularly writes for art publications, and works on various specialist assignments, such as lecturing and tutoring. Most recently she has led the Titanik Art space in Turku as Director.

“We’re currently living in strange and uncertain times, and organizations such as the FCINY must re-think especially the role of mobility in the near future. I’m very excited about stepping into the shoes of the director of programs, and very much looking forward to working with the Institute’s team to keep up a brilliant program with ecological and socio-political parameters in mind” – says Elina Suoyrjö.

“We are thrilled to welcome Elina Suoyrjö to our small and mighty team. She brings with her a diverse expertise in curating and writing, as well as excellent management skills. Elina’s energy and critical thinking will be needed as we steer the Institute’s programming to meet the challenges of the new normal. At the same time I and the team will sorely miss Ilari Laamanen, whose contribution to the Institute’s mission has been invaluable” – says Kaarina Gould, FCINY’s Executive Director.

The Finnish Cultural Institute in New York works across the fields of contemporary art, design and architecture, creating dialogue between Finnish and American professionals and audiences. FCINY hosts residencies for Finnish or Finland-based designers, architects and artists through its independent residency program. The Institute’s mission lies in recognizing timely critical ideas and debates in the visual fields and producing thought-provoking contributions of our own.

The Finnish Cultural Institute in New York is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization registered in the State of New York.

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