NADA Galleries Curate Finnish Artists for New York Audiences

On October 30, 2025, the Finnish Cultural Institute in New York (FCINY), together with the Consulate General of Finland in New York, announced a new partnership with the New Art Dealers Alliance (NADA). At that time three New York galleries were about to travel to Finland and return with exhibitions to curate. Now, with those shows behind us, we can look back at what the collaboration made possible and what could come next.

You can refresh your memory from the original announcement! The programme was initiated by FCINY’s Executive Director Kati Laakso, who proposed the collaboration directly to NADA, and developed in close partnership with Anssi Vallius, Head of Cultural Affairs and Creative Industries at the Consulate General of Finland in New York.

The NADA collaboration grew from a shared conviction that the best way to introduce Finnish contemporary art to international audiences is through direct encounter. Rather than sending just the materials abroad, the program invited gallerists to come to Finland to get a deeper connection to the art works and artists themselves. Gallerists got to spend time in studios, visit institutions, and make their own artistic judgements. The process was deliberately open and the visiting gallerists were free to meet whom they wished and follow their own curiosity.

Following their visits to Finland, the three galleries brought home something tangible: three remarkable exhibitions, all brimming with Finnish artists. Toward the end of last year, coinciding with the NADA gallery exhibitions, works by eleven Finnish artists in total were on view across New York. As Anssi Vallius notes, "In New York, art is one of the best means of cultural diplomacy. It is a more universal and timeless means of diplomacy and soft power."

Gaa Gallery presented Beyond Matter, an all-Finnish group exhibition featuring Kerttu Saali, Eetu Sihvonen, Teemu Salonen, Johanna Härkönen, Taru Happonen, Eeva Lietonen, Frans Nybacka and Emma Jääskeläinen. The show ran November 14, 2025 to January 10, 2026, exploring nature, mysticism, and material transformation.

Margot Samel Gallery presented Kuu Maa, featuring Finnish artist Man Yau alongside six international artists, November 21, 2025 to January 3, 2026. The exhibition examined distance as an emotional and psychological condition, and left a lasting impression on its visitors. “Viewers lingered, returning to certain works in a quiet, attentive way. The atmosphere of attention and reflection around Kuu Maa stayed with us," the gallery noted. A solo exhibition for Man Yau at Margot Samel is planned for 2027.

Ulterior Gallery presented a group exhibition with three Finnish artists Päivi Takala, Elina Vainio, and Noora Schroderus, January 16 to February 21, 2026. The exhibition proved to be a strong success, since works by each artist were sold and in some cases multiple pieces from a single artist found new homes. Viewers praised the show for its subdued palette and introspective themes, with one describing it as "quiet, haunting and elegant." For Ulterior, the collaboration also opened new horizons. The gallery has since identified a shared sensibility between Finnish and Japanese art cultures, and is now exploring opportunities to introduce Japanese artists to the Finnish market, and vice versa.

All three exhibitions performed well, with works sold across the board, a meaningful result in a market that has been under considerable pressure in recent years. As Klaudia Ofwona Draber, Director of Programs at FCINY, notes, “This partnership with NADA expands FCINY’s visitor program, providing member galleries with a focused opportunity to engage with Finland’s artistic community and connect directly with its artists, access both might not have otherwise. The collaboration reflects a shared commitment to fostering international exchange and creates meaningful opportunities for Finnish artists to present their work in New York within a diverse, international market.” The results of this first edition speak to exactly that.

In 2026, two additional NADA member galleries are invited to take part, with dedicated support and direct access to Finnish artists, galleries, and institutions.

April 9, 2026