The Finnish Cultural Institute in New York is pleased to announce the selection of curators, designers, and artists for its 2024 residency programs.

This year the Institute will host artist Shia Conlon, curatorial duo Anna Jensen and Eliisa Suvanto, designer Helmi Remes, and designer Marina Veziko. The architectural residents will be chosen later in the year.

The Institute’s independent residency program has been supporting Finnish artists, architects and designers in New York since the 1990’s. The new residency programs are focused on artistic dialogue and cultural exchange in addition to individual artistic research and creative work. Each residency includes housing, access to a local hosting organization, travel, and a monthly compensation. 

The local partners, Urban Glass, Residency Unlimited, and The Irwin S. Chanin School of Architecture at The Cooper Union, will help the residents immerse themselves in the cultural landscape of New York, and offer support with contacts to the local creative communities and professional networks.

Shia Conlon

Artist Shia Conlon, whose residency is supported by the FCINY and Residency Unlimited, seeks to expand connections between Finnish and American trans communities through his role as an editor and art director of Almanac, a transgender publishing press. During the residency, Conlon brings his photographic practice to new surroundings, works on his upcoming solo publication, and also continues his research on queer archives, representation, and trans photography by visiting significant archives of the city.

Anna Jensen and Eliisa Suvanto

Curatorial duo Anna Jensen and Eliisa Suvanto aim to expand their joint practice in New York, and focus on researching pioneering land art and site-specific practices in the US. During the residency, they plan to write texts for their two upcoming exhibitions, which both include a dedicated publication. This focused writing period will be expanded into an upcoming book, reflecting their 10-year collaborative and multi-disciplinary work within the public realm. Jensen and Suvanto’s residency is organized in collaboration with Residency Unlimited.

Helmi Remes

Designer Helmi Remes, whose residency is supported by the FCINY and Urban Glass, wants to focus on developing the core of her own expression. She wants to study the differences and similarities between American and Finnish studio glass, and get a comprehensive understanding of the use of glass in architecture and public art. She aims to use this opportunity to produce small-scale works or parts of them for future exhibitions, and the residency will also be the basis for her curatorial work for her upcoming museum exhibition presenting Finnish studio glass art in 2025.

Marina VezikO

Designer Marina Veziko plans to focus on developing her publication design skills and narrowing the gap between her commercial and artistic practices. She aims to gather inspiration for future publication projects and to further develop her visual language, particularly through printed matter. She wants to research visual material for her publication design endeavors, and establish connections with fellow designers, building a network of like-minded professionals for future collaborations. Veziko’s residency is supported by the FCINY.

Anna Jensen & Eliisa Suvanto, curators (January-February 2024)
Helmi Remes, designer (March-April 2024)
Marina Veziko, designer (May-June 2024)
Shia Conlon, artist (July-August 2024)