Yinka Ilori MBE: Transparent Happiness

Amos Rex is excited to announce that internationally acclaimed British Nigerian multi-disciplinary artist and designer, Yinka Ilori MBE will design a new commission on the museum’s iconic courtyard, which is one of the most popular urban spaces in Helsinki. The commission is the first in an annual series that will bring a range of artistic talent to the space in the coming years. 

Launching in May 2025, Ilori’s large-scale public installation, will transform the museum’s domes into a participatory and functional artwork, inviting visitors to play and interact with the public realm in new ways.

Yinka Ilori MBE (b. 1987) is globally renowned for his bold visual language and use of vibrant colours, often drawing inspiration from his dual heritage to tell compelling stories. Believing art should be accessible to all, he is recognised for transforming urban environments – from billboards to playgrounds and parks, into immersive artworks. His mission is to spark joy, inspire playfulness and foster a sense of community among those who interact with these reimagined spaces.

Amos Rex’s mission is to work with its unique urban setting and invite artists from many disciplines to activate its public spaces. The project is part of a new, annual summer season of commissions, events and interventions. 

“Amos Rex has at its heart on of the most distinctive and unusual urban spaces in Europe, and it is so exciting to invite Yinka to play with it. Yinka’s work asks questions about public space and participation and provocatively focusses on joy in the complex realities of contemporary society. His work is searching and hopeful, and will be experienced by the hundreds of thousands of people who visit the space during the idyllic Helsinki summer,” says Kieran Long, director of Amos Rex.