Shelter: Below and beyond, becoming and belonging

Helsinki Biennial 2025 brings together 37 artists and collectives in its third edition, Shelter: Below and beyond, becoming and belonging, curated by Blanca de la Torre and Kati Kivinen and produced by HAM Helsinki Art Museum.

Inviting all, the biennial opens to the public on June 8, transforming Helsinki into a summer-long, city-wide celebration of art in unique locations across the city; from the maritime setting of Vallisaari island to HAM Helsinki Art Museum, and for the first time, Esplanade Park, the green heart of Helsinki.

Featuring new commissions and site-specific works, the biennial takes inspiration from Vallisaari island’s protected ecosystem, preserved from human habitation for decades. Against this backdrop and amid the global climate crisis and loss of biodiversity, the biennial’s central theme of Shelter encourages a shift away from human-centric perspectives and instead invites artists to foreground non-human actors – such as plants, animals, fungi and minerals – as protagonists in their works. By considering alternative perspectives, the biennial reimagines humanity's relationship with nature to inspire climate optimism and positive environmental action.

The Helsinki Biennial continues to invite dialogue and works by artists from across the globe who will present new commissions as well as new works and editions. As a lasting legacy, select artworks from each edition remain on permanent display throughout the city.

The 2025 biennial will see particular emphasis on artists from the wider Nordic region, Latin America and Asia, and aims to incorporate the worldviews of Indigenous representatives.

The artists and collectives of Helsinki Biennial 2025 are Maria Thereza Alves (Brazil/Germany), Band of Weeds (Finland), Ana Teresa Barboza (Peru), Sissel M Bergh (Sápmi/Norway), Sara Bjarland (Finland/Netherlands), Saskia Calderón (Ecuador), Edgar Calel (Guatemala), Tania Candiani (Mexico), Regina de Miguel (Spain/Germany), Olafur Eliasson (Denmark/Iceland), Carola Grahn (Saepmie/Sweden), Tue Greenfort (Denmark), Kalle Hamm (Finland) & Dzamil Kamanger (Iran/Finland), Tamara Henderson (Canada/Australia), Gunzi Holmström (Finland), Katie Holten (Ireland/US), Ingela Ihrman (Sweden), Geraldine Javier (Philippines), Aluaiy Kaumakan (Taiwan), Kristiina Koskentola (Finland/Netherlands), Yayoi Kusama (Japan), Jenni Laiti (Finland/Sweden) & Carl-Johan Utsi (Sweden), LOCUS / Thale Blix Fastvold & Tanja Thorjussen (Norway), nabbteeri (Finland), Ernesto Neto (Brazil), Otobong Nkanga (Nigeria/Belgium), Giuseppe Penone (Italy), Laura Põld (Estonia/Austria), Marjetica Potrč (Slovenia), Kati Roover (Estonia/Finland), Hans Rosenström (Finland), Paul Rosero Contreras (Ecuador), Raimo Saarinen (Finland), Pia Sirén (Finland), Theresa Traore Dahlberg (Sweden/Burkina Faso), Nomeda & Gediminas Urbonas (Lithuania/US) and Juan Zamora (Spain).

Blanca de la Torre and Kati Kivinen, curators of the Helsinki Biennial 2025, comment:  

“Our intention for this edition of the Helsinki Biennial is to encourage a shift in thinking, away from anthropocentrism, and towards better understanding of the delicate and severely imbalanced relationship between humankind and nature. As curators deeply concerned with the current ecological emergency, we are continually researching and exploring strategies to engage with contemporary art as a tool for addressing the climate and ecological crisis. The Helsinki Biennial is the outcome of this work, and we are so proud to share the full list of artists from across the world whose work engages so thoughtfully with these important themes.”

Preview programme for professionals
Helsinki Biennial arranges a preview programme for visual arts professionals during June 6–8, 2025.   

In order to be accredited and receive an invitation to the preview programme, visual arts professionals should fill in the online accreditation form. Read more at: Professionals—Helsinki Biennial

The accreditation is open until April 12, 2025.

Media day
Helsinki Biennial Media Day will be arranged on June 5, 2025. More information on the Media Day will be available in April 2025 at Media—Helsinki Biennial