The Sirkka Arte Biennale is an art event held every second summer at artists Raisa Raekallio’s and Misha del Val’s property in Sirkka, Kittilä, consisting of a curated art exhibition and a sideshow program of live performances. In 2021 we presented the Sirkka Biennale for the third time from 16th to 23rd of June 2021. The art exhibition presented the work of 12 artists from Lapland, Southern Finland as well as international artists.
Aryadharma Aaron Matheson (Sydney, Australia)
Camilla Vuorenmaa (Helsinki, FI)
Hannalenna Heiska (Helsinki, FI)
Kati Ruohomäki (Helsinki, FI)
Maria Huhmarniemi (Rovaniemi, FI)
Katja Juhola (Mustio, FI)
Leonor Ruiz Dubrovin (Helsinki / Pontevedra, Spain)
Meeri Koutaniemi (Helsinki, FI)
Raisa Raekallio (Sirkka, FI)
Samugan Sivanesan (Sydney, AU /Berlin, GE)
Tanja Koistinen (Äkäslompolo, FI)
Touko Hujanen (Helsinki, FI)
The event is curated and put together by artist/curator Misha del Val.
The focus of the art event, in addition to the presentation of high quality art, is to foster dialogue and linkage between the participating artists -and between the artists and the community- in a relaxed, supportive atmosphere. The Sirkka Biennale intends to create and tighten relations between artists in Lapland and elsewhere; and provide opportunities for the artists to appreciate the region and establish connections with Lapland.
In 2021, Misha del Val invited 12 artists from Finland and abroad from a broad range of artistic practices (painting, installation, photography, drawing, video) to be part of the III Sirkka Arte Biennale. Their artworks were installed, as in previous editions, across the different spaces at our property: our 100 year-old wooden barn aitta-studio -which holds the main part of the exhibition-, the main house, the mökki, the puuvarasto and throughout the yard outside. The exhibition space also includes a long-derelict Toyota Baleno entirely painted black, serving as a video-watching cubicle. Participating artists are invited to stay at our property for the whole, or during part, of the art festival's eight days. Artists are provided with food and accommodation. Our property is located in a 6000 square meters pocketed area surrounded by forest and crossed by the Häperöjoki, less than 2 kms. from the shops and commodities of Levi centre.
The Arte Biennale includes a kuraattorikierros, a guided tour in which the curator heartens open discussions with each of the artists on the particular work(s) on exhibition and, by extension, on the current tone of their artistic practices. The audience -mainly comprised by the artist group and a local folk- is encouraged to take part in these conversations. In past editions of the Biennale, the tour and ensuing discussions have revealed many anecdotes and behind the scenes insights and given rise to a great deal of interest.
The Biennale runs, in parallel with the art exhibition, an evening program of live performances.
From Sirkka, an outing is organised to take participant artists to visit Getsemane, artist Kalervo Palsa's atelier in Kittilä, and to spend an evening at the Sodankylä Film Festival.
The Sirkka Arte Biennale is an artistic event designed to bring people together in a supportive environment of creativity, reflection, amusement and rest. The art event -the art exhibition and the live performances program- is free and open to the community.
More pictures by Juha Tolonen here.
This project is supported by Taike - Arts Promotion Centre Finland
