The Sirkka Arte Biennale is an art event we hold every second summer at our place in Sirkka, Kittilä, Lapland, consisting of a curated art exhibition, a short residency for participating artists, and a sideshow program of live performances. The Sirkka Biennale kicked off in 2017, and since then more than 50 artists from Lapland, Southern Finland as well as international artists have been part of the project.
V Sirkka Arte Biennale
4. — 6.9.2025
Artists: Petri Ala-Maunus, Siiri Haarla, Kaija Hinkula, Hanna Kanto, Eemil Karila, Aaron Aryadharma Matheson, Elina Merenmies, Eeva Peura, Harri Puro, Raisa Raekallio, Sirkku Rosi, Kati Ruohomäki, Alina Sinivaara, Camilla Vuorenmaa
Art Experts: Christian Ehrentraut, Senior Director of Galerie EIGEN + ART Leipzig/Berlin
Saara Hacklin, Chief Curator of Collections at the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma, Helsinki
Sanna Lipponen, Art Critic
Musicians: DJ Hulluella, Juho Kanervo, Pekka Kumpulainen, Tapani Rinne
Director / curator: Misha del Val
Aitta-Studio, 18 Muoniontie, Sirkka
Särestöniemi-museo, Kaukonen
Galleria Raekallio, Pöntsö
Pop-up Pohjoisseinä Utsuvaara, Levi
The event was kindly supported by Finnish Cultural Foundation, Lapland Fund, and Kittilä Municipality Cultural Services.
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 includes a Public Program open to the community free of charge
Pics of the V Sirkka Biennale.
* * *
The following article by Misha del Val for our local art mag Staalo lehti
presents the story of the Sirkka Biennale from its inception until its present day
The following article by Misha del Val for our local art mag Staalo lehti
presents the story of the Sirkka Biennale from its inception until its present day
IV Sirkka Arte Biennale
12. — 16.6.2025
Artists: Viljami Heinonen (FI), Roope Itälinna (FI), Eemil Karila (FI), Savu E. Korteniemi (FI), Pauliina Turakka Purhonen (FI), Artist duo Lyngsø-Light (DK), Monica Levy (Berlin/Australia), Solveig Ovanger (NO), Reijo Raekallio (FI), Sabine Chapoulaud (FR / FI), Mikko Paakkola (FI), Aarno Rankka (FI), Jyrki Riekki (FI)
Music performances by: Joonas Hauveli (FI), Pekka Kumpulainen (FI), Maaemo, Lola Cervantes (Mexico / FI) & Minna Siitonen (FI)
The event was curated and put together by artist/curator Misha del Val.
In 2023, Misha invited 14 artists from Finland and abroad, working in a broad range of artistic practices (painting, installation, sculpture, cooking, textiles, drawing) to be part of the IV 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. In addition, on this edition the Biennale extended its exhibition grounds of Galleria Raekallio in Pöntsö.
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 (Tunturi-Lappi).
Participating artists are invited to stay at our property for the whole, or during part, of the art festival's week-long period. 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.
The Biennale runs, in parallel with the art exhibition, an evening program of live performances. The festival included visits to Getsemane-atelier, Kalervo Palsa’s working studio and home in Kittilä, and the Midnight Sun Film Festival in Sodankylä.
The Sirkka Arte Biennale is an artistic event designed to bring people together in a supportive environment of creativity, reflection, amusement and rest. The event -the art exhibition and the live performances program- is free and open to the community.
This project was supported in 2023 by Taike - Arts Promotion Centre Finland through a HAMA initiative, and Kittilä Municipality.
Music performances by: Joonas Hauveli (FI), Pekka Kumpulainen (FI), Maaemo, Lola Cervantes (Mexico / FI) & Minna Siitonen (FI)
The event was curated and put together by artist/curator Misha del Val.
In 2023, Misha invited 14 artists from Finland and abroad, working in a broad range of artistic practices (painting, installation, sculpture, cooking, textiles, drawing) to be part of the IV 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. In addition, on this edition the Biennale extended its exhibition grounds of Galleria Raekallio in Pöntsö.
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 (Tunturi-Lappi).
Participating artists are invited to stay at our property for the whole, or during part, of the art festival's week-long period. 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.
The Biennale runs, in parallel with the art exhibition, an evening program of live performances. The festival included visits to Getsemane-atelier, Kalervo Palsa’s working studio and home in Kittilä, and the Midnight Sun Film Festival in Sodankylä.
The Sirkka Arte Biennale is an artistic event designed to bring people together in a supportive environment of creativity, reflection, amusement and rest. The event -the art exhibition and the live performances program- is free and open to the community.
This project was supported in 2023 by Taike - Arts Promotion Centre Finland through a HAMA initiative, and Kittilä Municipality.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
III Sirkka Arte Biennale
16. — 23.6.2021
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 III Sirkka Biennale was curated and put together by artist/curator Misha del Val.
In 2021, Misha 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 across the different spaces at our property: our 100 year-old wooden barn aitta-studio -which held the main part of the exhibition-, the main house, the mökki, the puuvarasto and throughout the yard outside. The exhibition space also includeed a long-derelict Toyota Baleno entirely painted black, serving as a video-watching cubicle. Participating artists were invited to stay at our property for the whole, or during part, of the art festival's eight days. 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 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.
The Arte Biennale included 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 was supported in 2021 by Taike - Arts Promotion Centre Finland
II Sirkka Arte Biennale
13. — 17.7.2025
