23.5.–6.9.2026
Helena Blomqvist: Uusi ystäväni – The New Friend
The enchanting photographs of Swedish visual artist Helena Blomqvist (b. 1975) lead viewers into intense, dreamlike narratives. The works resemble stills from a film or scenes from a fairy tale, yet they also carry a deep melancholy and societal undertones.
In Blomqvist’s photographs, reality and fantasy intertwine: she builds meticulous, cinematic sets and dresses her protagonists in carefully designed costumes, illuminating the world of the works with subtle restraint. The photographs move between themes of time, memory and dreams, also touching on alienation, our relationship with nature and the environmental challenges of our time.
Photo: Helena Blomqvist, A Mouse Couple in Sunset, 2021 © Helena Blomqvist
23.5.–6.9.2026 Gallery Sidetrack //
Paula Lehtonen: Kunniavieraat – Guests of Honor
Paula Lehtonen (b. 1983) is a Helsinki-based media artist whose work examines ecological questions and the consumption-driven society’s relationship with nature. In the video installation Guests of Honor (2024), shown in Gallery Sidetrack, viewers encounter a dinner table with its festive guests.
The lead role of the silent video is performed by chickens arriving to dine, which at a typical dinner would be found on plates as part of the meal. The work challenges viewers to consider a species usually regarded as livestock as an agent akin to humans.
Photo: Paula Lehtonen, 2024