A Year of International Exchange at EMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern Art
In 2025, EMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern Art welcomed 160 000 visitors and significantly strengthened its international profile through touring exhibitions and cultural exchange, as reflected in the leadership transition at the end of the year. The museum presented a distinctive programme exploring material- and textile-based practices across art, design, and fashion.
“It has been exciting to join EMMA at the close of a year marked by exceptional international collaboration. I am looking forward to build on this foundation as EMMA enters its third decade in 2026", says EMMA’s Director Krist Gruijthuijsen.
International exchange defined the year, spanning high-level cultural diplomacy and exhibition collaborations. Highlights included the royal visit from Denmark for the unveiling of an acquisition by Danish artist Poul Gernes, the Japanese tour of Tapio Wirkkala: The Sculptor of Ultima Thule, and the Howard Smith retrospective collaboration at Palm Springs Art Museum.
Nordic partnerships were further strengthened through the Swedish tour of Ulla Wiggen: Passage and a fashion exhibition collaboration with ALPHA and Nordic partner museums. The year also saw the launch of EMMA-Saastamoinen International Curatorial Fellowship Programme.
2025 exhibitions explored materiality as a lens for re-examining art and design histories, with a particular attention to textiles, organic materials and experimental practices. The changing exhibitions brought together Finnish modernist heritage and contemporary experimentation, from Draped – Art of Printed Fabrics and the first retrospective of Karin Hellman to the international group exhibitions Arte Povera – A New Chapter and Social Fabric. Site-specific art was highlighted by Antti Laitinen’s multisensory Chiming Forest, the eight commission in the InCollection series, and Dialogues exhibition of Saastamoinen Foundation was renewed with a new section.
The museum continued to strengthen engagement with its audiences and local partners. Collaboration with Aalto University was highlighted with two artwork collaborations with students and the EMMA Award partnership at the university’s annual fashion show. In conjunction with Social Fabric, EMMA Shop launched an exclusive product collaboration with Finnish fashion designer Rolf Ekroth.
The Children's Museum Festival welcomed over 2700 visitors for a weekend of fun activities, and new public artworks were installed in Espoo, including a commissioned work by Pekka Jylhä in the front yard of the museum.
Throughout the year, EMMA advanced its work on accessibility and sustainability, among others by introducing exhibition texts in Easy Finnish and receiving recognition through the Sustainable Travel Finland label. Reaching audiences beyond the museum walls, EMMA Zone offered art experiences online through video productions, podcasts, and articles.
Eye on EMMA’s 20th anniversary year:
New exhibitions in 2026
In Search of the Present –– 13 March 2026 – 7 February 2027
Axel Straschnoy –– 15 April – 9 August 2026
Howard Smith –– 9 September 2026 – 7 February 2027
Gerda Thesleff –– 25 November 2026 – 26 November 2028
Karin Hellman –– until 1 February 2026
Arte Povera – A New Chapter –– until 1 February 2026
InCollection | Antti Laitinen: Chiming Forest –– until 23 August 2026
Draped – Art of Printed Fabrics –– through 2026
Collection Kakkonen
Bryk & Wirkkala Visible Storage
Saastamoinen Foundation Art Collection –– new display in the Autumn of 2026
Keywords
Contacts
Iris SuomiLead Marketing Communications SpecialistEMMA – Espoon modernin taiteen museo
Tel:+358447601930iris.suomi@emmamuseum.fiLinks
EMMA Zone
EMMA Zone is the digital extension of EMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern Art. Inspired by zine culture, it brings together essays, artist interviews, talks, and behind-the-scenes stories that invite audiences to reflect and discover. Through intimate studio visits and process films, EMMA Zone offers a closer look at how art and design come to life. Free and accessible to all, EMMA Zone expands the museum experience beyond its walls — and is always open for art.
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Latest releases from EMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern Art
Kansainvälisen yhteistyön vuosi EMMA – Espoon modernin taiteen museossa2.1.2026 12:30:00 EET | Tiedote
Vuonna 2025 EMMA toivotti tervetulleeksi 160 000 kävijää, ja vahvisti merkittävästi kansainvälistä profiiliaan kiertonäyttelyillä ja yhteistyöhankkeilla sekä vuoden lopulla tapahtuneen johtajavaihdoksen myötä. Museon ohjelmisto juhlisti materiaali- ja tekstiilipohjaista taidetta, muotoilua ja muotia.
EMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern Art celebrates its 20th anniversary in 20262.12.2025 13:00:00 EET | Press release
Next year marks the 20th anniversary of EMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern Art. The anniversary year will underline the ability of art to foster reflection, connection, and meaning in an accelerating, ever-changing world. EMMA’s 2026 programme features leading international names in the group exhibition In Search of the Present, a solo presentation by Axel Straschnoy as part of the Fine Arts Academy of Finland Foundation Prize, and exhibitions honouring the work of Howard Smith and Gerda Thesleff.
EMMA – Esbo moderna konstmuseum firar 20-årsjubileum 20262.12.2025 13:00:00 EET | Pressmeddelande
Nästa år fyller EMMA – Esbo moderna konstmuseum 20 år. Jubileumsåret lyfter fram konstens kraft att få människor att stanna upp och förenas, och dess förmåga att skapa betydelsefulla möten i en allt mera hetsig och föränderlig värld. På programmet står internationella toppnamn på grupputställningen På spaning efter nutiden, Stiftelsen Finlands konstakademis prisutställning med verk av Axel Straschnoy och separatutställningar med Howard Smith och Gerda Thesleff.
EMMA – Espoon modernin taiteen museo juhlii 20-vuotista taivaltaan vuonna 20262.12.2025 13:00:00 EET | Tiedote
EMMA – Espoon modernin taiteen museo täyttää ensi vuonna 20 vuotta. Juhlavuoden ohjelma korostaa taiteen kykyä pysäyttää, yhdistää ja luoda merkityksellisiä kohtaamisia alati kiihtyvässä ja muuttuvassa maailmassa. Ohjelmistossa nähdään kansainvälisiä huippunimiä Nykyaikaa etsimässä -ryhmänäyttelyssä, Suomen taideakatemian säätiön palkintonäyttely Axel Straschnoylta sekä Howard Smithin ja Gerda Thesleffin elämäntuotantoa kunnioittavat yksityisnäyttelyt.
Öppen utlysning: EMMA-Saastamoinen Curatorial Fellowship 2026–202713.10.2025 11:00:00 EEST | Pressmeddelande
EMMA – Esbo moderna konstmuseum och Saastamoinen stiftelsen öppnar nu ansökan till den andra perioden av det internationella programmet EMMA-Saastamoinen Curatorial Fellowship. Den sex månader långa, avlönade arbetsperioden äger rum från september 2026 till slutet av februari 2027. Programmet erbjuder en internationell kurator en unik möjlighet att fördjupa sig i forskning kring Saastamoinen stiftelsens konstsamling och arbeta som en del av EMMAs expertgemenskap. Ansökningen är öppen fram till torsdag 30 oktober 2025 kl. 23:59 (UTC+02:00).
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