Helsinki Biennial 2027 invites audiences to explore the Unknowns

Taking place across Vallisaari Island, Esplanade Park, and HAM Helsinki Art Museum, Helsinki Biennial 2027 unfolds from 6 June to 19 September 2027, inviting audiences to engage with contemporary art in nature and urban settings.

In a world defined by political turmoil, environmental upheaval, and deepening uncertainty, the fourth edition of Helsinki Biennial turns towards unknowns not with fear but with curiosity. Taking Unknowns as its curatorial framework, the biennial approaches what lies beyond comprehension through imagination and artistic inquiry. It dwells in the unresolved and the hidden, where uncertainty itself becomes ground for wonder and for reimagining how we understand the world.

First artists announced

Helsinki Biennial 2027 will present the work of approximately 45 artists and artist groups. The first confirmed participants include: Ari Bayuaji (Indonesia/Canada), Tara Donovan (United States), Laurent Grasso (France), Marguerite Humeau (France/United Kingdom), Matias Karsikas (Finland), Britta Marakatt-Labba (Sápmi/Sweden), Ragnhild May (Denmark), Yoshitomo Nara (Japan), Josefina Nelimarkka (Finland), Tawatchai Puntusawasdi (Thailand), Anna Retulainen (Finland) and Jakob Kudsk Steensen (Denmark),

The selected artists represent a range of practices and perspectives, engaging with uncertainty, imagination, and open-ended inquiry. Some of the works will be new commissions developed specifically for Helsinki Biennial, and leaving a lasting legacy in the Finnish capital.

Curatorial concept: engaging with the unknown

Curated by Mami Kataoka and Arja Miller, Helsinki Biennial 2027 approaches the unknown from perspectives including physical science, astronomy, geology, spirituality, mythology, and abstraction.

In this context, imagination and curiosity become active ways of relating to the world. The biennial cultivates a space for wonder and shared reflection, where audiences are invited to imagine the structures of both visible and invisible worlds in their many dimensions, and to ask together what unknown futures they might hold.

 "For Unknowns, we have invited artists who expand the limits of what we think we know, while making us conscious of how deeply we belong to one another, as fellow living beings. We share an irrepressible enthusiasm to encounter these as-yet-unknown works, and to see the biennial itself take shape. We place great hope in the joy and force art carries - its power to renew our energy to imagine the future," say Helsinki Biennial 2027 co-curators Mami Kataoka and Arja Miller.

A biennial for the whole city

Helsinki Biennial 2027 continues to spread its presence across the city, offering audiences multiple ways to experience contemporary art in both natural and urban environments. From the island landscape of Vallisaari to the public space of Esplanade Park and the exhibitions at HAM Helsinki Art Museum, the biennial invites visitors to spend time with art at their own pace.

With a strong focus on accessibility and visitor experience, Helsinki Biennial is designed to be approachable for a wide audience - from local residents and international visitors to art professionals.

An international platform rooted in collaboration

Helsinki Biennial is an international visual arts event developed in close collaboration with the Finnish art field and an expanding network of global partners. The biennial supports the visibility of Finnish artists and institutions while bringing new international perspectives to Helsinki.

Building on previous editions, Helsinki Biennial 2027 continues to develop its long-term legacy through commissioned artworks, partnerships, and responsible exhibition-making.

Further announcements to follow

The full list of artists, detailed programme, and additional information about artworks and events will be announced in early 2027.

Helsinki Biennial 2027
6 June – 19 September 2027
Vallisaari Island, Esplanade Park, and HAM Helsinki Art Museum