Welcome to the Arcana Borealis press preview on Wednesday 21 October

Welcome to the Arcana Borealis press preview for media on Wednesday 21 October, starting at 10:00.

The Arcana Borealis press preview for media will take place in the exhibition galleries on the 3rd floor of the Ateneum, starting at 10:00. The exhibition will remain open for viewing until 13:00. Please register in advance (instructions and registration links below). Places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. The exhibition may be visited until 13:00. 

Two identical guided tours are available for members of the media. Please register for your preferred tour below. Kindly attend only the tour for which you have secured a place.

During the media tour (in Finnish), the exhibition will be introduced by its curators, Nina Kokkinen, a researcher of art and religion (University of Turku), and Marja Lahelma, chief curator at the Ateneum.

Media tour 1 from 10:15 to 10:40 (in Finnish): Register here.
Media tour 2 from 11:30–11:55 (in Finnish): Register here.

Arcana Borealis to present the spiritual art of Northern women for the first time 

Arcana Borealis – Northern Women and Esotericism, 23 Oct 2026–28 Feb 2027 

Arcana Borealis – Northern Women and Esotericism continues the Ateneum’s persistent work to highlight women artists. The exhibition is the first showcase of the work of Northern women artists who have been influenced by alternative spiritual currents. The exhibition is groundbreaking, as the profound connection between modern art and esotericism, occultism and magic has previously been explored mainly through famous men artists. 
 
Arcana Borealis highlights how esotericism, occultism and other alternative spiritual currents have become part of the artistic expression and everyday life of the artists. The key themes of the exhibition include the relationship between spirit and matter, questions related to life after death and the existence of the spirit world, and the aim to live in harmony with nature. 
 
Arcana Borealis draws on groundbreaking research 

Arcana Borealis challenges the grand narratives of art history and expands our understanding of modern art. The exhibition is based on an international research project that sheds new light on the connection between Northern women artists and esoteric ideas and spiritual currents. 
 
“In the exhibition, women, esotericism and the North meet at a crossroads where blind spots in art history are plainly exposed. Arcana Borealis asks who is left outside the grand narratives, and what happens when their work is put on centre stage”, says Marja Lahelma, one of the two curators of the exhibition. 

“At the start of the research project, we wondered whether we could find enough artists to fit the theme of the exhibition. In reality, the exact opposite turned out to be the case: there are so many Northern women artists whose work is linked to esotericism, occultism and other alternative spiritual currents that it was impossible to include them all in the exhibition”, says Nina Kokkinen, the exhibition’s other curator. 

The exhibition features approximately 50 women artists from the Northern region, including Finland, Sweden, Iceland and Sápmi. In the exhibition, the North is presented as a cross-border entity, shaped by its own geography and imagery, that transcends the nation state. 

The exhibition features both well-known and overlooked artists from the 19th century to the present day, including Anna-Eva Bergman, Anna Cassel, Ilona Harima, Sonja Ferlov Mancoba, Maja Fjaestad, Hilma af Klint, Iria Leino, Outi Pieski, Laila Pullinen, Elga Sesemann and Ellen Thesleff.   

The exhibition is curated by Nina Kokkinen, a researcher of art and religion (University of Turku), and Marja Lahelma, chief curator at the Ateneum.  The exhibition is based on the Ateneum’s multi-year international research project Northern Women, Art and Esotericism.  

Arcana Borealis challenges the genius myth 

Modern women artists have used art to seek a deeper meaning in their lives and to connect with the forces of nature and the universe. In times of uncertainty, such as wars and crises, people turn to spirituality to find meaning, lasting values and a sense of security, as well as new ways of engaging with and shaping society. 

In the exhibition, esotericism, which refers to higher, secret knowledge, manifests itself as both a historical and a contemporary phenomenon that is linked to many themes visible in current popular culture. Even in today’s rapidly changing world, people are seeking a deeper connection with each other and the surrounding reality. 

The artist women featured in the exhibition have created art, supported each other, and practised spirituality together. The idea of art as a communal practice challenges the traditional art-historical narrative of the genius men working alone. For example, Hilma af Klint (1862–1944), who has been hailed as a pioneer of abstract art, worked in close interaction with a community of women around her. 

Artistic creation and diversity of materials play a key role 

The range of materials featured in the exhibition is exceptionally wide, including textiles, ceramics, metal engravings, and traditional media from sacral art, such as stained glass and mosaics. Arcana Borealis blurs the boundaries between art and handicraft. The process of artistic creation and the diversity of materials assume an important role alongside the final objects of art. 

Åsa Elzén’s (b. 1972) work Transcript of a Fallow (2019) combines handicraft, women’s history and communal creation of art. If you take off your shoes, you can walk on the carpet, which is made of recycled textiles. This large-scale piece is a reinterpretation of the artist and theosophist Maja Fjaestad’s (1873–1961) En Träda (‘A fallow’, 1919–1920). 

Handicraft involves matrilineal transmission of tradition, that is, passing down knowledge and skills from one woman to the next. Sámi duodji, the traditional Sámi craft tradition, brings together spirituality, the tacit knowledge passed on from one generation to another, and values related to nature. 

The exhibition catalogue offers a deeper insight into the exhibition’s themes

The exhibition catalogue is written by an international group of researchers and experts, each contributing extensive and current knowledge. The richly illustrated and visually striking catalogue provides newly researched information on the meaning of esotericism and alternative spirituality in modern and postmodern art. It also makes previously unpublished and unknown materials available to the public. Through these contributions, the catalogue opens a completely new and in-depth perspective on the topic. 

Press images: press.ateneum.fi

More information:
Communications officer Reetta Haarajoki, tel. +358 50 476 6290, reetta.haarajoki (at) ateneum.fi
Communications manager Anna Kari, tel. +358 40 717 8185, anna.kari (at) ateneum.fi

Ateneum Art Museum

Opening hours:
Mon closed | Tue 10–18 | Wed–Thu 10–20 | Fri 10–18 | Sat–Sun 10–17 

Admission fees:
Standard ticket at the ticket office €23 | Standard ticket online €21 | Concession ticket €13 | 18–24-year-olds €13 | Under 18-year-olds free of charge | Free admission with a Museum Card