Since the beginning of 2009 HIAP is coordinating the international residency activities at the "Palmstierna" studio complex on the historical fortress island of Suomenlinna in Helsinki. A Unesco World Heritage -site, Suomenlinna is a unique combination of diverse cultural activities, maritime environment and layers of history spanning over 250 years. Yet it is only a 15-minute ferry ride from the heart of the city.
The Suomenlinna studio complex is a two-storey red brick barracks building originally from the 18th century renovated to meet contemporary standards. The complex comprises of nine residential units: five artists' studios and four guest apartments.
Each of the artists' studios occupy from 80 to 120 sqms of floor space that is divided between a workspace downstairs and a separate, loft-style living space upstairs. The workspace features high ceilings and large windows facing north-east. A bathroom and kitchenette are located on the upper floor living area. A balcony facing south-west with nice views and a glimpse of the sea is also found in the unit. One of the studios, with concrete floor and lifting equipment, is particularly suitable for working on pieces with extensive material dimensions.
Each of the guest apartments occupy approx. 30 sqm of floor space and can house up to two persons at a time. There is no separate working space in the guest apartments.
The building is rich in historical details and atmosphere and offers all modern amenities with full privacy within each of the nine units.
The Suomenlinna Studios, together with the Cable Factory Studios, form a lively international community for artists and other art practitioners visiting Helsinki. The guest apartments are mainly offered for the use of artists, curators, writers, researchers and critics from the visual arts background, but also for practitioners from other disciplines including theatre, dance, literature, philosophy, humanities and social studies. The studios are offered for the use of international visual artists. HIAP is currently negotiating several partnerships with local and international organisations regarding the development of Suomenlinna residency activities.
Starting from the beginning of 2009, the Suomenlinna guest artists and curators include:
Gerson Bettencourt (FRA)
Visual artist
July-August
Gerson Bettencourt focuses on everyday and its repetitions in his photography projects. These spontaneous photography that feeds on images of people caught unaware by an intrusive photographic eye seeking the quirky, the shocking or the picturesque of that specific site.
Veronika Spierenburg (CH)
Visual artist
July-September
Veronika Spierenburg currently works with re-representing of materials and meanings by transforming tree-dimensional to two-dimensional trough her photography works. She also works with various different medias, thus finding the intersection of objects and surface.
Rasmus Danø works with various medias and mixing them together for example installation, painting, drawing, graphics and sculpture. He works with political themes challenged with humor.
Bjarki Bragason works with the assumption of places and objects trough his photography and installation works. His interest lies in the transitional place, when one changes to another in meaning and its purpose.
Piia Salmi works with visual art practices related to performance and performativity. She investigates topics relevant in both art and the cultural and social sphere.
Davina Drummond ja David Lehan (UK)
Visual artists
