Saastamoinen Foundation proudly partners with PUBLICS, a curatorial and contemporary art commissioning agency with a dedicated library, exhibition and event space and reading room in Vallila, Helsinki. The organisation explores an institutional ‘work together’ model with multiple overlapping objectives, thematic strands and collaborations.
With PUBLICS, Saastamoinen Foundation supports various activities and the maintenance of production-based operations. These include the development of The Centre For Curatorial Thinking for the Nordic-Baltic region alongside an annual Curatorial Symposium entitled POSITIONING.
TIOT, Today Is Our Tomorrow. With KMRU, Eilien & Lenoczka, Harold Offeh, Laia Estruch, Irina Mutt, Sayed Sattar Hasan, PUBLICS Youth, PTAB, ITAB, 2022. Photo: Aman Askarizad.
A Hub for Curatorial Practice
PUBLICS is currently the only contemporary art organisation in Finland that is focused and specialised in curating—its histories and present forms. At the core of its operations are numerous questions, practices, and expertises related to curating and contemporary art, along with broad-based competencies. Since 2017, PUBLICS’ contemporary art library, exhibition and event space have been located in the Vallila district of Helsinki. PUBLICS’ library, discussions, events, and Parahosting program—which supports other regional actors—have evolved in parallel with both time-based and long-term public art projects and initiatives.
The library. Photo: PUBLICS
WITH
Askeaton Contemporary Arts, Exhibition, WITH: Seanie Barron, David Beattie, Jes Fernie, Michael Holly, Aino Lintunen, Amanda Rice, Elina Vainio, 2024. Photo: Aman Askarizad.
The Vision, Programs, and Evolution of PUBLICS
Under the artistic direction of curator Paul O’Neill and with program manager Annabelle Antas, PUBLICS explores a “work together” institutional model with multiple overlapping objectives, thematic strands and collaborations. The space functions as a public event space, with a library of 8000+ publications.
PUBLICS is an educational resource where critical learning, knowledge production and discursive programming are integral to its curatorial approach. At PUBLICS, contemporary art production and discursive practices are in constant dialogue through multiple strands. Taking the form of PUBLICS Library; PUBLICS Talks; PUBLICS Events and Performances; PUBLICS YOUTH and PUBLICS Parahosting.
Most recently since 2024 PUBLICS launches The Centre For Curatorial Thinking to create a series of new annual large scale international symposia called POSITIONING focusing on contemporary art’s relationship to Curatorial Thinking and PUBLICNESS in, across and in relation to Finland, Nordic-Baltic region and beyond.
These initiatives will evolve in time and in parallel with the project’s longer-term curatorial programmes, PUBLICS Public Art Commissions.
PUBLICS develops out of Checkpoint Helsinki, a contemporary art initiative established in 2013. PUBLICS continues the organisation’s commitment to critical social thinking, contemporary art and publicness.
Read more about PUBLICS here.