HELSINKI, FINLAND.- Kiasma, Museum of Contemporary Art in Helsinki plans a great international exhibition ARS 06 for year 2006. ARS 06 exhibition (21 January– 27 August 2006) approaches art as an elemental part of humanity. Art can console and provide touching experiences in our rapidly changing, insecure world. The exhibition raises the question of art’s significance as part of the reality of our time.

Opening in January 2006, the ARS 06 central theme is the capacity of mankind for good and evil. Art is seen as a central form of human activity. Humanity is explored from various perspectives, such as emotional experiences, sensuality and sexuality. The works open up individual ways of explaining the world and reflect the social structures people have built for themselves.

About 40 contemporary artists from around the world have been invited to join the exhibition. The selections are not, however, made on a geographical basis; attention is rather paid to the ability of the works to speak to today’s audiences. The focus of the works and the theme is on timeless fundamental questions, how people experience themselves and the reality around them.

ARS 06 forms a dynamic whole, in which the works on display throughout the exhibition are paired with a series of temporary projects. The projects, which are also connected to the ARS theme, are carried out in co-operation with different partners.

ARS 06 is the seventh ARS exhibition and it will take over the entire Kiasma building. The previous ARS exhibition took place in 2001, when the theme was the multidimensionality of the globalized world and the possibility of cultural dialogue. The ARS 06 exhibition team is chaired by Tuula Karjalainen, PhD, Director of Kiasma.