HELSINKI.- The infinity of space and the mystery of our existence on this planet have intrigued artists throughout the ages. The Milky Way Tour invites visitors to explore humanity’s relationship with the environment, other species, and technology. What is our role and future in the universe? The exhibition opens at Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma on 15 November 2024.

Milky Way Tour is a deep exploration of humanity’s enduring need to understand our place in the scheme of things. It features works by 22 artists and artist groups that examine our relationship with the universe and our planet. They address fundamental questions of existence through themes that include mysticism, the 1960s obsession with space, dreams of technological progress, as well as the current environmental crisis and biodiversity loss.

The exhibition showcases a wide array of paintings, photographs, collages, assemblages, prints, videos, and installations, and even a robot. The earliest work on display dates from the 1700s, the most recent from 2024.

The exhibition features work by Greta Alfaro, Richard A Carter, Kari Cavén, Erno Enkenberg, Petri Eskelinen, Teresa Fernández-Pello, Antti Immonen, Pekka ja Teija Isorättyä, Muriel Kuoppala, Erwin Laiho, Esa Laurema, Brittany Nelson, Ernesto Neto, Guillaume Paris, Matti Petäjä, Veera Kaamos Pitkänen, Rodtsenko-seura, Manuel Saiz, Maija Tammi, Maria Tobola, Björn Weckström, and one unidentified artist.

The show is curated by Jari-Pekka Vanhala from Kiasma. It includes works from the collections of the Finnish National Gallery and the State Art Commission, as well as loans from the featured artists, the art museums of Heinola and Tampere, and the Sara Hildén Art Museum, as well as Kalevala Koru.

Kiasma Theatre Performances

Kiasma Theatre will host two performances in conjunction with the Milky Way Tour exhibition. Premiering in December, Remarkable Sunsets by Nenonen & Uuttu Et Alia uses light and sound to bring the effects of a distant volcanic eruption close to the audience. The second performance, Celestial Body, will premiere in March 2025, presenting a motion-oriented planetary love story performed by Silva Belghiti.