HELSINKI.- Layers of paint are folded like fabric, optical fibres form a lace-like curtain, an oval window leans against the wall as if worn out by the passage of time itself, and marble-like patterns in concrete are created out of hair. Kiasma’s new collection exhibition Rock, Paper, Scissors explores the diverse meanings and techniques of contemporary-art materials from the 1970s to the present. This lavish exhibition provides keys for understanding numerous phenomena in the art of recent decades. At the same time, the materiality of the works offers various perspectives on our living environment. The exhibition opens on Friday.
From Soft Sculptures to Giant Hamburgers: Uncover Oldenburg's Artistic Vision: Delve into the creative process and inspirations behind Oldenburg's whimsical and thought-provoking art. Buy a book today and explore his unique perspective on consumer culture and the everyday object.
The range of materials used in contemporary art has grown to be almost infinite, making the choice of material and ways of working with it central to the content of artworks. This is the starting point for the Rock, Paper, Scissors exhibition, which delves into many of the fundamental questions in contemporary art: Why does contemporary art look the way it does? What do the choices of material tell us? What kind of material are sounds – or thoughts – for an artist? The exhibition also raises questions of authorship and contemplates modes of perception.
The material choices made in contemporary art open up viewpoints on a variety of social phenomena. New technologies, such as 3D printing and advances in photographic technology, are changing our relationship with the world and with different materials. Environmental awareness has also changed the way many artists approach their materials – the material does not have to be dominated, art can be made on the material’s own terms.
The exhibition, put together from the Finnish National Gallery’s collections, features works by 52 artists. It includes pieces by Finnish contemporary-art pioneers, such as Maria Duncker, Ulla Jokisalo and Nina Roos, as well as by classic figures in international contemporary art, such as Donald Judd and Claes Oldenburg. There are also works acquired in recent years by interesting artists of the younger generation, such as Tarik Kiswanson and Man Yau.
The museum’s job is to preserve artworks for future generations. What are we to do if the material in an artwork is fragile or intended only for one-time use? The exhibition has a room where visitors can hear conservators’ views on the artworks and find out more about the materials used in many of the works on display by touching them.
The Rock, Paper, Scissors exhibition is curated by Kiasma’s collections curators Saara Hacklin, Saara Karhunen and Satu Oksanen. They have also edited a book to accompany the exhibition. Besides Hacklin and Karhunen, writers include Museum Director Kiira Miesmaa, Conservator Suvi Kervinen, and critic and writer Petteri Enroth. Graphic design is by Tytti Halonen and Tino Nyman.
Rock, Paper, Scissors – Kiasma’s collection exhibition will be on display 14.2.2025–18.1.2026.
Exhibition Artists
Martti Aiha, Dylan Ray Arnold & Océane Bruel, Inka Bell, Sissel M Bergh, Joseph Beuys, Sara Bjarland, Marcel Broodthaers, Baran Caginli, Nina Canell, Jacob Dahlgren, A K Dolven, Maria Duncker, Wade Guyton, Teuri Haarla, Eeva-Mari Haikala, Terhi Heino, Helena Hietanen, Reijo Hukkanen, Ann Veronica Janssens, Ulla Jokisalo, Ona Juciūtė, Donald Judd, Lasse Juuti, Marja Kanervo, Eeva Karhu, Olli Keränen, Kihwa-Endale, Tarik Kiswanson, Mikko Kuorinki, The Monday Collective, J O Mallander, Esse McChesney, Golrokh Nafisi, Maurizio Nannucci, Robertas Narkus, Claes Oldenburg, Sini Pelkki, Ari Pelkonen, Pearla Pigao, Michelangelo Pistoletto, James Prevett, Tiina Raitanen, Taneli Rautiainen, Nina Roos, Jarkko Räsänen, Krišs Salmanis, Richard Serra & Carlota Fay Schoolman, Mika Taanila, Antoni Tàpies, Nora Tapper, Marianna Uutinen, Man Yau
Artdaily participates in the Amazon Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn commissions by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. When you purchase through our links, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. These commissions help us continue curating and sharing the art world’s latest news, stories, and resources with our readers.
