Helsinki transforms into a living museum during the 2025 Biennale, offering visitors an immersive experience that combines art, history, and nature. Curated by Blanca de la Torre and Kati Kivinen, the Biennale emphasizes themes of refuge and the relationship between humans and the non-human world, spread across three main locations: the HAM Museum, the Esplanade Park, and the island of Vallisaari.
Blanca de la Torre, an art historian and director of IVAM (Institut Valencià d’Art Modern), invites visitors to see Helsinki as a space for imagining hopeful futures, challenging the prevalence of dystopian narratives in culture. The Biennale encourages engagement with the natural and urban environment alike, highlighting how art can foster awareness of ecological and social interconnections.
HAM Museum and the City Center
The HAM Museum of Art is a hub for contemporary works, featuring notable pieces like Yayoi Kusama’s Flowers That Bloom Tomorrow, a thought-provoking sculpture blending beauty with unsettling forms. Another highlight is Tears of Our Grandmother, a video installation by Jenni Laiti and Carl-Johan Utsi that explores the Sami culture and its deep ecological consciousness. The HAM serves as a gateway into the Biennale’s broader narrative, inviting visitors to reflect on human and non-human coexistence.
Outside, Esplanade Park, Helsinki’s central boulevard, functions as a living gallery connecting HAM with Vallisaari. Here, artworks like Insect Carpets by Kalle Hamm and Dzamil Kamanger offer habitats for pollinators, merging environmental awareness with cultural expression. Geraldine Javier’s installation Earth, Water, Air, Fire, Void includes talismans made with local schoolchildren, demonstrating the Biennale’s focus on community and nature. Strolling through the Esplanade, visitors can enjoy these pieces casually or with attentive contemplation.
Vallisaari: An Island of Nature and History
A short ferry ride brings visitors to Vallisaari, a historically strategic island once occupied by Swedish, Russian, and Finnish military forces. Now largely reclaimed by nature, Vallisaari’s fortifications and abandoned structures are blanketed in moss and grass, offering a living archive of human and non-human memories. Artworks on the island, such as Pia Sirén’s Under Cover and Sara Bjarland’s Stranding, explore environmental themes, emphasizing ecosystems, marine life, and human impact on nature. Visitors are encouraged to observe quietly, respecting the local wildlife, including bat colonies sensitive to sound.
Walking through Vallisaari is an experience of reflection and discovery, blending history, ecology, and contemporary art. The island embodies the Biennale’s concept of “refuge”—a space for restoration, contemplation, and the exploration of a world beyond human-centered narratives.
Practical Tips for Visiting Helsinki
Helsinki is accessible from major Spanish cities with daily Finnair flights from Madrid, Barcelona, and Málaga. Central accommodations such as NH Collection Helsinki Grand Hansa provide modern Scandinavian comfort in historical buildings, near the Market Square, the National Theatre, and the Central Station.
Dining options include Restaurant Brasa, known for grilled meats, fish, and vegetables with views of Senate Square; Story, located in the historic Eteläranta Market, offers seasonal breakfasts and lunches with house-made bread and pastries; and Restaurant NJK, a summer villa restaurant on Valkosaari island, perfect for an evening meal by the water.
For a unique local experience, the My Fortune Sauna Cruise combines relaxation with scenic views, accommodating up to 12 guests. The boat features a lounge area for drinks before and after a sauna session, with direct access to the waters of the Baltic from the deck.
Summary
Helsinki’s Biennale 2025 is an invitation to see the city as an open-air museum, where art, history, and nature converge. From contemporary installations at HAM and along the Esplanade to the serene, wild landscapes of Vallisaari, visitors can experience a thought-provoking journey emphasizing ecological awareness, cultural heritage, and the quiet beauty of Finland’s capital. Whether you’re an art enthusiast, nature lover, or curious traveler, Helsinki offers a summer of exploration, reflection, and inspiration.
