Laura Hirvi is the director of the Finnland-Institut in Deutschland (Germany), a forum for Finnish culture & arts, academia, and business in the German-speaking region. In this episode we learn about about her German-Finnish background and growing up with two cultural identities, her time spent in the USA and Asia, and how these experiences led her to become director of the Finnland-Institut in Deutschland.

Since entering this role in 2015 Laura has increased the exchange between Berlin and Helsinki, as well as establishing and nurturing networks throughout Germany, Austria & Switzerland for promoting Finnish culture. The 2020 thematic focus at the Institute The Interplay Between Humans and Nature is especially timely in light of COVID-19 and heightened awareness of climate change.

Interview with Laura Hirvi recorded by Michael Dooney on 20. March 2020 in Berlin, Germany.

NOTES

• Full Episode Transcript
• As is the case with the majority of cultural programs throughout 2020, the schedule of exhibitions and events associated with The Interplay Between Humans and Nature has unfortunately been postponed. At the time of writing it is hoped that the schedule will resume in Autumn, in the mean time the Finnland-Institut in Deutschland is concentrating on providing more online content such as:
  • Book Reviews and a series on their Visiting Artists via Instagram
  • Studying and internship consultation online by their colleague Janne Airaksinen. Janne also updated their leaflet "Studium und Praktikum in Finnland" (PDF in German) and is preparing a webinar.
  • As a part of the network of the Finnish Cultural and Academic Institutes, Germany is engaged in the brand new funding project Together Alone seeking artistic proposals related to topics like "state of emergency, radical change, resilience, artistic practice in the future, alone together". So far, they have received about 250 applications!
  • Video Live stream on 4. June 2020 of Das Einhorn – Die Geschichte eines ambivalenten Fabelwesens

ADDITIONAL REFERENCES

• Timo Miettinen Collection, Dreamaholic Weserburg Bremen
• Elina Brotherus
• Maija Tammi, One of Them is a Human
• Partnership with Vienna Design Week and focus on Vienna
• 100 Years of Finland
• Raumlabor collaboration, what does home mean in mobile times?
• The Interplay Between Humans and Nature
• Kunsthalle Lübeck, Helsinki School Exhibition
• Leipzig Book Fair, Book Reviews on Instagram:
  • Rosa Liksom
  • Tuutikki Tolonen
• Ateneum - Finnish National Gallery
  • Helene Schjerfbeck, The Convalescent, 1888
• National Art Musuem Stockholm
• Bröhan Museum
  • Panel discussion "Sophisticated Pop" 12.02.2020

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FINNLAND INSTITUT IN DEUTSCHLAND

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LAURA HIRVI

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SEBASTIAN DE LA LUZ (audio engineering)

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JARVIS DOONEY GALLERY

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