Art Ii Biennial 2026 /// 11th June to 31st July
The Art Ii Biennial is a cultural gem of Northern Finland, attracting visitors from around the world to experience a unique blend of contemporary art set in the harsh northern landscape.
The theme of Art Ii Biennial 2026 is solastalgia. The Biennial will present a selection of art works that comment on the relationship of humans and the environment. The selected artists will create site-specific art that reflects upon the affects of belonging to a place and the northern identity.
Ii is located 40km of north of Oulu, by the River Iijoki and by the Bothnian Sea.
The 10th Art Ii Biennial is part of the Oulu2026 European Capital of Culture program and cultural climate change.
ART WORKS IN LOCATIONS
Environmental Art Park, Pappilantie 16, 91100 Ii
Heidundgriess: Ups and Downs
August Honoré & Tobias Zimmer: Arch of Light
Riitta Pennanen: Perillä
Ivar Veermäe: iii
Jenni Laiti, Outi Pieski & Tanja Koistinen: Tiennäyttäjät – Forewalkers – Ovdavázzit
Workers Hall; Pappilantie 1, 91100 Ii
Antti Ylönen & Naoko Chiba: Rajamaat
Eemil Karila: Unessani näin joen
Ella Posti: Excavation
Aoi Yoshizawa: I Want to Weave Water
Sari Palosaari: Weathering the silver lining
Taidekeskus KulttuuriKauppila / KulttuuriKauppila Art Center; Kauppilantie 15, 91100 Ii.
Maija Lavonen: Olhava -works
Ivar Veermäe: iii
Maajaam: Wild Bits 2024
PROGRAM
Thursday 11.6.
14-16:30 Exhibition Tour with the Curators. Starting from the Workers’ Hall.
17 Opening event at the Workers’ Hall.
Friday 12.6.
13 Conversation with artist Antti Ylönen and curator Heta Kaisto at the KulttuuriKauppila. In Finnish.
19:15 Huutajat (Screamig Men) performance. Part of IlmastoAreena event in Huilinki.
Saturday 13.6.
13 Huutajat X Palosaari. Performance at the Workers’ Hall.
13-15 Artists Eemil Karila, Sari Palosaari, Aoi Yoshizawa & Petri Sirviö present at the Workers’ Hall.
15-17 Artists August Honore & Tobias Zimmer, Tanja Koistinen and Ivar Veermäe present at the Environmental Art Park.
July
Uoma dance performance. Locations to be confirmed later.
25.7. & 28.7. at 4pm.
29.7. at 00:00 (night performance)
31.7. at 4pm. KulttuuriKauppila.
Exhibitions open 11.6.–31.7.
11.–14.6. 12 pm–5 pm
16.6.–31.7. Tue–Fri 12–17,
Sat 11–16
Closed for Midsummer 19.–22.6.
The Environmental Art Park is open at all times.
Free entrance to all events and exhibitions.
Locations
Iin Työväentalo, Workers’ Hall. Pappilantie 1.
Ympäristötaidepuisto, Environmental Art Park, Pappilantie 16.
Taidekeskus KulttuuriKauppila, KulttuuriKauppila Art Center, Kauppilantie 15.
IlmastoAreena, Huilinki, Puistotie 4.
All locations, 91100, Ii.
News
The 10th Art Ii Biennial presents a selection of 13 art works that comment the changing northern landscape.
The selected artists for Art Ii Biennial 2026 will create site-specific art that reflects the affects of belonging to a place and the northern identity.
Open Call WILD BITS deadline: 24th of March 2025
We are seeking proposals for installations, interventions or processes to be installed in landscapes spread out around Maajaam that explore the human condition in a contemporary technological society.
Galleries open until 31st of July
Artists of Art Ii Biennial 2024
Artists of the Art Ii Biennial 2024
Fire burns and ash speaks at the Art Ii Biennial 2024
This year's theme is fire, and the art works explore various aspects of its nature, its destructive power, and its ability to create something new.
Art Ii Biennial 2022 presents: Oulu2026 In the Air
In co-operation with the Oulu2026 –organisation the Art Ii Biennial will present an afternoon of art and art/science discussions in Ii, Thursday 16th June. The event will highlight the art and science collaborations of the Biennial.
Selected proposals | Art Ii Biennial 2022
A total of thirteen projects were selected to be part of the Art Ii Biennial 2022 through the open call.
How can art approach the issue of air?
The 8th Art Ii Biennial invited artists to explore how can the interconnected immateriality of air be communicated using the methods of art. How can we ‘look’ at air, and what will we see when we turn our attention to it?
The call for entries for Art Ii Biennial 2022 is now closed
Selections will be published in March.
Call for entries for Art Ii Biennial 2022 is now open!
Application period for Art Ii Biennial 2022 is open until 31st of January 2022!
Curators AIB2022
The artists of Art Ii Biennial are selected through open call and invitations from the curatorial team. The 2022 Biennial is co-curated by Minna Rainio, Mark Roberts and Jetta Huttunen.
Art Ii Biennial 2022: In the Air
The eighth Art Ii Biennial will be held in Ii, Northern Finland, 15 – 19 June 2022!
Previous Biennials
Art Ii Biennial has presented tens of international artists since 2008.