Finnish Cultural Institute in New York and The Consulate General of Finland in New York are proud to announce a new partnership with the New Art Dealers Alliance (NADA). As part of the initiative, three New York–based galleries—Gaa Gallery, Margot Samel and Ulterior Gallery—traveled to cities across Finland to meet and engage with local artists, leading to forthcoming exhibitions of these artists in New York.
This collaboration, which is made possible with the support of a grant by Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation, Finlandia Foundation National, and The Ministry of Education and Culture in Finland, underscores a shared commitment to fostering international dialogue between the contemporary art scenes of Finland and New York. By creating opportunities for New York galleries to connect directly with Finnish artists and institutions, the partnership aims to strengthen cross-cultural relationships, broaden visibility for Finnish artists abroad, and bring new voices into New York’s vibrant art community.
“Finland has always been at the forefront of contemporary design, but its visual arts community is equally dynamic and deserving of international attention,”
said Heather Hubbs, Executive Director of NADA.
“Through this partnership, we’re giving galleries the rare chance to travel to Finland, meet artists in their own environments, and do so with crucial financial support — a testament to NADA’s ongoing commitment to creating opportunities for galleries to grow and connect across borders.”
As part of this partnership, Gaa Gallery, which maintains spaces in Cologne and New York, will organize an all-Finnish group exhibition titled, Beyond Matter, featuring Kerttu Saali, Eetu Sihvonen, Teemu Salonen, Johanna Härkönen, Taru Happonen, Eeva Lietonen, Frans Nybacka, among others. The exhibition will run from November 14th, 2025 – January 3rd, 2026, and is centered around the themes of nature and mysticism, exploring the intersection of material transformation, natural phenomena, and the unseen spiritual dimensions embedded in physical form.
Gallerist Margot Samel will present a group exhibition featuring the work of Finnish artist Man Yau alongside six other international artists November 21st – January 3rd, 2026. The show, titled Kuu Maa, explores the affective dimensions of distance—not simply as a measurement of space, but as an emotional and psychological condition between people, places, and things.
Man Yau, HARDENER 01, 2025 Cast bronze, patina, wax, porcelain, glaze, ceramic decals (on-glaze), towel Courtesy of the artist and Margot Samel, New York. Photographed by Sakari Tervo
From January 16th – February 21st, 2026, Ulterior Gallery will present a group exhibition featuring artists Päivi Takala, Elina Vainio, and Noora Schroderus, further expanding the visibility of Finnish contemporary artists in New York.
“This partnership reflects Finland’s commitment to fostering international cultural exchange and to supporting our artists on a global stage,”
said Anssi Vallius, Special Adviser for Cultural Affairs and Creative Industries at the Consulate General of Finland in New York.
“New York has long been a vital hub for contemporary art, and we are proud to see Finnish voices represented here through the collaboration with NADA and its member galleries.”
In 2026 and beyond, the partnership will continue with additional NADA gallerists visiting Finland. More details will be announced in the near future.
The partnership comes during an especially exciting year for Finnish art in New York. Earlier in 2025, Dunkunsthalle presented Remix the Archive, a bold exhibition of generative art featuring artists including Agoston Nagy, Andreas Rau, Blas.v, Ilmo and Aarni Kapanen, Jeres, Nahuel Gerth, Newyellow, Roni Kaufman, Shaderism, and Tuomo Rainio. The exhibition, which remained on view from May 9th through June 21st, brought together the Finnish National Gallery’s digitized collection with creative coding techniques, creating an interactive dialogue between the past and the future. The exhibition was supported by the Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation and Ministry of Education Finland,
In December, The Metropolitan Museum of Art will open Seeing Silence: The Paintings of Helene Schjerfbeck, the first major U.S. museum retrospective dedicated to the trailblazing Finnish painter. Featuring nearly 60 works—including important loans from the Finnish National Gallery / Ateneum Art Museum, other Finnish museums, and private collections across Finland and Sweden—the exhibition reaffirms Schjerfbeck’s rightful place in the story of modern art and highlights her enduring influence on modernist painting.
MORE: fciny.org/projects
About
The Finnish Cultural Institute in New York works across the fields of contemporary art, design and architecture, creating dialogue between Finnish and American professionals and audiences. The FCINY, founded in 1990, is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization located in Dumbo, Brooklyn. We’ve grown from a residency program to commissioning large-scale projects and events that foster critical dialogue and work to build support for professionals in architecture, design, and contemporary art. We’re committed to advancing artist-led and customized projects across multiple disciplines and to creating free and accessible programming for diverse audiences. @thefciny
The Consulate General of Finland in New York promotes Finland’s commercial interests, works on improving the operational conditions for the Finnish cultural agents and strengthens Finland’s national brand through the means of public diplomacy. The Consulate General is also responsible for consular and entry services in New York as well as in other states, and special administrative areas that fall within the scope of the Consulate’s activity. The activity scope of the Consulate General of Finland in New York covers more than 30 states situated on the East Coast and in the Midwest, as well as two special administrative regions (Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands).
The New Art Dealers Alliance (NADA) is the definitive non-profit arts organization dedicated to the cultivation, support, and advancement of new voices in contemporary art. Founded in 2002, NADA’s membership comprises an international roster of leading contemporary art galleries and professionals. The organization hosts year-round programming, including art fairs and collaborative exhibitions in New York, Miami, Paris, and Warsaw, as well as at its exhibition space in the Lower East Side, LUNCH (Located Under NADA’s Central Headquarters).
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- Aarni Kapanen
- Agoston Nagy
- Andreas Rau
- Blas.v
- Eetu Sihvonen
- Eeva Lietonen
- Elina Vainio
- Finnish Cultural Institute in New York
- Frans Nybacka
- Gaa Gallery
- Helene Schjerfbeck
- Ilmo
- Jeres
- Johanna Härkönen
- Kerttu Saali
- Man Yau
- Margot Samel
- NADA
- Nahuel Gerth
- Newyellow
- Noora Schroderus
- Päivi Takala
- Roni Kaufman
- Shaderism
- Taru Happonen
- Teemu Salonen
- The Consulate General of Finland in New York
- The New Art Dealers Alliance (NADA)
- Tuomo Rainio
- Ulterior Gallery
