Northern Sámi artist Máret Ánne Sara has been announced as the 10th annual Hyundai Commission artist to transform the Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall in October. The installation will be on view from October 14, 2025 to April 6, 2026.
Sara was born in 1983 into a reindeer herding family in Guovdageaidnu, Norway, where she continues to live and work. Her art has garnered international acclaim for its exploration of global ecological and social issues, rooted in her personal experiences. Sara’s work poignantly addresses the impact of colonialism on the Sámi people of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia. She often incorporates materials from reindeer herding into her sculptures, which thoughtfully examine the intricate relationship between humans and the land in her community.
In a breakthrough moment, Sara presented her sculpture Ale suova sielu sáiget (2022) at the 2022 Venice Biennale, as part of the Sámi Pavilion (which took over the Nordic Pavilion that year). This work, using cured red reindeer calves and dried plants from the tundra, evokes the spiritual significance of reindeer to Sámi people, addressing the impact of climate change.
“Máret Ánne Sara is among a prolific group of Sámi artists who have received widespread international attention in recent years for making visible the issues facing Sápmi and Sámi people,” said Karin Hindsbo, director of Tate Modern. “By addressing the major social, ecological, and political concerns of her community, Sara hopes not only to increase interest and awareness but also to effect real change”
Sara’s upcoming commission is part of an extensive partnership between Hyundai and Tate Modern. Originally intended to last until 2026, the project has now been extended another decade to 2036. As part of the partnership, Hyundai Motors will also continue supporting the Hyundai Tate Research Centre: Transnational, established in 2019. In particular, the organization will drive research behind Europe’s first major Emily Kame Kngwarreye exhibition, opening at Tate Modern on July 10th, alongside a slate of exhibitions this year.
Last year, South Korean artist Mire Lee was tapped for the Turbine Hall commission. Her installation “Open Wound,” on view until March 16th, features a massive turbine hanging from a crane intertwined with sinuous silicone tubes pumped with pink, viscous liquid. Previous commissions have been presented by Ghanaian artist El Anatsui, whose “Behind the Red Moon” debuted in 2023; and Chilean artist Cecilia Vicuña, who showed “Brain Forest Quipu” in 2022.
