Three New York galleries will present exhibitions of Finnish contemporary art this winter as part of a new partnership between the Finnish Cultural Institute in New York, the Consulate General of Finland, and the New Art Dealers Alliance (NADA).
The initiative—funded by the Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation, Finlandia Foundation National, and Finland’s Ministry of Education and Culture—sent Gaa Gallery, Margot Samel, and Ulterior Gallery to Finland earlier this year to meet artists and institutions. Those trips have led to a series of exhibitions aimed at deepening ties between the Finnish and New York art scenes.
“Finland’s creative spirit has always been unmistakable—you see it in architecture, design, and even daily life—but what’s happening in its visual arts scene right now feels particularly urgent,” said Heather Hubbs, NADA’s executive director. “There’s a generation of artists redefining what it means to make work from the North. For us, this partnership is about giving New York galleries the chance to experience that energy firsthand and build real relationships across borders.”
Gaa Gallery will open “Beyond Matter,” an all-Finnish group show featuring Kerttu Saali, Eetu Sihvonen, Teemu Salonen, Johanna Härkönen, Taru Happonen, Eeva Lietonen, and Frans Nybacka, among others, on November 14 through January 3, 2026. Margot Samel will present “Kuu Maa,” which includes Finnish artist Man Yau, alongside six international artists, from November 21 through January 3, 2026. Ulterior Gallery follows with a presentation of Päivi Takala, Elina Vainio, and Noora Schroderus, opening on January 16 and running through February 21, 2026.
“Cultural diplomacy works best when it’s rooted in real encounters—when artists and gallerists meet not just at fairs or openings, but in studios and over shared ideas,” said Anssi Vallius, special adviser for cultural affairs and creative industries at the Consulate General of Finland in New York. “Through this collaboration, we’re creating those moments between Finland and New York, with the goal of weaving Finnish voices into the global cultural fabric in a lasting, authentic way.”
The collaboration arrives amid a broader wave of Finnish art activity in New York. Earlier this year, Dunkunsthalle presented “Remix the Archive,” an exhibition of generative art that merged digital collections from the Finnish National Gallery with creative coding. In December, the Metropolitan Museum of Art will open “Seeing Silence: The Paintings of Helene Schjerfbeck,” the first U.S. museum retrospective of the Finnish painter.
Further details about future gallery exchanges will be announced in 2026.
