Finnfoto Galleria, located on the second floor of Red, showcases Finnish photography as part of a new type of gallery chain concept. The gallery’s first exhibition opened in February and will run until early April 2023.
Finnfoto, an organization promoting the Finnish photography sector Finnfoto – Finnish Photographic Organizations Association has established a permanent gallery for free photography exhibitions at Redi in Kalasatama. The gallery is part of a new initiative aimed at showcasing the work of photographers from across Finland over an extended period.
Mikko Säteri, Executive Director of Finnfoto ry says that the idea for the gallery was born in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Finnfoto’s exhibition planned for the spring was canceled. “We wanted to bring the photos to places where people go and where they’re easy to see,” he says.
Photographers’ work on display across Finland for a year
According to Säteri, Redin tila, which opened in February, is the first permanent gallery operating as part of a larger chain. He explains that the idea behind it is to support photographers over the longest possible term. Organizing exhibitions funded by Finnfoto is often expensive, and on the other hand, the benefit to the artist is low if visitor numbers remain low.
“With this new concept, as many photographers as possible can gain visibility for their work, while visitors can admire the works free of charge,” says Säteri.
“We wanted to bring the photos to where people are.”
— Mikko Säteri, Executive Director of Finnfoto ry
The exhibitions will first be on display at Red for two months, after which they will move to a second exhibition space located at Ideapark in Lempäälä. As part of the concept, the works are mounted in the exhibition space in such a way that they can be easily moved from one location to another.
“The concept has attracted a lot of attention, even from abroad,” Säteri notes.
Visitor numbers at Red Gallery have exceeded expectations
Exhibitions are selected through applications submitted to the Finnfoto committee. The first exhibition at Red is Tanja Palmunen and Kimmo Parhiala’s Abandoned Nordic, which showcases deserted and abandoned buildings photographed across Europe.
Säteri explains that the galleries showcase the work of a variety of photographers, ranging from nature photography to portraits and featuring both well-known and lesser-known photographers. Next up is nature photographer Konsta Punkka, who started taking photos in his own backyard and currently has 1.3 million followers on Instagram.
The gallery has had plenty of visitors since it opened. “Visitor numbers in the first month have exceeded all expectations,” says Säteri. Between 150 and 200 people have come to view the photos every day, and the number is growing.
There are also plenty of photographers who want to exhibit their work in the galleries. “We already have a long list of excellent candidates for upcoming exhibitions,” Säteri reveals.
Finnfoto Galleria is located on the second floor of Red. The “Abandoned Nordic” exhibition runs through April 1, 2023.