The Onoma Cooperative of Artists, Designers and Artisans in Fiskars to celebrate 30 years
of exhibitions as part of the Fiskars Village Art & Design Biennale

The exhibition Fragile celebrates the Onoma cooperative’s 30th anniversary. This time, the
aim has been to focus on localness, and curator Marja Sakari has only invited artists from
Fiskars, including some artists from Fiskars (AiR) artists-in-residence over the years. The
theme of the 2024 exhibition leads us to think about the fragility of world politics and
nature, as well as the fragility of life in general.

The village community made up of artists and artisans based in Fiskars can be seen as a
fragile structure, loosely formed around creative activity. At the same time, the community
has proven to be amazingly resilient and strong. The history, nature, tradition of artisanship,
affordable workspaces, and peaceful and inspiring environment of Fiskars are things that
have attracted, and continue to attract, a variety of artists. People have come and gone, but
art and creativity are still present here.

The exhibition Fragile is intended to honour the spirit of resilience that the Fiskars
community of artists has demonstrated for more than 30 years. The exhibition will also
include works by five deceased artists who lived in Fiskars: Martti Aiha, Markku Kosonen,
Jukka Mäkelä, Stig Nordman, and Howard Smith. The exhibition expands to become a
tribute to the work of Fiskars artists, the different artistic practices, and the preservation of
tradition.

The exhibition features works by a total of 69 artists. The works exhibited represent a
comprehensive cross-section of local artistry, featuring various materials and art forms. The
local artist residency, Onoma’s international Fiskars AiR, which has been running for 18
years, will also be featured, with works exhibited by five artists.

Artists
Erna Aaltonen / Martti Aiha / Eeva-Kaisa Ailus / Päivi Alajuntti / Upi Anttila / Heikki Aska /
Daniela Bergschneider / Bella Deary & Nicholas Tossman / Kirsti Doukas / Mafune Gonjo /
Hannele Grönlund / Eero Haikala / Laura Hallantie / Lulu Halme / Antrei Hartikainen / Pekka
Ijäs / Mari Isopahkala / Maikki Kaikuru / Tiina Karimaa & Lumi Fellman / Erika Kelter / Minja
Kolehmainen / Sirpa Kolu & Pirkko Kolu / Markku Kosonen / Maaretta Krohn / Barbro Kulvik
& Antti Siltavuori / Mikko Laakkonen / Peetu Liesinen / Elina Makkonen / Johanna Matruka /
Rudi Merz & Laura Merz / Camilla Moberg / Risto Musta / Timo Mustajärvi / Anu Mykrä &
Reetta Ranta / Jukka Mäkelä / Pia Nieminen / Stig Nordman / Ron Nordström / Piitu
Nykopp / Saara Paatero-Burtsov / Katri Pailos / Jaakko Pakkala / Deepa Panchamia & Viivi
Varesvuo / Tuulia Penttilä / Milvi Pesari / Mikael Pohjola / Katarina Reuter / Sami Ryhänen /
Annatuuli Saine & Saine Ensemble / Rutsuko Sakata / Taru Samola / Lea Sarasjoki / Howard
Smith / Riitta Talonpoika / Anna Ulff / Tiina Vaskivaara & Susanna Louneva / Eva Vevere /
Karin Widnäs / Kari Virtanen / Arto Vuohelainen / Katja Öhrnberg

Team
Exhibition curator: Marja Sakari
Exhibition design: Mattila&Merz/Laura Mattila and Mikko Merz (members of the Onoma
cooperative)
Graphic designer for the exhibition: Ilona Ilottu/Dog Design
Production: Matleena Kalajoki (executive director), Risto Musta and Kati Sointukangas
Contact: matleena@onoma.fi, sakarimarja@gmail.com

Fragile to be one of the two main exhibitions at the Fiskars Village Art & Design Biennale in
the summer of 2024

Fiskars Village Art & Design Biennale
Open to the public16 June–1 September 2024, Mon–Sun, 11:00–18:00
Hauras / Skör / Fragile
Kuparipaja
Kuparivasarantie 5
10470 Fiskars
Yllätysvieras / Surprise guest
Viljamakasiini
10470 Fiskars
Press Day, 13 June 2024
Opening, 15 June 2024

The main partner of the biennale will, again, be Fiskars Group, whose birthplace is the
village where the event takes place. Fiskars Group, celebrating its 375th anniversary, is
proud to celebrate its birthday in Fiskars Village in connection with the biennale, Fiskars
Festival concerts, and numerous other visits and events.