2019
The first Fiskars Village Art & Design Biennale was organized in the summer of 2019. The programme back then included the Being(s) with exhibition curated by Ki Nurmenniemi, in which 20 artists directed our attention beyond the human-centric approach to other beings, our fellow creatures and technologies, and their impact on our evolution. The design part of the programme was curated by designer Jasper Morrison, who selected 18 international designers to design a bench. The Social Seating series of unique benches was set along the Fiskars river and invited visitors to take a rest by themselves or with a friend. Onoma’s Summer Exhibition was curated by Anniina Koivu and called Factory.
2022
When the Biennale was organized for the second time in 2022, the House by an Architect concept by Kari Korkman was launched. House by an Architect has lived on to become a continuous project. Seven architects designed mini houses to stand on a field in Fiskars during the Biennale. The interior of each house was carefully curated with the products of the best known interior decor and furniture brands in Finland. The interiors were curated by Editor-in-Chief of Asun magazine Ulla Koskinen, and the works of contemporary art displayed were provided by the Helsinki Contemporary gallery. In 2022, the Old Granary hosted U-Joints: Knots&Knits, the ongoing project by Andrea Caputo and Anniina Koivu, presenting joints used in Design and Architecture. In 2022, Onoma’s Summer Exhibition Hidden – Forms of the senses was curated by Laura Sarvilinna.
2024
The third edition of the biennale explored themes of home, community and fragility through its two main exhibitions.
Surprise Guest examined the intersection of contemporary art and design by bringing together nine artists in the historic Granary, where domestic interiors were created in collaboration with design brands. The exhibition explored the idea of home and domesticity from the perspectives of art and design, as well as considering home as a framework for identity and social relationships. The exhibition was curated by Paris-based curator and researcher Sini Rinne-Kanto.
The exhibition Fragile celebrated Onoma’s 30th anniversary. Emphasising locality, curator Marja Sakari invited only local artists to participate, alongside international guests from the Fiskars AiR artist residency programme over the years. The 2024 theme invited reflection on the fragility of world politics and nature, as well as life more broadly.