Laura Köönikkä Kicks Off First Curator Residency at TGB&S

Image: Laura Köönikkä (second from the left) at the opening of the 8140kg exhibition at TR1 art hall, curated by Köönikkä

The contemporary art scene in Dublin will get a review through a Finnish lens this summer. Laura Köönikkä, Chief Curator from Tampere Art Museum starts her one-month long residency as a curator at Temple Bar Gallery and Studios in July 2010.

Köönikkä's Irish exchange and studio award is a part of a long-term project supported by The Finnish Institute in London, TBG&S and HIAP (Helsinki International Artist-in-residence Programme). Since 2007 six artists from Ireland and Finland have undertaken new creative work in artist residencies. This year the residency was given to a curator for the first time.

The 2010 Irish artist Martin Healy will spend three months at HIAP Studios in Helsinki from June to August 2010, where he will research and develop new film and photographic work. Healy's residency is supported by The Arts Council of Ireland.

During her Irish residency Laura Köönikkä will research and develop a new project for TBG&S. The project will focus on the contemporary art scene in Dublin, creating links with the Finnish cultural scene. Amongst other things, Köönikkä plans to screen Finnish video art to Dublin audiences.

Köönikkä (b. 1980) has worked as Chief Curator at Tampere Art Museum and TR1 art hall in Tampere since 2009 and written extensively on contemporary art and culture in Finland. As a curator she is interested in exploring modern and contemporary Finnish art and bringing the work of talented international artists to Finland.

- It is a great opportunity to work at Temple Bar Gallery & Studios. The space in itself is inspiring, but I especially look forward to collaborating with interesting local artists and galleries, says Laura Köönikkä about her upcoming residency.

More info:
www.hiap.fi
www.templebargallery.com