Mika Taanila is a filmmaker and visual artist based in Helsinki.
Taanila’s works have been shown at major international group shows, such as La Biennale di Venezia (2017), Aichi Triennale (2013), Documenta (2012), Shanghai Biennale (2006), Berlin Biennale (2004), Manifesta (2002) and Istanbul Biennial (2001). Solo shows include Padiglione de l’Esprit Nouveau in Bologna (2020), EMMA Espoo (2018), Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art in Helsinki (2013–14), Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis (2013), TENT, Rotterdam (2013), Badischer Kunstverein, Karlsruhe (2008), Dazibao, Montréal (2007) and Migrosmuseum, Zurich (2005).
Taanila’s films have been screened at several international film festivals and special events including TIFF Toronto International Film Festival, IFFR Rotterdam, International Short Film Festival Clermont-Ferrand, Karlovy-Vary Film Festival, Midnight Sun Film Festival, CPH:DOX, IDFA Amsterdam, Oberhausen Kurzfilmtage, Austrian Filmmuseum, Cork Film Festival, ICA and Whitechapel Gallery in London. The Ars Fennica Award 2015 was presented to Mika Taanila.
Harry Salmenniemi (b. 1983) is one of Finland’s most original contemporary writers. He has published six collections of poetry and was awarded for Texas, Scissors (2010) with Kalevi Jäntti award. His prose debut, the short story collection The Uranium Lamp (2017), was one of the year’s major literary events. His second collection, Dolphin Meditation, came out in 2019 and his third, Victim Syndrome, in 2020. Salmenniemi has also authored the film script Tectonic Plate (2016, directed by Mika Taanila) and the libretto to chamber opera Bliss (2015), which was awarded with Teosto award.