Art Linnakallio Symposium 2026 (EN)
Art Linnakallio Symposium 2026 (EN)
What is the Art Linnakallio Symposium? // Suomeksi
Art Linnakallio is an art symposium organized by the Municipality of Kempele. The symposium was held for the first time in 2017 and for the second time in 2019. The works from the international 2017 symposium are located in an underwater sculpture park at the bottom of Lake Aurinkojärvi in the Zeniitti area. The works from the 2019 symposium are situated in the underpass tunnels along the cycling route that runs through Kempele.
The 2026 Art Linnakallio is part of the Oulu2026 cultural programme and its “cultural climate change” initiative.
Four artists selected for the Art Linnakallio Symposium 2026
The Municipality of Kempele launched an open call for artists in spring 2025 for the Art Linnakallio Symposium to be held in the Zeniitti tourism area. A total of 110 artists from more than 20 countries submitted applications, including artists from as far as New Zealand, Japan, the United States, Vietnam and India. At its meeting on 23 June 2025, the Municipal Executive Board of Kempele selected four artists to create works for this unique rock lake environment.
The selected artists are Timo Aho, Maurice Meewisse, Chris Peterson, and the creative duo Marharyta Zhurunova and Bohdan Lokatyr.
Timo Aho
(b. 1980, Finland)
Timo Aho is an artist focusing on sculpture, installations, and site-specific art. He works with a wide range of materials and media, including light, air, and sound. Aho’s work explores our environment through societal structures and belief systems, moving subtly between reality and fiction.
Aho holds a Master’s degree from the Academy of Fine Arts of the University of the Arts Helsinki and a Bachelor’s degree from the Glasgow School of Art. He also collaborates with other artists and researchers. His works have been exhibited in Finland since 2012 and internationally at venues such as Ars Electronica, Miami Art Week, the Royal Academy of Arts in London, and the Wäinö Aaltonen Museum (WAM) in Turku. His permanent public artwork was completed in the Kannisto roundabout in Kerava in June 2022.
Maurice Meewisse
(b. 1978, Netherlands)
Maurice Meewisse is a context-driven artist whose practice is guided by an interest in how people perceive and structure their surroundings. He uses physical labour, repetition, and the movement of large quantities of materials as a way to shape space and create new meanings. His works often emerge from simple gestures or actions that gain strength from the specific characteristics of the environment and situation.
Meewisse graduated from the Willem de Kooning Academy in 2003 and continued his studies in the a.pass programme in Brussels. He also works as a curator and facilitator, with collaboration and creating space for others being central to his practice. His works have been presented in locations such as Rotterdam, Russia, and the Paltz Biennale. In 2024, he created a temporary memorial titled “Rustplaats” in Oosterbeek, consisting of over 300 stools and a sound installation.
Maurice Meewisse: Prospecting – peat extraction, recreational routes, and wildlife trails inspired the artist to design a labyrinth.
Chris Peterson
(b. 1976, De Bilt, Netherlands)
Chris Peterson is a Dutch-British sculptor known for his large-scale public sculptures. His work explores the evolving nature of identity and space, often functioning as landmarks in both urban and rural environments. Peterson’s sculptures invite viewers to reflect on how space shapes people—and how people shape space.
He uses materials such as concrete, stone, and bronze, and his monumental works can weigh tens of tonnes. For example, To Look Beyond Our Confinements stands six metres high and weighs approximately 50 tonnes. His sculptures are exhibited around the world, including in South Korea, Japan, the United States, Australia, and several European countries. Peterson works internationally in studios across the Netherlands, Sweden, Italy, and China, collaborating with landscape architects, urban planners, and local communities. In 2014, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Sculptors (FRSS) in recognition of his significant contribution to sculpture.
In the sculpture shown in the image, Peterson has created a small, sheltered space within a large rock-like mass.
Marharyta Zhurunova & Bohdan Lokatyr
(b. 1994, Vinnytsia; b. 1993, Lviv, Ukraine)
Marharyta Zhurunova and Bohdan Lokatyr are a Ukrainian artist duo who have collaborated since 2015. Their artistic partnership began at the winter Mythogenesis land art festival. Both graduated in 2018 from the Ukrainian Academy of Printing, specialising in book and graphic art.
Their practice spans environmental art, land art, installations, and printmaking. Their works explore the interaction between humans and landscapes—particularly how the environment affects people and how people leave their mark on landscapes. Since 2022, their work has increasingly addressed the impacts of war and collective memory. They have participated in numerous exhibitions and biennials, including the M17 Sculpture Prize exhibition in Kyiv, and have received a grant for young artists from the President of Ukraine. Their works combine natural materials, symbolism, and social commentary, and are often both visually and conceptually powerful.
Implementation of the symposium
The Art Linnakallio Symposium 2026 will be carried out in two phases in autumn 2025 and 2026. This year, the artists will visit Zeniitti in August–September to familiarize themselves with the area and the locations of the artworks. This will be followed by a concept development phase, which the artists will complete in their home countries. They will return to Kempele in August 2026, when the actual artworks will be created on-site in Zeniitti. The completed works will remain as a permanent part of the Zeniitti environment for visitors to explore.
Background: Art Linnakallio and the Zeniitti area
Zeniitti in Kempele is a former rock crushing site that is being developed into a new tourism and recreational area in North Ostrobothnia, Finland. A key element in its development is an art programme that creates site-specific artworks through the Art Linnakallio Symposium.
Other links to Zeniitti area
Curators
The curator of Art Linnakallio 2026 is Moosa Myllykangas, with Taija Jyrkäs as assistant curator.
Moosa Myllykangas is a long-established visual artist based in Oulu, who has built an international career from Northern Ostrobothnia. He has held exhibitions around the world and has been active in art organisations and regional art councils. In recent years, he has developed the art programme for the Hartaanranta residential area in Oulu and served as the art coordinator for the Oulu Housing Fair 2025.
Taija Jyrkäs is a producer and curator of visual and performing arts based in Oulu. Since 2021, she has served as Chair of the Art Donation Committee of the North Ostrobothnia Fund of the Finnish Cultural Foundation, acquiring public artworks for the region. She currently works as a producer at Photo North – Northern Photographic Centre, where she has also contributed to the international More-than-Planet project.
Organizer
Art Linnakallio is an art symposium organized by the Municipality of Kempele. The first symposium took place in 2017, curated by artist Antti Ylönen. Artists Alfio Bonanno (Denmark), Latika Katt (India), Sakari Matinlauri (Finland), and Knut Wold (Norway) were invited to create site-specific works. The artworks are located in an underwater sculpture park at the bottom of Lake Aurinkojärvi in the Zeniitti area, which visitors will be able to explore in the future by diving.
Art Linnakallio symposium 2017 katalog
Oulu will be the European Capital of Culture in 2026, together with 39 northern municipalities. The programme offers world-class experiences from near and far, including culture, art, and diverse events across cities, villages, and nature. This is a multi-year journey culminating in 2026, with Art Linnakallio forming part of the Oulu2026 cultural programme and cultural climate change initiative.
Further information
Anne Toppari
Head of Library and Cultural Services, Municipality of Kempele
anne.toppari(at)kempele.fi
Tel. +358 50 463 6457