Point of View: Kiasma looks forward

"An institution of modern art must be every bit as contemporary as the art itself."

THE FIRST TASK of a new museum director is to examine the current state of her museum, set new goals, and create strategies for achieving these goals. I have begun this work in collaboration with the Kiasma staff. By the autumn of 2010, we will have new visions for Kiasma - and the means to make these visions a reality.

DIVERSE - A museum of modern art has many roles, and contemporary art is not likely to become any less diverse. Quite the contrary: art is changing and evolving, constantly creating new forms and methods of communicating with audiences. Museums must be able respond to new challenges. What will exhibitions be like in the future? Should we create new ways of presenting art? How will the role of the museum visitor change? Could we offer more information and experiences – more tools for independent thinking and action?

COMMITTED - Our task is not only to observe the world of art, but also to contribute to society through contemporary art. An institution of modern art must be every bit as contemporary as the art itself. In the future, we want to interact more widely, to elicit discussion and offer a forum for debate.

INTERNATIONAL - International co-operation is integral to Kiasma and contemporary art. We are currently considering different options for future collaborations. How could we produce more exhibitions through co-operation with museums, institutions, artists, and other interest groups? And could these collaborations be related to research or the educational role of art museums, to name but a few examples? It is true that collaboration brings cost efficiency – above all, however, collaboration generates genuine dialogue about art.

CURRENT - Kiasma seeks to understand what is relevant and important in our time. This is our primary task. Contemporary art is part of a long tradition: some of the works in Kiasma’s collections date from the 1960s. In collection development, our responsibility is to look forward and evaluate what deserves to be preserved for future generations. In other words, a museum of modern art must consider the present, past, and future.'

YOU ARE warmly welcome to Kiasma – to see, experience, and participate!

Pirkko Siitari, Museum Director