Artist Jenna Sutela has been selected to represent Finland at the 61st Venice Biennale in 2026 with a multisensory installation titled Aeolian Suite. Curated by Stefanie Hessler and commissioned by Frame Contemporary Art Finland, the project transforms the Alvar Aalto-designed pavilion into a dynamic windscape using meteorological data, wind machines, and a children’s woodwinds orchestra. The work personifies five specific Venetian winds as protagonists in an elemental drama that blends scientific data with the theatrical traditions of Commedia dell’arte.
This exhibition marks the 70th anniversary of the Finnish Pavilion and highlights the growing intersection of contemporary art, climate science, and deep listening practices. By focusing on the unpredictable nature of wind, Sutela challenges the modern drive for total environmental control and predictive modeling, offering instead a poetic meditation on planetary impact and atmospheric intelligence. The collaboration with the Institute of Marine Sciences CNR-ISMAR underscores a shift toward institutional projects that integrate rigorous scientific research with immersive, sensory-driven storytelling.