<Jenna Sutela on Representing Finland at the 61st Venice Biennale — Art News
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museum exhibitions calendar_today Friday, April 24, 2026

Jenna Sutela on Representing Finland at the 61st Venice Biennale

Jenna Sutela, representing Finland at the 61st Venice Biennale, will present an exhibition titled *Aeolian Suite* in the Giardini pavilion. The work features sound sculptures that engage with wind as both a physical and political force, using meteorological data, wind machines, recorders, a children's woodwind orchestra, and recordings of winds from Venice, Helsinki, and beyond. Sutela explores noise as a creative medium, drawing on the concept of deep listening inspired by artist Pauline Oliveros, and connects her project to the Biennale's theme, *In Minor Keys*, curated by Koyo Kouoh.

This interview matters because it offers a critical perspective on the national pavilion system at the Venice Biennale, with Sutela acknowledging the tension between the event's prestige and the soft-power politics of participating nations, especially those breaching international law. Her work also highlights how contemporary art can address urgent issues like the climate crisis, using weather and infrastructure as metaphors for control and contingency. The piece underscores the Biennale's continued relevance as a platform for artistic experimentation and political reflection.