OPENING HOURS: 7–29 September 2026, during theatre opening hours: Wed–Thu 12:00–17:00, Fri–Sat 12:00–18:00. Lappia Hall Lobby, Jorma Eton tie 8 A. Free admission.
Naisia Aalloilla is an exhibition by Lauri Astala and Elina Brotherus that brings to life the architecture of homes designed by Alvar Aalto through fictional narratives. The exhibition will be on view in September at Lappia Hall in Rovaniemi. It is presented in collaboration with Photo North – Northern Photographic Centre and the Lapland Artists’ Association.
Photographic and video artist Elina Brotherus is one of the best-known contemporary artists in the Nordic countries. She is particularly recognized for appearing in her own works. Her photographs, however, are rarely self-portraits and often contain references to art history. For the Women with the Aaltos exhibition, Brotherus presents works from several photographic series created in buildings designed by Alvar and Aino Aalto. Her photographs reveal layers between different eras, evoking stories and atmospheres shaped by the relationship between people and space. Both the photographs and their exhibition venue draw inspiration from Aalto’s architectural philosophy, where functionality is combined with a bold aesthetic vision.
The video work featured in the exhibition, It Could Be Almost Anyone (2026) by Lauri Astala, operates on two different temporal levels and is based on photographs taken by Brotherus at Maison Louis Carré. The rooms and views of the private residence designed by Alvar Aalto serve as stages for memories captured on home movies decades ago, as well as for a ghostlike nocturnal wandering in the present day. Astala directed, wrote, and edited the work, whose video material was created using artificial intelligence. He is also responsible for the sound and music of the piece.
Artist Talk: Lauri Astala and Elina Brotherus at Lappia Hall
Friday 11 September, 4:00–5:30 pm
Rovaniemi Theatre, Lappia Hall, Jorma Eton tie 8 A. Free admission.
Welcome to meet photographic and video artists Elina Brotherus and Lauri Astala at Lappia Hall. The discussion will explore the background of the Women with the Aaltos exhibition, the significance of Alvar Aalto’s architecture as a source of artistic inspiration, and the ways in which buildings can serve as settings for stories and memories.
The exhibition showcases the winners, emerging talents, finalists, and Finnish nominations of the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture / Mies van der Rohe Awards 2026, providing a snapshot of Europe’s most significant architectural achievements of recent years.
Curators: Anna Sala & Ivan Blasi (Fundació Mies van der Rohe)
Organized by the New Aalto Project of the City of Rovaniemi in collaboration with Photo North – Northern Photographic Centre, the Lapland Artists’ Association, Creative Europe, and the Fundació Mies van der Rohe.
