Curator Jussi Koitela has been appointed as the new Director of M-Cult ry as of 1.6.2024.
Koitela takes over from his previous appointment as Head of Programme at Frame Contemporary Art Finland. Jussi Koitela’s professional experience in the fields of contemporary art, media art, and culture is impressive. Koitela has curated and implemented several exhibitions and public programmes in and outside Finland, including Untitled (You Have to Make Death Public) at De Appel Art Centre in Amsterdam in 2016, City Agents at Contemporary Art Museum of Estonia (EKKM) in Tallinn 2016, and Performing the Fringe at Konsthall C in Stockholm and Pori Art Museum in 2020/2021. Jussi Koitela is familiar with both the international and domestic contemporary art scene. He has worked as Head of Programme at Frame Contemporary Art Finland 2018–2024 and curated the Rehearsing Hospitalities public programme with Yvonne Billimore. In 2015–2016, Koitela participated in the De Appel curatorial programme in Amsterdam.
Currently, Jussi Koitela is curating the exhibition “The pleasures we choose” for the Pavilion of Finnish at the 60th Venice Biennial 2024 and the exhibition "Measures" Survival Kit 2024 in Riga, produced by the Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art.
As Director, Jussi Koitela is responsible for M-Cult's strategy and future goals. He manages the association’s finances and staff. He coordinates cooperation with other organisations and stakeholders, and ensures that the association continues to be a visible and significant player in its region. He will develop M-Cult’s future projects in cooperation with the association’s staff, board, members, and funding bodies. Koitela's position as a director has been agreed to last in the first phase until the end of May 2025.
“I have always valued M-Cult as an organisation and partner. M-Cult is an important player in the Finnish contemporary art scene, uniquely combining art, media, and research. I am proud to be able to continue this work with artists, communities, and other stakeholders. We can challenge current social conditions and provide opportunities for different people and bodies to participate in shaping culture and everyday life” says Koitela.
M-Cult fondly remembers its previous long-time executive director and founder Minna Tarkka, who passed away suddenly in August 2023 after a short illness.
For more information:
Jussi Koitela, koitela.jussi@gmail.com, +358 45 650 0857
M-cult’s Chairperson of the Board, Emmi Vainio, emmi.vainio@m-cult.org, +358 40 728 6615
Download link to image:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PvOCdCsrA-h3hVbZd07rlVq1G3R3qcq8/view?usp=sharing
Photo by Andrejs Strokins
M-cult in brief
M-Cult is an association based in Helsinki since 2000, focusing on new forms of media and community art. In recent years, M-Cult has established long-term work in the framework of artist residencies and thematic programmes at its core. M-Cult's office and residency are located close to each other in Vallila. M-Cult's aim is to enable new works and artistic processes, and to create meeting places for artists and audiences where the world is seen as new possibilities for action. Instead of traditional art venues, M-cult often takes art into media, urban space and everyday environments. M-Cult is particularly interested in technically and socially experimental methods and processes.
M-Cult is supported by Taike, the City of Helsinki, the Kone Foundation.
M-Cult is a member of the European Media Art Platform (EMAP), co-funded by the EU.