Terike Haapoja is a Finnish visual artist. With a specific focus in encounters with nature, death and other species, Haapoja’s work investigates the existential and political boundaries of our world. The notion of a world that is deeply rooted in the physicality and co-existence of beings and their multiple lifeworlds is at the core of Haapoja’s politically and ethically driven practice.
Haapoja approaches the previously mentioned themes by building up large projects, often realized in the forms of installations, related publications and participatory acts. Recent projects include Closed Circuit – Open Duration (2008/2013), last seen in the Venice Biennale, which focused on questions of mortality, co-existence and the relationship between humans and nature while adopting scientific technologies, The Party of Others -project (2011-ongoing), which looks at the status of other species and other groups excluded from the law by appropriating the form of a political party, and The History of Others (2012-ongoing) with author Laura Gustafsson. Haapoja’s work has been exhibited widely in solo and group shows internationally.
Haapoja represented Finland in the Venice Biennale in 2013 with a solo show in the Nordic Pavilion. Her work has been awarded with Dukaatti prize (2008), Säde -prize (2009) and Finland’s Festival’s artist of the year -honorary mention in 2007. Haapoja was nominated for Ars Fennica – prize candidate in 2011. The History of Others was awarded with Kiila-prize in 2013.
