Filipino Artist Geraldine Javier Showcases Work at Helsinki Biennial 2025
HELSINKI 08 August 2025 — The Philippine Embassy in Helsinki is pleased to highlight the participation of renowned Filipino contemporary artist Geraldine Javier in the Helsinki Biennial 2025.
Javier is presenting two installations for this year’s Biennial: “Earth, Water, Air, Fire, Void” at Esplanade Park and “Witness” on Vallisaari Island.
Earth, Water, Air, Fire, Void is a community-based work created through workshops with primary schoolchildren and residents in Helsinki. The installation incorporates recycled materials, plants, and cloth-wrapped talismans inspired by nature symbols from Finnish and Filipino traditions.
Witness, displayed in a former gunpowder magazine on Vallisaari Island, features five eco-printed fabric columns resembling trees. Through this work, Javier reflects on futures shaped by climate change. The piece uses eco-printing, a sustainable textile dyeing technique that uses plants to create imprints on fabric by means of steaming.
Javier shared her thoughts on the experience: “I had a very positive experience of the place and the people, and the collaboration with the Helsinki Biennial team was most pleasant and went very smoothly and I can only hope that more Filipino artists will be given a chance and support to be able to show there as the Filipino community there seems to be big but well integrated.”
The Helsinki Biennial, now on its third edition, is an international contemporary art event held every two years. This year’s exhibition features art installations by Finnish and international artists spread across Vallisaari Island, HAM Helsinki Art Museum, and Esplanade Park.
Javier’s participation is a proud moment for the Filipino community in Finland and a testament to the creativity, talent and global reach of Filipino artists.
The Helsinki Biennial runs until 21 September 2025. For more details on the exhibit, visit: https://helsinkibiennaali.fi/en/about-us/helsinki-biennial/ and https://helsinkibiennaali.fi/en/artist/geraldine-javier/. END
Witness, 2025 (Photo courtesy of HAM / Helsinki Biennial / Maija Toivanen)
For more information, visit https://sites.google.com/dfa.gov.ph/helsinkipemicrosite/home or https://www.facebook.com/phinfinland.