Image by
Kaisa Syrjänen

BIO

Henri Airo (b. 1996, Helsinki) is a visual artist, writer and curator based in Helsinki.

In his artistic practice Airo relates to different social phenomena through documentary narratives. His research-based projects often combine photography with other lens based mediums, text and archival material.

Characterised by the dialectical document, Airo’s works engage a subject matter while simultaneously inquiring about the medium used to represent that subject. Through a self-reflexive practice, his work strives for documentary forms that reinvest photographic images with impact and present rigid ideological structures as malleable and actionable. His practice often results in polyphonic and layered narratives that come together as exhibition installations and artist books.  

Graduating with a BA in photography at the Lahti Institute of Design and Fine Art in 2021. His work has been exhibited at venues such as Krakow Photomonth, Amos Rex and PhMuseum LAB, among others. Along with his personal artistic practice, Airo also curates exhibitions, writes and teaches photography.


Solo Exhibitions

2024 TBA, Gallery Mältinranta Studio (upcoming)
2024 TBA, Hippolyte Korjaamo (upcoming)

2023 Attempt at Calculating Negligence, Fotocentrum Raseborg
2023 Attempt at Calculating Negligence, Gallery Ratamo
2023 Off-Places (collaboration with Toivo Heinimäki), Gallery K
2023 Attempt at Calculating Negligence, Poriginal Gallery
2023 Attempt at Calculating Negligence, Gallery Rajatila
2022 Unpredictable Certainty (together with Camilla Marrese and Gabrielle Chiapparini), PhMuseum LAB
2019 Land of Significance, Gallery Uusi Kipinä
2018 Notes on Finnish Collective Memory, Museum Militaria

Selected Group Exhibitions

2022 OTOS/22, Maamusta Gallery
2022 Mail Art, B Gallery
2021 Fresh Eyes, Kellerstraat
2021 Nordic Village, Fotofestival Pelt
2020 Kosminen salon, Kosminen Gallery
2020 Generation 2020, Amos Rex Art Museum
2019 Kuala Lumpur Photoawards, ILHAM Gallery
2019 Showoff 2019, Krakow Photomonth
2019 Searching for beauty, Photofestival Lenzburg
2018 My mortality is killing me, Mariankatu 23
2018 Nordic village, Helsinki Photo Festival
2017 Yö, Gallery Kalleria

Studies

2021 BA in Photography, Lahti Institute of Design and Fine Arts
2019 Exchange studies, Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design

Publications

2023 Notes on Finnish Collective Memory, monograph, published by UTU Press (upcoming)
2021 Fresh Eyes, catalog, published by GUP Magazine
2020 Chaff Chaff, collective zine, published by UTU press
2019 +380 x 46, collective zine, published by LAMK
2017 Yö, collective zine, self-published

Grants and Awards

2024 Comissioned as Summer Artist for Seinäjoki Kunsthalle
2023 The Finnish Cultural Foundation, working grant
2023 Arts Promotion Center Finland, project grant as part of working group
2022 Kimmo Kaivanto Foundation, project grant
2022 Frame Finland, travel grant
2022 JOKES Foundation, working grant
2022 PhMuseum CRITICAE Prize, winner
2022 Arts Promotion Center Finland, working grant
2021 Arts Promotion Center Finland, working grant
2021 Otto A. Malm Foundation, publishing grant
2020 Finnfoto ry, publishing grant
2020 Olga and Vilho Linnamo Foundation, working grant
2019 Kauno Ry, project grant
2018 Föreningen Konstsamfundet, exhibition grant

Residencies

2023 Öres Residency Program

Curating

2023 Utopias Lahti Biennale, director and curator
2021 Climate Utopias Visual Arts Festival, director and curator


Memberships

Lahti Association of Photographic Artists (Vice-chair)
Kauno ry (Member of the board)
Union of Photographic Artists in Finland (Prospective member)

Website design by
Aleksi Malinen