Nervescape VIII

We stayed over in the Laplands Hotel Bulevardi, which I highly recommend! The room was spacious and modern, and the breakfast probably the best hotel breakfast I've ever had. 

I visited the art museum Kiasma and its five exhibitions. The most fascinating was Hrafnhildur Arnardóttir's , aka Shoplifter's exhibition called Nervescape VIII. Hair, both real and fake, is her signature material and trademark. She sees hair as being associated with fashion, self-expression and vanity. As a raw material for art, hair evokes mixed feelings: a furry work of art can be appealing and repelling at the same time.

The installation is partly inspired by the artist’s interest in neuroscience and brain research. Tangles of hair resemble nerve cells in their organic structure, but Shoplifter wants her art to impact our synapses in a more direct sense. She believes that when we are exposed to vibrant colours, it triggers the release of serotonin in the brain.

Arnardóttir wants to inspire feelings of joy and happiness, as she believes “happy people tend to treat each other more nicely.”

Hrafnhildur Arnardóttir took the name Shoplifter because her Icelandic name proved too difficult for many foreigners to pronounce. “Shoplifter” is one of many misheard versions of her name. Shoplifter’s art dwells comfortably on the borders between art, fashion, traditional craft and design.


The other exhibitions in Kiasma were:

*The Stage Is Yours: participatory and experiential artworks that underline the concepts of giving, hospitality and togetherness. Christian Falsnaes, Lee Mingwei, Amalia Pica, Sasha Pirogova and David Shrigley

*Iiu Susiraja: photographs, videos and an installation

*Alma Heikkilä: large-format paintings

*Coexistence: Human, Animal and Nature in Kiasma’s Collections


It was great to be back at home in the evening, Emma, Leevi and puppy got along well while we were away.



In Helsinki +15°C, sunny