Anna Niskanen selected as artist-in-residence for FIDA 2021

Anna Niskanen is the visual artist selected for FIDA - residency program for visual artists in collaboration with FABRIKKEN in 2021.

Anna Niskanen is a Helsinki based visual artist that works with photography, printmaking and bookbinding. Niskanen has a Master of Arts from Aalto University, School of Arts, Design and Architecture in Helsinki. She is also one of the founders of Kosminen art space and artist collective.

The selection for the FIDA residency was made by FABRIKKEN and an external jury consisting of artists and curators. The jury’s motivation for choosing Niskanen reads as follows:

“Anna Niskanen collects objects that are imbued with the expectation of remembering a particular place. Seashells, rocks, and branches are collected along with photos that encapsulate an experience and serve as the basis for her research. Pebbles are ground into pigments, shells are cast in bronze, and digital photos are manipulated and printed in cyanotype to correspond to the memory of the place instead of the place itself. As memories cannot objectively represent a place, Niskanen considers her works as illustrations “of a volatile time by creating falsified documentation of changing natural elements.”

With a confident aesthetic and a dedicated exploration of her media, Anna Niskanen is currently at a stage in her career, where a residency with FIDA's resources and network can make a significant difference. It is therefore with great pleasure that Niskanen is offered a FIDA residency in Copenhagen.”

FIDA is the Finnish Cultural Institute in Denmark’s residency program for visual artists, operated in collaboration with Fonden FABRIKKEN for Kunst of Design in Copenhagen. The purpose of the program is to build networks between professional artists on the contemporary Finnish and Danish art scenes, and to introduce Finnish or Finland-based artists to the Danish art market. In addition to an atelier at FABRIKKEN, a program will be built around networking activities locally in Copenhagen as well as across the country. The residency will take place in August - September, 2021.

Fonden FABRIKKEN for Kunst og Design 

FABRIKKEN is a not-for-profit art institution that provides studios and work spaces for around 70 professional Copenhagen-based artists and designers. FABRIKKEN is guided by the spirit of professionalism and exchange, which is nurtured through an event program and a weekly communal lunch. In addition to the studios, FABRIKKEN contains a 1.000 m2 space, which is used for artistic production, exhibitions, and events.