Project Leader/Curator/Producer
Finland - 1st Edition 24/25
Márcia Correia (1994) is an interdisciplinary artist, curator, and art educator whose work embodies a commitment to cross-cultural dialogue and artistic experimentation. She holds a dregree in Fine Arts and a Master’s degree in Art Education from the Fauculty of Fine Arts, University of Porto and is now pursuing an MA in Art Management at the Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki.
She is currently the head curator of the Art Alive festival in Aveiro, Portugal, an initiative that merges art, ecology, and digital innovation in public and unconventional spaces. In 2023, she founded Linkki Finland, a collaborative platform that promotes dialogue between artists and curators through exhibitions, residencies, and interdisciplinary projects. In its first edition, the project is being developed between Finland and Portugal.
Her practice is guided by the concepts of transformation, impermanence, and ecological responsibility, challenging established perceptions and encouraging new ways of thinking and experiencing art.
Artist/Photographer/Producer
Finland - 1st Edition 24/25
Matti Tanskanen (1982) is an artist and photographer whose practice intertwines visual art, photography, and research-driven methodologies.
He holds a BA in Photography from the Lahti Institute of Design and Fine Arts and an MA in Visual Cultures, Curating, and Contemporary Art (ViCCA) from Aalto University.
Tanskanen has presented works at the Venice Biennale Research Pavilion, Italy (2017), and Estação, Portugal (2019). He has also participated in collaborative art and research projects in Greenland (2018) and Finland (2017), among others.
Artist
Finland - 1st Edition 24/25
Ilkka Iljalainen (1988), also known as Ilkka II, is a Helsinki-based artist whose work blends organic forms with street art techniques.
In addition to his artistic practice, Ilkka II has experience in cultural event organization and management. His portfolio spans music events, small festivals, club gigs, and art exhibitions, with collaborations involving organizations such as the City of Vaasa, Red Cross Finland, UEFA, and Kyrö Distillery.
Ilkka II regularly exhibits his work, with his pieces featured in galleries including Space81 Gallery in Turku, Galleria Salmi in Helsinki, Wasa Graffitilandia in Vaasa, and Ikuisen Kesän pop-up Gallery in Espoo.
Artist
Finland - 1st Edition 24/25
Leroy Purnama (1990) is a Helsinki-based conceptual artist, DJ, designer, and writer.
Purnama holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences, Helsinki, majoring in Global Customer Relationship Management & Communication, and a Diploma in Design & Media, with a major in Advertising, from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore. He is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Visual Cultures, Curating, and Contemporary Art at Aalto University.
He is a founding member of the Democratic People’s Republic of Sertraline, a collective art project that emerged during the coronavirus pandemic, aiming to support mental well-being through music. His latest project, I Just Want to Live Here, is a wearable sculpture addressing the struggles of non-EU immigrants in Finland.
Artist
Finland - 1st Edition 24/25
Valentina Bravo (1988) is a visual artist and writer based in Helsinki. She holds a BA in Fine Arts with a Major in Plastic Arts from the University of Chile. Her work reimagines oil painting through experimental techniques that challenge traditional notions of the medium. Influenced by cultural elements from both Chile and Finland, her paintings incorporate unconventional materials such as industrial enamel and synthetic thinners.
She has exhibited her work in Finland, the United Kingdom, Armenia, the Netherlands, and Chile. In addition to her visual art practice, she engages in writing and curatorial projects. Her most recent publication, Ojo al Charqui (2023), is a compilation of essays by contemporary painters reflecting on their experiences during the pandemic lockdown in 2021, for which she served as both curator and writer.
Valentina has also contributed to UNESCO’s Living Heritage program with a written article on the spread of Chilean culture in Finland, a project supported by Museovirasto, Helsinki.
Artist
Finland - 1st Edition 24/25
Vinski Valos (1992) is a multidisciplinary artist and community organizer based in Helsinki and Berlin. His practice spans textile art, painting, digital 3D animation, video projections, poetry, and performance.
He holds an M.A. in History and a B.A. in Philosophy from Humboldt Universität zu Berlin. In 2024, he has been a resident artist at Kunsthaus Jägermeister while also contributing to the Grey Garden Studios artist collective.
Valos is the chairperson of Helsinki Poetry Connection and is known for crafting poetry on a typewriter at live events in Helsinki and Berlin.
Artist
Portugal - 1st Edition 24/25
Ana Sousa Santos (1994) is a visual artist and researcher currently based in Aveiro, Portugal. She holds a degree in Fine Arts – Sculpture and a Master’s degree in Art and Design for the Public Space from the Faculty of Fine Arts at the University of Porto. She studied Ceramics and Human Figure Modeling at the Facultat de Belles Arts in Barcelona.
Her artistic practice explores the human body, seeking diverse plastic solutions through experimentation with body manipulation as a medium, projecting it onto various supports and materials. She has also been investigating themes of sustainability and how sustainable art can serve as both a solution and a call to action for environmental awareness. A notable example is Shelter – Cloak of Tree Bark (2024), a work that conveys an ecological message about humanity’s appropriation of natural resources, using performative camouflage to reflect on the relationship between the body and nature.
More recently, her research and artistic practice have focused on how artistic experiences can serve as a bridge between humans and the natural world. She explores alternative ways of inhabiting and coexisting across species, investigating the absence and amplification of sensory stimuli through immersive experiences and installations. Her work reflects on themes of sensory perception, journey, memory, and ritual, creating spaces for deeper engagement with the environment.
Art Manager/Producer - Estação Viva
Portugal - 1st Edition 24/25
Mário Afonso (1983) is a visual artist, educator, and researcher. He holds a degree in Fine Arts from the Faculty of Fine Arts at the University of Porto and a Master's degree in Contemporary Artistic Creation from the University of Aveiro. Currently, he is pursuing a PhD in Art and Multimedia at the Faculty of Fine Arts at the University of Lisbon, with the research project titled "Art and Chemistry: Symbiosis for Representation."
Afonso is also the founder of Estação Viva, a cultural space dedicated to promoting the work of national and international artists across various disciplines. The space focuses on cultural outreach and promoting creativity through initiatives that bridge art, technology, science, and education. It offers workshops for both children and adults, encouraging artistic production and critical thinking. Additionally, Estação Viva supports the promotion of cinema through partnerships with the Avanca International Film Festival and Marmostra.
Afonso also leads the Quinta Nova project, which seeks to integrate science, research, art, and technology within the unique rural setting of Bioria in Canelas. This initiative contributes to collaborative ventures, designing and implementing creative solutions that promote synergy across these fields.
Frederico Maia - CEO Farl Cork (Estação Viva Partner)
Isabel Simões Pinto - Councillor for Culture at Estarreja City Council
Carlos Fonseca - Estação Viva Producer