Forum Box Cooperative welcomes the newly appointed chairperson of the board, MPhil Minna Sirnö. Welcome to the Box, Minna!
Read below the short interview, composed by our intern Suvi.
Is there a work/exhibition/artist/phenomenon in art which has had a particular effect on you in recent times?
Recently I have been impressed by the promotion of diversity, participation and societal debate within the arts, as well as by artists who succeed in evoking strong emotions in the viewer – even if it be conflict or discomfort. I like when there is space left for me to interpret the work myself. That’s why I value works, which force the viewer to consider their own beliefs and attitudes, which bring to the fore the complexities of our reality and social phenomena. I also appreciate moments of tranquility when experiencing beauty, places of refuge from the badness in the world.
Why is art important today?
Art is brain food. It broadens our thinking, challenges our values, and gives us the opportunity to reflect on ourselves, our attitudes and our worldviews. It promotes people’s rights and participation, and keeps social debates alive. Art also offers a channel for dealing with difficult feelings and situations, and it helps to find new perspectives and solutions in today’s world. It also helps us to grow as people and to engage in dialogue from new points of view.
What in your opinion is special about Forum Box?
Being artist-run is at the core of Forum Box. What´s also unique about Forum Box is the combination of community and diversity: it is a place where different art-makers, audiences and ideas meet. Forum Box has a growing role as a promoter of the accessibility of art and as a free space for the arts, where new events, experiences and bold statements find their place.
What do you want to bring to your role as the chairperson at Forum Box?
As chairperson I want to further strengthen Forum Box’s openness and social aspect. My goal is to enable more discussion and diversity of opinion at Forum Box. I want to be involved in supporting Forum Box and its artists to continue and strengthen the experimental and participatory approach to their work. I want to be involved in reinforcing Forum Box´s position as a place where art, activism, and community come together. My goal is also to support Forum Box and its artists to come together also outside of the Forum Box building, so that an even wider audience have the opportunity to experience the power of Forum Box´s community spirit and diversity.
And finally, a bonus question: if you could acquire any artwork you wanted, what would it be?
If I could acquire any artwork, I would choose one which arouses curiosity and challenges me repeatedly – maybe a kind of work, which changes physically or in its interpretation depending on the environment or the audience, or a multilayered installation piece, which invites one to investigate its meaning again and again.
Minna Sirnö is a usedtobe of many things in the realm of art and culture, without having ever been an artist herself. Her experience includes being an interdisciplinary expert, hobbyist, advocate, and specialist: Sirnö has worked as a member of parliament, as the director of the Arts Promotion Centre, as the director of the Orimattila libraries, culture and museums as well as in several other positions of trust within arts and culture. At the moment Sirnö is writing a doctoral dissertation on political parties’ arts and culture policies from the 1960s to the present day.
Photo: Anna Autio