“Applied Nostalgia” exhibition opens in Helsinki

September 24 2019 | Helsinki

“Applied Nostalgia” exhibition opens in Helsinki

The seventeenth photo exhibition “Applied Nostalgia”, this time dedicated to Belgrade and Helsinki, authored by Marija Piroški and Tanja Mikkola, has opened in Helsinki, the capital of Finland.

Opening the exhibition, Assistant Minister of European Integration Tamara Delić stressed the significance of cooperation in the field of culture and creativity between Serbia and Finland in the year marking 90 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The Assistant Minister thanked Finland for supporting Serbia's EU accession process. “It is vital for Serbia that Finland has kept the topic of enlargement on its presidency’s agenda and we expect that additional negotiation chapters for which Serbia is technically prepared will be opened by the end of the year. I truly believe that the European Union's commitment to the integration policy is of paramount importance, especially given the fact that it is one of its most successful policies”, stressed Delić.

According to Tamara Delić, two renowned photographers faithfully portrayed the connections and similarities of the two countries.

She thanked her colleagues from the Embassy of Finland in Belgrade, the Embassy of the Republic of Serbia in Helsinki, and the management of the Europe Hall for their contribution to the realisation of the exhibition in Helsinki.

State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland Johanna Sumuvuori, Chairman of the Helsinki City Council Otso Kivekäs and Mayor of Belgrade Zoran Radojičić also spoke at the opening of the exhibition, as did one of the exhibition authors – Tanja Mikkola.

Johanna Sumuvuori stated that the bilateral relations between the two countries were good, that cultural cooperation was developing in a positive direction and that Serbia's future was in the European Union.

"Culture has a great power, perhaps not as much as politics itself, but it needs to be harnessed for good purposes”, said Sumuvuori.

Otso Kivekäs thanked the organisers for bringing the exhibition to Helsinki. He estimated that the two capitals, depicted in the photographs, had changed significantly over the past two decades and that such an exhibition precisely served to launch a common future connecting the two capitals.

Mayor of Belgrade Zoran Radojičić noted that Helsinki was beautiful in both the photos and reality, and thanked Tanja Mikkola for capturing wonderful scenes of Belgrade. He invited all those present to visit the Serbian capital and once again thanked Finland for supporting Serbia on the road to the EU.

Tanja Mikkola expressed her appreciation to the Ministry of European Integration for the opportunity to participate in the project “Applied Nostalgia”, emphasising her love for Belgrade.

“My dream has come true. I am delighted that in one place, on the walls of this gallery, I can glance at the city where I have lived so far - Helsinki and the city where I will live from now on - Belgrade”.

The photographs, which the visitors will have the opportunity to see at the “Europe Hall” in Helsinki until 30 September, are part of the “Applied Nostalgia” project, a series of joint exhibitions of photographs created by famous artists from Serbia and the country presiding over the EU.

The project idea is that an author from Serbia pays a visit to the capital of the country presiding over the EU, during which they take pictures of places, events, scenes and people that remind them of Belgrade. On the other hand, an author from the country presiding over the EU resides in Belgrade and takes pictures of what they recognise as their own.

The opening of the same exhibition in Serbia is planned for 13 November in the Yugoslav Cinematheque.