Artist in residence, Stockholm, 1 March – 31 May 2024

Matti Aikio is a Sámi visual artist and activist rooted in Finnish Sápmi. He works with mixed media, including photography, video, sound, text, and installations. Drawing from his background in Sámi reindeer herding culture, his main artistic interest lies in opening new perspectives on the conflict between the indigenous Sámi relationship with nature and modern society’s ambivalent connection to nature. Aikio explores the aftermath of colonial contact zones between Danish-Norwegian, Swedish, and Norwegian settlers and the Sámi people.

During his stay at IASPIS, Aikio will continue his research and work on the indigenous relationship with nature and how questions surrounding this are connected to pressing global challenges like global warming and ecocide. He is also addressing topics such as fake indigenous identity and its connection to cultural appropriation and Lapland tourism.

Matti Aikio has participated in numerous exhibitions, including Helsinki Biennale (2023), Ii Environmental Art Biennale (2016), Homecoming at The National Museum of Finland (2021), and Arctic Highways, a touring indigenous groups exhibition in the US and Canada (2022-2024). Matti graduated from the Tromsø Academy of Contemporary Art in 2018 and has since been living and working mainly in Norway and Finland.