ARS 06 –Sense of the Real

Finland

40 artists and collectives from 24 countries participate in the international ARS 06 exhibition in Kiasma, Museum of Contemporary Art in Helsinki. Over 100 works of contemporary art fill the whole Kiasma building for seven months. ARS 06 - Sense of the Real is open 21 January -27 August.

Art seeks diverse ways of understanding reality. Kiasma’s international exhibition ARS 06 focuses on meaning of art as part of the reality of our time. The subtitle of the exhibition is Sense of the Real. The human experiences like joy and sorrow are never far apart, but dependent on the perspective and on who experiences them. One person’s Paradise may be another’s Hell. Sometimes the first impression may be misleading. The works in ARS 06 are approachable and yet very complex. They also open up vistas to horrifying and hurtful things.

Since the first ARS exhibition in 1961, all ARS exhibitions have aroused discussion and many of the works exhibited have continued to live on in the minds of the spectators. Each ARS exhibition has formed a picture of its time and offered unforgettable experiences. The 7th international ARS exhibition is an important review of contemporary art in the 21st century. ARS 06 –Sense of the Real is curated by Museum Director Tuula Karjalainen and curator Jari-Pekka Vanhala.