Tuija Kokkonen

Introduction

An artist (writer, director), a researcher and a teacher, working as the full Professor of Artistic Research in Theatre Academy, Uniarts Helsinki since 2018. Doctor of Arts in Theatre (Uniarts Helsinki), MA (Theatre Studies, University of Helsinki).

I have been making art (since 1986), teaching & presenting (since 1991) and publishing (since 1992) in my interest areas nationally as well as internationally. From 1996 on I have focused on creating series of site-specific memo performance series, which started from the questions of performance, relationships, and ecology. The series are Kemi – Memos of Trees (2022–23), ongoing Memos of Time – performances with and for non-humans (2006–), Catchment Area – Memos of Freedom (1998–2003) and Maus and Orlovski – Memos of Love in the City (1997). The memo series are explorations on relationships between performance, “nature”, non-human, time and power, and on the role of performance in the age of ecological crises. They chart terrains between genres of art, between species; terrains where aesthetics, ethics and politics are inseparable. Since 1999 the memos have been performed in the program of Kiasma Theatre/ Museum of Contemporary Art, Helsinki, and internationally, e.g. Kampnagel Hamburg, Sophiensäle Berlin, Stanford University, Kulturhuset Stockholm, Teaterhuset Avant Garden Trondheim and various festivals. I have received the Finland Art Prize for my artistic practice.

My doctoral research project in artistic research was entitled Esityksen mahdollinen luonto. Suhde ei-inhimilliseen esitystapahtumassa keston ja potentiaalisuuden näkökulmasta. (The Potential Nature of Performans: The Relationship to the Non-Human in the Performance Event from the Perspective of Duration and Potentiality.) Acta Scenica 2017. The key question of this research was the meaning and possibilities of performance in the age of ecocrises, and it was executed through a series of interspecies performances called Memos of Time – performances with and for non-humans (2006–).

My lates performance series, Kemi – Memos of Trees (2022–23 at Kemi City Theater, Helsinki/Kiasma Theater, and Tampere Theater Festival) and Hidden – a memo ≈≈ at these borderlands (2025–), starting from Hidden I, Nigula (a memorial and founding words) in Estonia, are related to my ongoing artistic research projects at the intersection of performance, place, politics, and power.

Among various university and other engagements, I am a member of the board of trustees in the Kone Foundation (2019–) and served in the advisory board of the Saari Residency (2014–18).