Spurred by the prospect of an international art world behemoth taking up roots in their capital city, Finnish artists showed their disapproval of the Guggenheim Helsinki scheme by galvanising support for an initiative of their own.With the goal of fostering and promoting fresh talent, both locally and globally, Checkpoint Helsinki was born, along with a new work-and-display model with the freedom to show work as it is finished rather than the traditional methods favoured by larger galleries.
The new artist-led museum will commission internationally significant art in Helsinki. ‘Genuine internationality is created by taking advantage of existing networks and creating long-lasting forms of cooperation. Of course Finnish art is international, too,’ states the group’s Facebook page.