A Changing Finland

A communal photo exhibition asks how Finland has changed during its independence. The contrasting old and new photographs taken in the same location have been collected from hundreds of Finnish people who took part in the Time Travellers photo campaign.

Independence, wars and urbanisation have shaped the landscape and built new national sceneries. This exhibition focuses on changes in the landscape. The contrast between old and new photos spanning over decades brings out emotions, also melancholy at times.

As our environment is changing, we would like to challenge you to consider whether we are changing as well.

What concepts of Finnishness and life stories can we imagine taking place in these landscapes? Who have we been for the first one hundred years of Finnish independence? Where are we going as a nation? What is it like to be Finnish in a rapidly changing world? Who can be Finnish?

The photos of the exhibition were collected during last summer and autumn from hundreds of Finnish people who took part in the communal Time Travellers photo campaign. The campaign and exhibition are co-produced by the National Audiovisual Institute, the Finnish Museum of Photography and the National Library of Finland. The Finna.fi service maintained by the National Library of Finland was the source of many of the older photos.

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