Pertti's Choice New York Pop-Up 2019

Pertti’s Choice and Pertti Kurikka’s alter ego, Kalevi Helvetti, represented Finland at the Outsider Art Fair in New York in January 2019.

Kalevi Helvetti performed at the fair’s opening event, as well as at the Fangoria magazine launch event at the Forbidden Planet store. During the trip, a new Kalevi Helvetti film was also shot, featuring Kalevi haunting various locations around New York City.

Inside Outside Finland, a virtual artwork created by Pertin Valinta and Donkey Hotel, premiered at the fair’s opening event at the Ace Hotel on January 16. The Inside Outside Finland VR exhibition showcases the past and present of Finnish outsider art over a span of 100 years.

The premiere took place during Voices & Visions, a short film evening co-curated by the Outsider Art Fair, Raw Vision, and Art21. Guided by artist Jani Leinonen, invited guests were taken on a virtual tour to the Parikkala Sculpture Park, Enni Id’s artist home in Padasjoki, a Kalevi Helvetti performance, and the Autism Foundation Finland’s art studio in Helsinki.

The event was well-attended by New York’s cultural crowd, outsider art collectors, musicians, and film industry professionals. The Finnish Cultural Institute in New York and the Consulate General of Finland supported the event by inviting their local networks.

The project’s US partner was John Cafiero, a huge PKN fan and outsider art collector. Cafiero heads Demented Punk Records, whose roster includes various punk bands such as the Misfits and Osaka Popstar. He also manages the Dee Dee Ramone Trust.

In collaboration with: The Promotion Centre for Audiovisual Culture (AVEK), the Ministry of Education and Culture, the Finnish Cultural Institutes (NYC & London), Outsider Art Fair NYC, and the Finnish Musicians’ Union.

Inside Outside Finland – A Virtual Exhibition of Finnish Outsider Art in New York | The Finnish Cultural Institute in New York