Selected Works
Bio/CV
Laura Lappi was born and raised in Finland, earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in The Netherlands and currently lives and works in Queens, NY. Her work has been exhibited internationally, including solo exhibitions at Gallery Sculptor in Helsinki, Lorimoto Gallery and Flushing Meadows Corona Park in New York, The Yard in Colorado Springs, Galleria Uusi Kipina in Lahti, and at numerous group exhibitions including Firetti Contemporary and DIFC Sculpture Park in Dubai, The Bronx Museum of the Arts, Trestle Gallery and AC Institute in New York, Riihimaki Art Museum and Galleria Titanik in Finland, Kunstpodium T, Roodkapje, Twente Biennale and Re:Rotterdam International Art Fair in The Netherlands, Galleri Vest and SIM Gallery in Reykjaviik, Supermarket Art Fair in Stockholm, and Recyclart Art Center in Brussels.
She is interested in observing and examining how architecture and spatial environments influence our perceptions and affect reality; in particular, her focus is on the experience and emotional charge of different places and fluid boundaries between reality and fiction. Her sculptural practice explores the relationship between physical spaces, man-made structures, and the human mind – the psychology of places.
The starting point of her work usually comes from a real, existing location, which she explores by researching its history and geography. Based on these places, she creates sculptures and site-specific installations, using photography and videography as a means to document them. Lappi’s residencies include Yaddo in Saratoga Springs, Marble House Projects in Dorsett, SIM in Reykjavik and Vermont Studio Center in Johnson. She has been awarded grants from the Art in the Parks: Alliance for Flushing Meadows Corona Park in New York, Alfred Kordelin Foundation Finland, The Queens Council on the Arts, Arts Promotion Centre Finland and Finnish Cultural Foundation and fellowships at the BRonz Museum of the Arts and NYFA in New York. Her work has been featured in Shot Magazine Italy/UAE, Marie Claire HK, Culture Volt, Secret NYC, NY Art Beat, Kateigaho Japan, COS Independent, and Metro US among others. Lappi’s art works have been acquired by Serlachius Museum in Finland.
EDUCATION
2013 SVA, Sculpture, Installation and New Media Art, summer residency, New York, United States
2008 Teacher of Art, Willem de Kooning Academy, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
2006 Bachelor of Fine Arts, AKI, Academy of Fine Arts and Design, Enschede, The Netherlands
2005 Exchange during bachelor studies, School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, United States
RESIDENCIES
2024 Matera Residenza Centro Culturale Finlandese – forthcoming
2021 Marble House Projects, September 2021, Vermont, United States
2018 Yaddo, February 2018, Saratoga Springs, New York, United States
2017 SIM Residency, The Association of Icelandic Visual Artists, July 2017, Reykjavik, Iceland
2014 Vermont Studio Center, December 2014, Johnson, Vermont, United States
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2023 Firetti Contemporary, Dubai, UAE – forthcoming
Palace Basilica, Gallery Sculptor, Helsinki, Finland
2020 7×7 (Hope), The Art in the Parks: Flushing Meadows Park, Queens, NY, United States
2019 Nowhere, Anywhere, Everywhere, Lorimoto Gallery, Queens, NY, United States
2018 Untitled (Study of Charring Wood and Burning Structures), The Yard, Colorado Springs, CO, United States
2016 Window of Perception, Taidevintti, Vaaksy, Finland
Window of Perception, Galleria Uusi Kipina, Lahti, Finland
2013 Heartbeat, Site-specific installation, Asikkala, Finland
2011 Bon Voyage!, Gallery de Aanschouw, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
2008 Wolfart project space, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
2007 Planet art project space, Enschede, The Netherlands
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2023 WOOD You Rather Be Happy?, Firetti Contemporary, Dubai, UAE
2022 Making Sense Without Consensus, Equity Gallery, New York, NY, United States
A Harmony of Different Voices, DICF Sculpture Park, Dubai, UAE
Harbinger, First Third Gallery, Queens, NY, United States
2021 Bronx Calling: The Fifth AIM Biennial, The Bronx Museum of the Arts, Bronx, NY
Praxis of Change, Firetti Contemporary, Dubai, UAE
2019 Ridgewood Open, Lorimoto Gallery, Queens, NY, United States
The Yard of Imagination Vol I, The Yard Gallery, Brooklyn, United States
Wagmag, Grace Exhibition Space, New York, United States
2017 Kylla!, Union of Finnish Art Associations Year Exhibition, Riihimaki Art Museum, Finland
I Was Meant To Love You, SIM Gallery, Reykjavik, Iceland
Small Works 2017, curated by Bill Carroll, Trestle Gallery, Brooklyn, United States
Rover 2017, Starr Space Gallery, Brooklyn, United States
Nasty Women, Knockdown Center, Queens, United States
2016 Supermarket Art Fair, Presented by Tupajumi Foundation, Stockholm, Sweden
Rover 2016, StarrSpace Gallery, Brooklyn, United States
Nasty Women, Knockdown Center, Queens, United States
2015 Almost Home, Gramercy Gallery, New York, United States
Structure – An Array of Parts, Galleri Vest, Reykjavik, Iceland
We do not know what it is exactly that you are doing, but does this makes any sense, curated by Faivovich & Goldberg. Video screenings in Museum Hilversum, Bonnefantemuseum, Drents Museum, Museum de Fundatie, Museum De Pont, SCHUNCK*, Sandberg Instituut, WOW (NL), deBuren, Brussels (BE), Dortmunder U (DE) and East China Normal University, Shanghai (CN).
2014 Access Art, Brooklyn Arts Council, Brooklyn, United States
Car Art, curated by Rolina Nell, Delft, The Netherlands
This could be Rotterdam or anywhere, Kunstweekend Charlois, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
2013 Good Morning, Good Morning, Kunstpodium T, Tilburg, The Netherlands
Supermarket Art Fair, Presented by HeavyMerryFinland, Stockholm, Sweden
Re:Rotterdam International Art Fair, curated by Jaap Sleper, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
De Nacht van Cinerama, curated by Remty Elenga, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Twente Biennale 2013, curated by Kees de Groot, Enschede, The Netherlands
HeavyMerryFinland, Titanik Galleria, Turku, Finland
2012 Grensloos Kunst Verkennen, De Wijk-Ijhorst, The Netherlands
Car Art, curated by Rolina Nell, Delft, The Netherlands
Supermarket Art Fair, Presented by Tupajumi Foundation, Stockholm, Sweden
Re:Rotterdam International Art Fair, curated by Jaap Sleper, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
HeavyMerryFinland, Recyclart, Brussels, Belgium
2011 HeavyMerryFinland, Roodkapje, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Killing Darkness-Reflection, Foto Gallery, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Rotterdam Museum night 10×010, Foto Academy, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
2010 F.A.R.T. 2010, Boutique Hotel Quartier du Port, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Shaved or Natural, curated by Abner Preis, Gallery 182a, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
2009 Beeldfabriek, Rotterdam, The Nethelands
Green Papaya Art Projects, Manila, Philippines
2008 Mogwai, Quezon city, Philippines
Wolfart Project Space, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
2007 Planet Art, Enschede, The Netherlands
2006 One Minute Film Festival, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
PERFORMANCES
2014 Argot – with Sigrun Gudmundsdottir, Winterwolven, Roodkakpje, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
2013 A Banquet for Wandering Ghosts, with Dagmar Atladottir, TENT, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
2012 Nunatak, Re:Rotterdam Art Fair, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Nunatak, International Film Festival Rotterdam, Worm Rotterdam, The Netherlands
2011 Nunatak, B.A.D., Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Nunatak, Variety Show, Tent/Worm, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Nunatak, Wereld van Witte de With festival, Tent, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
2009 Erotic Horrors – with Rick Eikmans, Witte de With Center for Contemporary Art, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
RESIDENCIES
2024 Matera Residenza Centro Culturale Finlandese – forthcoming
2021 Marble House Projects, September 2021, Vermont, United States
2018 Yaddo, February 2018, Saratoga Springs, New York, United States
2017 SIM Residency, The Association of Icelandic Visual Artists, July 2017, Reykjavik, Iceland
2014 Vermont Studio Center, December 2014, Johnson, Vermont, United States
PRESS SELECTION
2023 Laura Lappi’s Sacred Forms, Culture – Recommended by the editor, Helsingin Sanomat, June 2, 2023
Interview with Laura Lappi by Amanda Millet-Sorsa, Theorema, June 2023
2022 Laura Lappi: Sculpting and Painting with Fire, Art Summit, Interview, Dec 2022
Bronx Calling: The Fifth AIM Biennial, Brooklyn Rail, Mar 2022
Fifth AIM Biennial Exhibit, The Bronx Journal, Mar 2022
2022 Artists in Denver Invite You to Their Yards, Living Rooms, and Skating Rinks, Hyperallergic, Mar 2021 In Conversation with Visual Artist Laura Lappi, Culture Volt, December 2021
Dubai gallery Firetti Contemporary to inaugurate Praxis of Change show, Gulf Today, September 2021
10 Must-See Art Shows to Catch This Fall, Jerry Saltz, New York Magazine, September 2021
Firetti Contemporary – Behind the Scenes, Face to Face with Laura Lappi, Shot Magazine, issue 12 Art Installations, Exhibitions and Events in NYC to Add to Your List, GothamToGo, November 2020 Art in the park, Queens Chronicle, October 2020
15 Best Public Art Installations in NYC To See Before 2021, Secret NYC, October 2020 2019 Tales of Night Forest, Marie Claire Hong Kong, October 2019
2019 Laura Lappi – Nowhere, Anywhere, Everywhere, NY Art Beat, September 2019
Nowhere, Anywhere, Everywhere, Kateigaho, Japan, September 2019
2018 Yard Art by Laura Eurich, COS Independent, April 25, 2018
2017 Superhieno näyttely, Mia Lagström, Riihimäen Seudun Viikkouutiset, October 11, 2017 2017 Success, Black Cat Journal edition zine, June 2017
Don’t Miss The “Nasty Women” Exhibit, A Visual Protest, TheFader.com, January 12, 2017 2017 See Inside the Nasty Women Art Exhibition, Metro US, January 11, 2017
2016 Black Cat Journal, summer edition, August 2016
Kipinässä haaveillaan ja muistellaan, Etelä-Suomen Sanomat, January 2016
Tyhjiksi jääneet valaistuvat, Etelä-Suomen Sanomat, January 2016
New York kutsuu Kopsuon autiotaloja, Uusi Lahti, Päijät-Häme, January 2016
Live Stream video documenting, AC Institute, NY, January 2016
2015 Structure, An Array of Parts, Morgunbladid, IS, August 2015
2014 Trendbeheer, Kunstweekend Charlois, May 2014
2013 Titanik full of ideas, color and videos, Turun Sanomat, Sinikka Eskola, 2013
Frame the Artist, video and photo documentation, Tent Rotterdam
Grote Rotterdamse Kunstkalender 2013
2012 Beelden Magazine, issue 3/2012
Design Art News, February 2012
Nonsordino Magazine, issue 1/2012
Recycl’Art, Sebastian Boulter, Parloori Magazine, Oktober 2012
Interview: De Onwerkelijke realiteit van Laura Lappi, Finncult.be, Riikka Thitz
Smelsslems. Blogspot, September 2012
2011 The Shiny Planet Project, HeavyMerryFinland, December 2011
NL10, HeavyMerryFinland, Oktober 2011
We Own Rotterdam, HeavyMerryFinland, Oktober 2011
VNF, FinMail, HeavyMerryFinland, Oktober, 2011
Trendbeheer, December 2011
Artists in the World, website
Stalk Talk video documentation, Duende Studios Rotterdam, The Netherlands
2007 Illustration work, Pause Magazine, The Netherlands
Projects and Curating
2022 Panelist for Marble House Projects residency, Vermont, United States
2021 Panelist for Alliance for Flushing Meadows Corona Park Grant, NY, United States
Ridgewood Zine II, curated with Rick Eikmans, New York, United States
2020 Panelist for Queens Council on the Arts, New York, United States
2018 The Arts Student League of New York, Visiting Judge, New York, United States
2 UCCS, Visiting Artist, Colorado Springs, CO, United States
2016 Photography and videography production for artist Lorraine O’Grady, New York, United States
2012 Witte de With Center for Contemporary Art, filming and editing production, Rotterdam, The Netherlands 2012 Tent, filming and editing production, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
2011 HeavyMerryFinland- artist collective founder and curator (Rotterdam 2011, Brussels 2012, Stockholm 2013,
Turku 2013, The TFHMF- award 2014, The TFHMF – award 2015). Nunatak-The Lonely Peak, sound performance collaboration with Rick Eikmans and Dagmar Atladottir
Black Proof, experimental art and design collaboration with Sanna Järvelä
2009 SKVR, workshop teacher fine art, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
2008 Volya Films, Production assistant for the documentary film Prisoners of the Ground, director Stella van
Voorst van Beest, The Netherlands/Finland
WORKS IN COLLECTIONS
Serlachius Museum, Finland