The series spreads out into urban and natural areas around Oulu during the Capital of Culture year. Artwork donations to the region’s municipalities are a tradition of the Finnish Cultural Foundation’s North Ostrobothnia Regional Fund that began in 1974. In 2026, the grantee municipality is the city of Oulu.
The invited artists Ari Björn, Jogn Collingswood, and Olga Prokhorova participated in a parallel sketch order in 2025, in which the artists were requested to sketch a public work of art to be placed in the city of Oulu. The artists were invited by a three-part expert group which consisted of the North Ostrobothnia Regional Fund’s Art Procurement Committee’s Spokesperson Taija Jyrkäs, Artist Kaija Hinkula, and the Oulu Museum and Science Centre’s Intendent in charge of collection services Elina Vieru.
The implementor of the 2026 work of art was chosen to be the performance artist Olga Prokhorova who lives in Oulu. She has performed in Sweden, Norway, Russia, Estonia, Mexico, and more. In her performances, Prokhorova explores the boundary between rituals, movement, behavior, and visual expression. Her art focuses on the mythological nature of human self-expression. Prokhorova uses narrativity and non-narrative thinking as a tool in exploring our shared needs to accept and be accepted.
The cores of Prokhorova’s art are topicality, entering, being, staying, and leaving – her practice focuses on composition and the freedom to recompose. Prokhorova’s pieces share themes of distinction, continual search for self, and the boldness to breathe it in. In her art, the body serves as a tool for preserving trauma and life stories. It is a tool between the possible and impossible – between the living and the dead.
Prokhorova’s performances are seen in April on Fridays: April 10 at 13.00 in Rotuaari, April 17 at 16.00 on the Toppila Disc Golf Course, and April 24 at 13.00 in Odessa Park. In May, Prokhorova’s performances can be seen on May 8 at 16.00 in Heinäpää Sports Centre, and on May 22 at 13.00 in Einonpuisto Park in Nuottasaari.
The artist may perform outside of the scheduled times as part of urban space. Prokhorova’s work and topical performances can be followed on the Instagram account @performateria, and the performances will be announced on the Oulu Art Museum’s communication channels.
Further information:
Taija Jyrkäs
Finnish Cultural Foundation, North Ostrobothnia Regional Fund, member of the Administrative Committee
taija.jyrkas@gmail.com
040 758 1774
Olga Prokhorova
Artist
oooprokhorova@gmail.com
045 7871 2412