Earlier this month, Finland’s Espoo Museum of Modern Art announced that the writer and curator Krist Gruijthuijsen will serve as its next director and CEO. Between 2016 and 2024, Gruijthuijsen served as director of the influential KW Institute for Contemporary Art in Berlin, and he arrives with a mandate to curate shows that resonate across the region and the global art world. He has curated shows on Hanne Lippard, Ian Wilson, Adam Pendleton, Ronald Jones, Hiwa K, Willem de Rooij, Beatriz González, David Wojnarowicz, Hreinn Friðfinnsson, Hassan Sharif and Leonilson among others. We caught up with him to hear about his new gig.
Congratulations on your new job! What excites you about the prospect of working with EMMA?
Thank you! EMMA is located in a strong geopolitical context, which offers many possibilities and opportunities. With its international multidisciplinary programme and prominent architecture, the museum has developed an established name for itself, both nationally and internationally, over the past decades. It is especially this forward-thinking attitude that sparked my interest. I am looking forward to learning from the region and the various collections the museum oversees.
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This new posting represents something of a homecoming, since you studied in Stockholm. What’s something about the Scandinavian art scene that might surprise readers unfamiliar with it?
Actually, Finland is not officially part of Scandinavia but part of the broader Nordic region and that’s exactly what’s exciting to me. I would not be able to generalize the Nordic art scene as a whole as every country has its own particularities. Finland in particular has a distinct cultural identity shaped by its layered history between Sweden and Russia. It’s truly a culture of its own, and that complexity is reflected in its artistic landscape in fascinating ways.
You were director of the KW Institute for Contemporary Art in Berlin between 2016 and 2024. How did art in that city change during that time?
Politically, Berlin changed dramatically over the course of this period, which greatly impacted the local art scene and its production. The Berlin I arrived in back in 2016 was eager to establish a strong cultural scene, which provided many possibilities for growth. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 and the ongoing wars in Ukraine and Gaza, the city fell into a depression. I still find Berlin a unique place for artistic expression, but its energy needs to be rebuilt, which is difficult under the current situation.
At EMMA, you’re replacing longtime director Pilvi Kalhama. What’s your impression of the legacy he leaves with the institution?
Pilvi’s tenure has been foundational in shaping EMMA into the institution it is today. The incredible growth the museum has undergone both in its programming and institutional presence is credited to her leadership. EMMA’s unique profile, which brings together both contemporary and modern art and design, combined with its long-lasting collaborations with major collections, offers a rare and inspiring foundation to build upon.
What are your own plans for EMMA, broadly speaking? What do you feel is your mission there?
First and foremost, I want to take time to explore and learn from the region and the many collections that EMMA oversees. Only through that process can I begin to define directions more clearly. As the largest art museum in Finland, EMMA holds a unique position, yet is relatively young (it will turn 20 next year), so there are a lot of possibilities and potential to develop the museum further. Very few international directors have worked within the Finnish art context, and I believe bringing an external perspective can foster new synergies and collaborations both locally and beyond. It’s incredibly exciting to be a part of shaping its next chapter.
You’re not just taking on the role of director at EMMA but also CEO. What does that mean?
I am responsible for the complete operation, including its business side. I believe it’s important to know every angle and detail of an institution in order for it to grow and develop further.
You’re currently developing a Paul Thek retrospective for Kunsthaus Zürich. Can you tell us anything about that?
A year ago, I was appointed by the Kunsthaus Zürich as curator at large to develop this retrospective, which will take a few years and will travel to various other institutions. Thek’s practice is rather complex and needs a lot of research and preparation time, especially as new scholarship is being done continuously and new information surfaces. Thek is a true artist’s artist, and his influence on generations that followed has been tremendous. This exhibition aims to present an extensive overview starting from the 50s all the way up until his death in 1988.