Jani Luoma ^{Emerging artist}

Artist's country of origin: Finland

Jani Luoma (b. 1997) is an artist based in Helsinki, Finland and is graduating with a Master’s degree in Fine Arts from the Academy of Fine Arts at the University of the Arts Helsinki in 2025, with Time and Space as his study area. His works often take the form of video installations, texts, and performances.

Based on his own diary notes and intimate conversations, Luoma creates materials such as videos, audio recordings, and texts, for his works. He usually makes notes and audio recordings on his phone and films with a MiniDV camera. These low-threshold tools allow for spontaneous documentation, making the materiality of everyday life an evident part of his work. By reassembling audiovisual fragments, he creates works that shatter and challenge structures of power and identity related to class and sexuality.

Alongside his individual artistic practice, Luoma collaborates on performances with his colleague Veera Wahlroos. Their third joint performance Touch which was presented in early June at Kirpilä Art Collection as part of Helsinki Biennale Preview Weekend. Touch explores intimacy in non-romantic friendships through the sense of touch. A central aspect for the work is maintainance of consent through both language and gestures.

Luoma has exhibited his work in Finland and Sweden, including at Ateneum Art Museum, Galleria Rajatila, Kirpilä Art Collection, Asbestos Art Space, Kuva/Tila, Vapaan Taiteen Tila, Vita Havet at Konstfack, and Utomhusgalleriet på Sergels torg. He has also presented performances and screenings in public spaces and community events, such as screenings at Kino Club in Helsinki and at the New Cinema Zvezda theater in Belgrade. Luoma is a member of the Performance Artists Unite! Helsinki collective. He is also part of an international group of artists, Alien Art Group, that organizes group exhibitions in the Nordic countries and consists of artists from Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Canada, Finland, Faroe Islands and Iceland.

Luoma’s artistic work has been supported by Föreningen Konstsamfundet, Svenska kulturfonden, Finnish-Swedish Cultural Foundation, Eugène, Elisabeth och Birgit Nygréns stiftelse, Greta och Alfred Runebergs Stiftelse, and the University of the Arts Helsinki Foundation.