10.3.2026 13.00–14.30

Address: The Cable Factory, Kaapeliaukio 3, Entrance via the Info desk at the Glass courtyard
Language: English

Welcome to an Artist Talk with artist Tianjun Li (CN/FI) and Orlan Ohtonen (Chief-Curator of Exhibitions at the Finnish Museum of Photography). They will discuss development and working methods for the residency project. Free admission.

During the residency, Tianjun Li will expand the project Free as Birds (2024 onwards) into new chapters. This project is an interdisciplinary exploration of the parallel journeys of birds and humans through images, video, the human voice, and collective performances. It examines the human association of birds with freedom and observes how contemporary realities of displacement, restricted mobility, and environmental devastation affect this concept. After developing the work across multiple islands in Europe following the trajectory of migratory birds, the project returns to Suomenlinna, where the initial work began in 2024. One significant strand of experiments involves the dialogue between AI language models and the human voice. In these chapters, local birdsongs are translated into speculative bird languages. These languages are then reinterpreted and performed through vocal practices to collaboratively reimagine the experience of being free as birds in the form of Bird Song Choirs.

Tianjun will also explore new works through performances utilizing the voice and body. These performances aim to rethink human resonance in connections that extend beyond the human realm.

You can also follow the event via livestream on this page.

About the artist

Tianjun Li (CN/FI), also known as Timjune, is a visual artist, musician, and experimental vocalist based in Finland. Li works with photography, video, and a four octave vocal range to create sonic and visual landscapes. In these environments, beings other than human emerge as metaphors for social and ecological realities. Li holds a master’s degree in Visual Cultures, Curating, and Contemporary Art, alongside a minor in Sound in New Media from Aalto University.

About the moderator

Orlan Ohtonen is a curator and writer based in Helsinki, Finland, currently holding the position of Chief-Curator of Exhibitions at the Finnish Museum of Photography. They have written about the relationship between activism and cultural politics for many art publications such as EDIT, Mustekala, NO NIIN and Taide. Ohtonen has been building self-organised platforms for intersectional curatorial practices as part of the collective ‘nynnyt’ (2014-2021); as Co-Founder of feminist and anti-racist workspace Poimu (2018-2022); as Co-Founder and Co-Director of Feminist Culture House (2019-2022); and as Co-Founder and Co-Organiser of trans cultural sauna event series Sweat and Tears (2022-).

Ohtonen has graduated from Aalto University in Helsinki with an MA in Curating, Managing and Mediating Art (2015); and from Central Saint Martins in London with an MA in Fine Art (2006) He is the Head of Board of the Finnish Curators’ association (2019-), sits on the board of MYÖS, and has been part of the board of Taide magazine (2014-2016).