6.3.–29.3.2026

Myymälä2 presents ‘Urban Matters’, a solo exhibition by illustrator David Kerr from 6th to 29th March 2026. The show features three interrelated series of works that translate research on social and environmental justice into visual form, focusing on their manifestation within urban spaces. Originally created to illustrate academic publications, the exhibited works interpret critical urban themes, including housing precarity, mobility inequality, intermedial interventions, and the concept of ‘people as infrastructure’ used by Abdou Maliq Simone. A central body of work was produced for the open-access Urban Matters journal (Malmö University). A second series was commissioned for ‘SoSkieli’, a research project investigating linguistic diversity and vulnerability in social work.

The exhibition also debuts ‘Helsinki Futurabilities’, a series of original drawings created in 2023. These images envision speculative, carbon-negative and carbon-positive future scenarios for the city. Informed by academic research on sustainable urban planning, they are designed not as blueprints but as catalysts for public debate on climate futures.

Presented across both of Myymälä2’s gallery spaces, the display includes digital prints of the final illustrations alongside original process drawings. QR codes link directly to the source research texts, allowing viewers to engage with the work’s academic context.

ARTIST BIO
David Kerr’s practice spans illustration, comic art, curatorial projects, and collaborative media. His work investigates the role of illustration in society beyond its conventional commercial applications. He holds degrees in Visual Communication from Glasgow School of Art (2000-2004) and Communication Design from the Royal College of Art, London (2004-2006), and has a longstanding involvement with artist-run and independent media initiatives.