The public event Forest as a Geopolitical Stage gathers together forest guardians, researchers, artists, and other stakeholders to think about – and to think with – forests, as well as to discuss forestry and its impacts. The event identifies traces of intensive and extractivist forest management in Uruguay, Brazil, Finland and Sápmi, and calls for the forestry corporations to take responsibility for environments and local communities in a world rapidly altered by climate change and loss of biodiversity.

Forest as a Geopolitical Stage asks how different practices and ways of knowing, such as indigenous and ancestral knowledges, scientific research, art and activism could together contribute to the ecological and just transition of the forest sector. The 3-day event consists of talks, discussions, performances, a screening and a workshop in Stansvik forest, which is under threat of being logged. The talks and discussions are conducted in several languages: Finnish, English, Spanish and Portuguese. Spanish and Portuguese will be translated into English.

There is a video and sound installation called ’In Opera: Future Scenarios of a Young Forest Law’ exhibited in the space throughout the public event. The multi-authored opera by MAPA architects, INST and Carlos Casacuberta was first exhibited at the 18th Architecture Biennale in Venice in 2023. It explores Uruguay’s young Forestry Law, which enabled the emergence of the massive forestry industry in the country, and looks for a way from cellulose pulp production to a fairer and more inclusive wood futures with architecture with a central role.

The public event Forest as a Geopolitical Stage is open to everyone free of charge. The Cafe Willensauna’s seating is available in order of arrival. The event will be live-streamed on the theatre’s Virta channel. The theatre play Metsä Furiosa, written and directed by Marianella Morena, is ticketed; you can buy tickets at the National Theatre’s ticket office or at Lippu.fi. The workshop Protective forest, protecting body requires pre-registration by email. Please register by March 7th at metsageopolitiikannayttamona@gmail.com.

The public event is curated by Satu Herrala, and it will be examined as an artistic component of her doctoral research at Aalto University. The event and Metsä Furiosa are part of Forest as a Geopolitical Stage art and research initiative funded by Kone Foundation, which is also funding Herrala’s doctoral research. The event is produced by Elina Kukkonen, and it is organised in collaboration with the National Theatre’s Communities and Engagement Department. The visual design is by Amy Gelera.

Please see the programme and schedule here >> https://www.kansallisteatteri.fi/…/forest-geopolitical…

Accessibility: Accessible entrance to Cafe Willensauna through the National Theatre’s ticket office, Läntinen teatterikuja 1 D. There is an accessible toilet in the cafe.