28.02.—7.3.2026

The joint exhibition HORSEBACK brings together works by Helmi Nieminen and Eero Yli-Vakkuri. HORSEBACK explores the role and representation of the horse from two seemingly distinct, yet linked perspectives. The exhibition is curated by Earthbound Lovers.

Eero Yli-Vakkuri’s previously unrepresented documentary work Hoiva ja kuri (Care and Control) follows the lives of police horses between 2016 and 2021. The observational documentary shows how horses working for the police de-escalate conflicts between people.

Animal-assisted law enforcement is a widely criticized aspect of frontline police work. Footage of the mounted police’s everyday life has been filmed in various parts of Helsinki, for example outside Lou-gallery on Vaasankatu and elsewhere in the Harju district. The documentary film is the final part of Yli-Vakkuri’s Trans-Horse project, which began in 2014 and examines contemporary horse culture.

Helmi Nieminen represents a large interactive horse sculpture. Nieminen’s sculpture is sewn from various soft textiles, and with its giant cartoon-like eyes it resembles an enormous plush toy.

The sculpture is inspired by the artist’s horse- and pony-themed drawn characters, which are a recurring motif in Nieminen’s practice. The sculpture evokes nostalgic and comforting childhood imagery, such as My Little Pony. The audience is welcome to sit beside the work and lean against it while watching Yli-Vakkuri’s film.