It is finally time to enjoy the light art at Lux Helsinki 2025, from January 8 to January 12. Most exhibitions are visible from 17 to 22.
The theme of the festival is “Stories from Beyond.”
You will find artworks in Helsinki’s city center, from Railway Square to the Observatory Hill in Kaivopuisto.
Moreover, you will find more installations at Mall of Tripla, Kannelmäki, Tapiola’s Tapionpuisto in Espoo, and the Lux In exhibition at the Cable Factory.
Map Of Light Art At Lux Helsinki 2025
The following map gives you an overview of the light exhibitions in the city center of Helsinki.
Suggested path
We will present the suggested path following the numbers on the map but you are free to create your own path.
- Railway Square – illumaphonium (UK) – Continuum
- Keskuskatu 6 – Studio Vertigo (UK) – End Over End
- Esplanadi Park – Kari Kola (FI) – Just Green
- Kasarmitori – Pavol Truben (SK) – Under Pressure
- Architecture & Design Museum – Jakob Fälling & Ole Samsøe (DK) – Love and War
- Design Museum – Maija Lavonen (FI) – Surface of light
- Neitsytpuisto – Jere Suontausta (FI) – Peilipöllö (Bubo speculus) II
- Puistokatu 4 – Puistokatu 4
- Kaivopuisto – Pekka Niittyvirta & Timo Aho (FI) – Lines (Helsinki)
- Kaivopuisto Railway Tunnel – Ilkka Paloniemi (FI) — Seismic Pulse
- Old Market Hall in Eteläranta – Olivia Pohjola (FI) – Beings
- Sofiankatu 1 – Kappa (UK) – Un-Reel Access
- Senate Square – Vertigo (DK) – The Wave
Light Exhibitions In Details
1. Railway Square
A breathtaking geometric arrangement of reflective and glowing sonic obelisks unfolds an endless, enigmatic, and enchanting realm both within and surrounding the audience.
illumaphonium brings us together once again to play, create, and explore as they redefine our understanding of the urban environment.
Illumaphonium is at the forefront of the emerging genre of light art, excelling in interactivity and merging entertainment with artistic expression. They design fully immersive illuminated installations for public spaces that revolve around music and musical instruments—elements that are inherently interactive. The core social purpose of illumaphonium remains constant: fostering a sense of togetherness, something we as humans yearn for now more than ever.
2. Keskuskatu 6
The Slinky is a well-known toy across various cultures and generations. In its oversized version, it evokes feelings of nostalgia while also appearing surreal, whimsically turning buildings and rooftops into an imaginative playground. Each loop of the massive spring lights up sequentially, forming the recognizable shape of a Slinky rolling end-over-end into the darkness.
The Slinky has been a beloved and iconic toy since the 1940s, with enough units produced to wrap around the globe at least 150 times. Initially crafted from metal, this spring toy is now often remembered in its colorful plastic version that has been prevalent for the last four decades. The use of plastics poses a tremendous threat to the environment, contributing significantly to waste and pollution. Recycling plastic toys plays a crucial role in mitigating pollution and preserving natural resources by transforming them into new items. By collectively working towards minimizing our reliance on non-renewable plastics, we can make a meaningful difference in safeguarding our planet.
The giant size of the Slinky gives viewers a sensation of feeling ‘smaller’—the scale between us and the toy is inverted, as if we’ve shrunk and found ourselves in Alice’s Wonderland. End Over End playfully challenges our position as spectators, altering our typical interactions with objects and our surroundings.
3. Esplanadi Park – Kari Kola (FI) – Just Green
Under the skillful direction of light artist Kari Kola, the wintry scenery of Esplanade Park is transformed into a vibrant realm of green illumination, reviving the essence of summer amidst the cold season. The intention behind this work is to restore the greenery that winter has obscured and to foster a calming and harmonious atmosphere. The park is enveloped in a soft green glow, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in a color that represents balance, safety, and inner tranquility.
Kola’s artwork offers a painterly and contemplative experience, with the color green directing the viewer’s feelings. Green is believed to boost creativity and enhance focus. This installation establishes an environment where urban residents can escape the chaos of daily life and fully engage in the soothing influence of color.
4. Kasarmitori – Pavol Truben (SK) – Under Pressure
Under Pressure is an installation that combines light and sound. It features eight figures engaged in exercise, their heads constrained by fastening straps. This artwork addresses the issues of stress and work-related pressure, which society often attempts to alleviate through activities like modern yoga, while overlooking systemic solutions to prevent burnout. The series highlights the disparity between a culture that embraces healthy living trends and one that grapples with mental health challenges.
The author provides an ironic commentary on an individual seeking harmony through physical activity, driven by the need to manage work-related stress, anxiety, and psychological pressure. This underscores the importance of establishing a healthier overall life pace. At some point, merely “practicing” (yoga) twice a week is insufficient. The author explores the theme of burnout, which can be interpreted through his personal experiences. In today’s “corona” era, each viewer can relate their own journey toward mental balance to the figures presented. This piece has been showcased at prestigious events such as the Olympic Games in Paris, Lilu Lichtfestival, Lights On Romania – Timisoara, and Blik Blik festival.
5. Architecture & Design Museum – Jakob Fälling & Ole Samsøe (DK) – Love and War
Love and War is a nonfiction piece focusing on the conflict in Ukraine. It features over 120 drawings and animations, drawing from interviews conducted in Ukraine during the fall of 2023. The work highlights the lives of six everyday Ukrainians and shares their experiences amid the invasion: How has the war impacted their relationships with their closest loved ones?
The stories of love during war open a door to the lives of ordinary under extraordinary circumstances.
The work consists of light and sound and its full length is 22 minutes, if you want to see all six stories.
6. Design Museum (lobby) – Maija Lavonen (FI) – Surface of light
In Surface of light, the artist has woven linen yarn and acrylic rods on a fibre-optic loom. She has deliberately broken the fibre to give the light reflected from the projector the shape she wants. The work was presented for the first time in Lyon, France, in 2009.
7. Neitsytpuisto – Jere Suontausta (FI) – Peilipöllö (Bubo speculus) II
Mirrorowl (Bubo speculus) II is a fictive-dystopian bird species and a sculptural light art work realized almost entirely using found and recycled materials. The work incorporates materials such as broken museum light reflectors, a wine goblet, napkin holders, Czechoslovak pastry molds, dessert dishes, and various other kitchenware. The sound is produced using a mirror closet door as an instrument.
Bubo speculus is both an introverted fantasy and a statement; the big-eyed owl glances at us at the verge of ecocatastrophe and mass extinction, greeting the spectator with distorted, melancholic hoots. Formerly known as a nocturnal species, the now full-time performer owl has developed a completely reflective appearance to survive amidst light pollution.
8. Puistokatu 4 – Puistokatu 4
Light art illuminates Puistokatu 4 and its surroundings as part of Lux Helsinki. The Space for Science and Hope is highlighted by Hope Signal, a light pillar beaming into the night sky through the attic skylight. This artwork serves as a beacon of hope, bringing light to the darkness. For some, it may evoke a superhero call signal shining in the night. Regardless of interpretation, the piece encourages visitors to explore Puistokatu 4. Building a sustainable future requires not just superheroes but the collective effort of us all.
Inside Puistokatu 4’s library, Roosa Siirilä’s animated artwork Disturbance of Consciousness is projected onto a centuries-old tiled stove. The artwork, which creates a new, lively surface on the stove, explores the relationship between humans and seaweed.
9. Kaivopuisto – Pekka Niittyvirta & Timo Aho (FI) – Lines (Helsinki)
The installation offers an immersive experience that visualizes the impact of climate change through rising sea levels.
Drawing on scenarios from the IPCC Climate Change Panel report and local ground elevation data, it presents a spectrum of outcomes—from realistic projections for the coming decades to speculative possibilities hundreds of years into the future.
The work examines the dynamic relationship between humans and nature, highlighting environmental impacts and our interconnectedness with the natural world.
Lines (57° 59 ́N, 7° 16 ́W), was first exhibited at the Taigh Chearsabhagh Museum and Art Center in 2018, utilising 120 meters of synchronised lines of light to depict the dire consequences of rising sea levels in connection with tidal changes.
10. Kaivopuisto Railway Tunnel – Ilkka Paloniemi (FI) — Seismic Pulse
Seismic Pulse transforms an invisible natural phenomenon into art, inviting viewers to create their own interpretations.
Every 26 seconds, the Earth’s crust trembles with a regular, recurring “pulse” traced to the Gulf of Guinea off the west coast of Africa. While subtle, this mysterious vibration sparks curiosity: Could it be the Earth’s breath, a heartbeat, the hum of a machine, or a geological adjustment?
Paloniemi was captivated by the concept of the Earth’s sound. He sketched ideas and collected audio from around the globe via radio, capturing static, hums, encrypted number stations, distant broadcasts, and Morse code. These sounds, reflecting the Earth’s resonance, are woven into the piece alongside harmonic chords symbolizing the planet’s innate harmony. Paloniemi’s signature laser light further enhances the work, illustrating its connection to geological and cosmic dimensions.
The installation’s location—the Kaivopuisto tunnel and railway cutting—was carefully selected to bring viewers closer to the Earth’s core, tectonic plates, and magma. The perspective directs attention downward, to the mysteries beneath our feet.
11. Old Market Hall in Eteläranta – Olivia Pohjola (FI) – Beings
This is a piece celebrating small creatures, organisms and forms of being. What happens in The Old Market Hall after dark? How big is the spectrum of being that has developed in the nooks and crannies of the building throughout history? The work appeals to anyone who is open to imagination, and it is also suitable for young children.
12. Sofiankatu 1 – Kappa (UK) – Un-Reel Access
Un-Reel Access presents a locked door standing before a solid wall, its edges radiating light and hinting at the mystery beyond. Intriguingly, one corner of the door appears to have unraveled, revealing a luminous glow from within.
Much like in life, the brilliance of our hopes and dreams often seems trapped behind closed doors. Through the transformative power of light, Un-Reel Access challenges us to break free from the constraints of conventional thinking.
This artwork serves as a portal, inviting curious minds to reimagine their perspective on the world. Confronted by an unreachable future, it suggests an alternative path where unyielding barriers dissolve through the collective imagination and determination of communities and individuals.
13. Senate Square
The Wave is an 80-meter-long sculpture that invites audiences to explore the universe of waves. Created by the artist collective Vertigo in collaboration with composer Lil Lacy, the installation features a specially composed work for acoustic instruments, performed by musicians from the Royal Danish Orchestra.
Both the light sequence and soundscape draw inspiration from the nature and motion of waves, developed in a seamless dialogue between the sound and light artists. Visitors can immerse themselves in the artwork by walking through the triangular gates of the sculpture or admire its presence from afar.
The Wave is a dynamic narrative where sound and light converge to evoke the cyclical and infinite motion of waves. Vertigo and Lacy have intricately woven sonic and visual elements to create an organic, ever-changing experience. These waves take many forms, from the music’s sound waves and the city’s ambient noise to the glowing light waves of the sculpture’s LEDs and the surrounding urban environment. Constantly in motion, they respond to external factors such as wind and weather, embodying the fluid and transformative nature of waves.