KIRUNA.- With his pencils and colors and his keen powers of observation, the legendary S醡i artist, writer, and philosopher Johan Turi (1854–1936) left future generations a unique visual record of work, love, and life in S醦mi. This remarkable historical legacy is receiving renewed attention as the Truth Commission for the S醡i People in Sweden submits its final report to the Swedish Ministry of Culture on September 30, 2026.
Kin Museum of Contemporary Art’s major fall exhibition marks the first presentation of Turi’s artistic work in almost a century. Best known as the first S醡i author through his groundbreaking book Muitalus s醡iid birra (An Account of the S醡i, 1910), Turi also created a fascinating and richly detailed visual world depicting everyday life in northern S醦mi. His distinctive drawings and objects are presented alongside sculptures, paintings, and photographs by artist Outi Pieski (Ohcejohka/Utsjoki), as well as a sculpture by Johanna Minde (Julevu/Lule), a duoj醨 (practitioner of S醡i craft, duodji) and architect.
In his book Muitalus s醡iid birra (An Account of the S醡i), Johan Turi wrote about S醡i life and society in his mother tongue, North S醡i. The book defies conventional genres, combining elements of historical essay and life writing, and is grounded in Turi’s own experiences as a reindeer herder and hunter in the area around present-day Giron/Kiruna and Duortnosj醰ri/Lake Tornetr鋝k. Muitalus s醡iid birra is a landmark work of Indigenous literature, rooted in S醡i knowledge systems and bringing together anthropology, folklore, history, and literature.
As part of the exhibition, Kin is organizing, together with V醨dduo—Centre for S醡i Research at Ume University, Tj醠lego醜te S醡i Writers’ Centre, Stockholm University of the Arts, and HDK-Valand—Academy of Art and Design, a series of seminars and webinars in English highlighting the history and cultural history of S醦mi, as well as contemporary S醡i experiences, conditions, and forms of expression. Harald Gaski, associate professor of S醡i literature at the University of Troms, has served as the advisor for the exhibition as well as the series of seminars.
Online lecture programme: September 2026–April 2027
The exhibition coincides with the submission of the final report of the Truth Commission for the S醡i People in Sweden to the Swedish Ministry of Culture on September 30, 2026. Presented by S醡i scholars and cultural practitioners, the series is intended for cultural professionals, researchers, and anyone wishing to deepen their knowledge of Europe’s only recognized Indigenous people. The focus is the history and cultural history of S醦mi, as well as contemporary S醡i experiences, conditions, and forms of expression. The seminars will take place at the partner institutions across Sweden, as well as at H鋑erstens錽en Community Centre in Stockholm, and will be livestreamed. Find the link here. See the full program here.
