Untamed 90s – Finnish Photographic Art in the 1990s

In the 1990s, Finnish photographic art was more diverse than ever before in terms of expression, themes and authors. Young photographers challenged the modernist notion of photography as separate from other arts. The term postmodernism, often associated with the experimental art of the decade, was more of a rebellious attitude than a coherent stylistic direction. Refined black-and-white prints were thus accompanied by colourful, bold and inventive expression that exploited the potential of photography in new ways. The Untamed 90s exhibition focuses on this photographic art, which was characteristic of the 1990s and opened up in countless directions. In addition to various material experiments, photographic art reflected phenomena that defined the decade, such as globalisation, popular culture, critique of the consumer society, postmodern irony, climate change and the rise of digital technology. Feminist critique intensified and the long struggle of women for a more equal art world and society was reflected not only in the diversification of the artistic community, but also in the proliferation of art that dealt with identities, everyday life and questions of bodies. Many of the themes discussed in the 1990s have not lost their relevance to this day. More ambitious and theory-based training for photographers, high-quality exhibitions organised by regional photo centres and export projects for Finnish photography led to rapid internationalisation. All of the works in the Untamed 90s exhibition are part of the collections of the Finnish Museum of Photography. The 1990s are exceptionally well represented in the collections and the exhibition consists of 90 works by 48 artists. The exhibition is not only a story of Finnish photography in the 1990s, but also a window into the museum's collection work and the power it wields.