Piia Rantala-Korhonen reflected on technology, nature and Cultural Climate Change at the opening of INTER-FACE:ing LuxuryLogico. Curated by Shuchen Wang, the Taiwanese art exhibition is on view at AaltoSiilo until 25 October.
At the opening of INTER-FACE:ing LuxuryLogico at AaltoSiilo, Oulu Culture Foundation CEO Piia Rantala-Korhonen reflected on the connections between Taiwan and Finland and the role of art in a time of technological transformation.
INTER-FACE:ing LuxuryLogico, a contemporary art exhibition conceived and curated by Shuchen Wang, opened at AaltoSiilo on 15 October as part of the Oulu2026 European Capital of Culture programme. Featuring three physical installations and three immersive virtual-reality experiences by Taiwanese artist collective LuxuryLogico, the exhibition explores the evolving relationships between technology, nature and human perception.
Speaking at the opening, Piia Rantala-Korhonen, CEO of the Oulu Culture Foundation, highlighted the exhibition’s relevance at a time when artificial intelligence is driving increasing demand for energy, computing capacity and physical infrastructure.
Technological progress raises questions about nature’s future
Rantala-Korhonen connected the exhibition’s themes to ongoing discussions about the environmental consequences of technological development in the Oulu region. She referred to Google’s planned data centre in Muhos and the questions it has raised about the use of natural resources.
In her speech, she emphasised the importance of exhibitions that encourage reflection on where the boundary lies between positive development and the exploitation of natural resources.
LuxuryLogico’s works approach these questions through sensory experiences involving movement, light, sound and digital environments. Rather than offering definitive answers, they invite visitors to reconsider their relationships with technology and the natural world.
A historical dialogue between Taiwan and Finland
Rantala-Korhonen also reflected on historical parallels between Finland and Taiwan, observing that both have lived in the shadow of powerful neighbouring states.
She recommended Taiwanese writer Yang Shuang-zi’s novel Taiwan Travelogue, in which the pressures of colonialism shape human relationships.
Exhibition curator Shuchen Wang approaches the encounter between Taiwan and Finland with this exhibition project through the concept of techno-ecological interface. Here, an interface is not simply a screen or technological device, but can also be a body, a building or a space where different environments, histories and cultures meet.
Created specifically for AaltoSiilo, the new work The Past Is a Foreign Country revisits northern Finland’s forests, tar production and industrial history. Its sonic dimension includes contributions from Sontag Shogun and Finnish musician Lau Nau.
Art as a catalyst for Cultural Climate Change
The central theme of Oulu2026 is Cultural Climate Change. Rantala-Korhonen described LuxuryLogico’s practice as bringing art, science and technology together in works that raise questions while leaving room for each visitor’s interpretation.
She compared the changes brought about by cultural experiences to the changing seasons: sometimes gradual, like spring becoming summer, and sometimes sudden, like the first snowfall arriving overnight.
During her opening remarks, Rantala-Korhonen also thanked AaltoSiilo, Factum Foundation and the Ministry of Culture, Taiwan, for their contributions to the exhibition.
INTER-FACE:ing LuxuryLogico remains open at AaltoSiilo until 25 October. The exhibition concludes on Sunday 25 October with a public finissage at 14:00, featuring a live artistic response to LuxuryLogico’s works by Oulu-based TaikaBox and Jussi Alaraasakka.
Exhibition information
Exhibition: INTER-FACE:ing LuxuryLogico
Dates:15–25 October 2026
Venue:AaltoSiilo, Paalikatu 21, Oulu, Finland
Admission:Free
Finissage:Sunday 25 October, 14:00
Further information:https://aaltosiilo.com/en/Event/38
INTER-FACE:ing LuxuryLogico is presented in collaboration with AaltoSiilo Ry and Factum Foundation as part of the official Oulu2026 European Capital of Culture programme, with support from the Ministry of Culture, Taiwan (T-Content Plan).
