Four artists were chosen for ARToulu art area through the international open call
Over a 150 applications from over twenty countires were submitted through the international open call. The four artists that were chosen are Carl-Fredrik Emrik (Sweden), Julijonas Urbonas (Lithuania), Chili Seitz (Germany) and Isaac Cordal (Spain).
The chosen artworks expand the concept of what public art in urban spaces can be. The curators Anna Ruth, Satu Oksanen and Leevi Lehtinen paid attention to how the artworks relate to the surrounding nature and space and what new elements they add to ensemble of pieces that were selected in the first open call. Thirteen artists in total are now chosen throough the past open calls to complete works for ARToulu art area. The art area will open for public in June 2026.
Julijonas Urbonas will install his piece ”Lawn Centrifuge” to the public park in Lohipadonniemi near the city center in Oulu. “Lawn Centrifuge” is a fusion of kinetic earth art, astrobotanical machinery, and a green amusement park ride. The installation invites viewers to contemplate on the intricacies of space gardening and the ever-shifting ground beneath our very feet. Urbonas is an artist, designer, researcher, engineer, founder of Lithuanian Space Agency and associate professor at Vilnius Academy of Arts. He currently lives and works in Vilnius.
Isaac Coordal will bring his nomadic installation ” Cement eclipses” to Oulu. The installation consists of ephemeral and permanent urban interventions built with small figurative sculptures that reflect on modern society. The sculptures depict a heterogenous mix of characters who are surviving in the daily pressures of city life. Cordal works with sculpture, installations and photography in public and exhibition spaces. Cordaals sculptures have been shown in cities around the world such as Brussels, Berlin, New York, Taiwan and Montreal. He currently lives in Bilbao.
German artist Chili Seitz is producing her on-going public art project ”Wind & Weather” for ARToulu. The artwork consists of flags depicting the sky and clouds in different weather conditions. The locations of the wandering installation are always places with expansive views. These flags don’t exclude anyone; quite the opposite, because the everydayness of the sight marks everyone as a citizen of the world. The flags can be seen througout the art area during the summer months of 2026.
Carl-Fredrik Emrik will produce for ARToulu a sculpture that is a brick-built figure, an abstracted creature that stands as a guardian of its surroundings and a silent observer of both nature and people. Standing in the public space, the work emphasizes accessibility and openness, belonging to everyone who passes by. Carl Fredrik Emrik is a Malmö-based artist with a background in architecture from The Royal Danish Academy in Copenhagen. His practice explores how sculptures and objects occupy and transform space, often through installations that investigate rhythm, repetition, and balance.
The ARToulu art area is part of the European Capital of Culture 2026 programme. The Oulu Artists Association’s Exploring ART project is financed by the Oulu Cultural Foundation, the Ministry of Education and Culture as well as the Oulu Artists Association.
