Sofia Haapamäki, Jakob Höglund and Maija Kauhanen are Uniarts Helsinki’s Alumni of the Year 2024
The Alum of the Year title is awarded annually to three Uniarts Helsinki graduates who highlight the unique value and role of arts and artist education through their work. The Alumni of the Year 2024 are young creators and professionals who stand out by seeing things differently and discovering new ways and connections in making art.
Each year, Uniarts Helsinki selects three of its graduates as Alumni of the Year, one from each academy. The 2024 Alumni of the Year are young creators who have fearlessly and determinedly followed their own unique paths in the wide field of art, while blurring the boundaries between different forms of expression.
According to the rector of Uniarts Helsinki, Kaarlo Hildén, the purpose of the recognition is to make education in the arts more prominent and to encourage discussions about the impact that Uniarts Helsinki and its alumni have on society.
“This year, the Alumni of the Year represent young creators who stand out by seeing things differently and discovering new ways and connections in the making of art. Uniarts Helsinki provides the highest level of education in music, visual arts, performing arts and writing in Finland, and we want to draw attention to the diverse ways in which art influences our changing society,” Hildén says.
Alumni of the Year 2024
The Academy of Fine Arts’ Alum of the Year is Sofia Haapamäki, who graduated last year with a Master of Fine Arts degree. Haapamäki’s work is based on profound reflections on art, its creation, and the identity of the artist. Haapamäki’s boldness and experimental approach are evident in her way of observing and interpreting the surrounding world through drawing, painting, computer programming, moving image and participatory art. The continuous exploration of new methods and materials is at the core of the emerging artist’s practice.
The Theatre Academy’s Alum of the Year is Jakob Höglund, who graduated in 2007 with a Master of Arts (Theatre and Drama) degree from the Swedish-speaking acting programme. Since then, Höglund has achieved success as a theatre director, known for his distinctive style that combines storytelling with music, movement and visual elements using ensemble theatre methods. Puppetry has become a permanent part of Höglund’s work in recent years, and he is committed to enhancing the recognition and status of the art form in Finland.
The Sibelius Academy’s Alum of the Year is Maija Kauhanen, who graduated with a Master of Music degree from the Folk Music Department in 2015. The versatile sound artist writes and composes her own music, which is a combination of kantele tradition and wild improvisation. In addition to singing and playing the kantele, Kauhanen uses wind chimes, enamel dishes and goat horns as percussion instruments. Visual elements are an important part of Kauhanen’s ever-expanding repertoire, which is evident on stage through impressive costumes and light installations.