The Being Black – Afro Finns’ Experiences exhibition examines Helsinki from the point of view of Afro-Finnish and Black young people. The cultures of minorities are intertwined with mainstream culture in many ways. Awareness of one’s own history and family traditions is a resource that carries from generation to generation. The exhibition provides food for thought on diversity, minorities, Afro Finns, identities, traditions and recording one’s own history. The City Museum also wants to encourage all people in Helsinki to see diversity as part of the City's rich culture.
The central themes of the exhibition include family relationships and friendships, beauty ideals, identity and activism as well as the challenges posed by studies, employment and mainstream culture, such as feeling like an outsider and facing racism. The exhibition features an extensive selection of snippets of Afro-Finnishness and stories of significant Afro Finns. The City Museum will host e.g. a hair salon offering visitors the opportunity to examine the diversity of afro hair and hairstyles. A large selection of photographs depicting the daily lives of Afro Finns from decades past to this day will also be exhibited in the museum.
The exhibition is historic, because Afro-Finnishness has never before been presented at this scale in Helsinki. The exhibition has been created in collaboration with Afro-Finnish young adults, and it encourages Afro Finns to identify their own distinctive cultural heritage and cherish it. I hope that the exhibition strengthens identity and the feeling of togetherness among young Afro Finns.
In the exhibition, Finns with roots in sub-Saharan Africa and Finns who identify with the African diaspora in a wider sense are referred to as Afro Finns. Not everyone defined this way feel that they are Afro-Finnish, and black people and people with African origins living in Finland do not have one common identity, history or culture. How should Afro-Finnishness then be recorded for posterity? This question will be examined at the City Museum as of 22 April.
Exhibition events organised by the Helsinki City Museum and cooperation partners: helsinginkaupunginmuseo.fi/events(Link leads to external service)
Being Black – Afro Finns’ Experiences
22 April–24 September 2023
Helsinki City Museum, 4th floor (Aleksanterinkatu 16)
Open: Mon–Fri 11.00–19.00, Sat–Sun 11.00–17.00
Always free entry
helsinginkaupunginmuseo.fi/en(Link leads to external service)