Photo: Courtesy of the artists and Helsinki Contemporary
On show at Helsinki Contemporary: Kosen Ohtsubo & Tuomas A. Laitinen: Mitate 見立て
On now · until Sun, 22 Nov 2026 at Helsinki Contemporary, Helsinki
About this event
You have until Sunday, 22 November 2026 to see the exhibition Kosen Ohtsubo & Tuomas A. Laitinen: Mitate 見立て at Helsinki Contemporary; 17 dates are left. Admission costs nothing.
The exhibition features collaborative works by Tuomas A. Laitinen and Japanese ikebana legend Kosen Ohtsubo, as well as Laitinen's glass sculptures.
Tuomas A. Laitinen is a contemporary artist whose multidisciplinary practice spans moving image, sound and glass. For many years, he has researched subjects such as octopus consciousness and these creatures’ remarkable capacity for adaptation.
In this exhibition, glass sculptures from Laitinen’s series Proposal for an Octopus enter into dialogue with experimental floral arrangements by Kosen Ohtsubo, a world-renowned innovator in the art of ikebana.
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Over more than six decades, Ohtsubo has pursued his practice in Japan and internationally, while also establishing himself as a dedicated teacher of ikebana traditions and techniques.
The exhibition’s title refers to a traditional Japanese aesthetic concept of mitate that can be translated as “likening something to something else”. In a Japanese garden, for instance, rocks might be arranged to evoke mountains.
The exhibition embodies the two artists’ shared approach to interpreting the world through art: it is an invitation to look at familiar things from a new perspective and discover connections where none were previously apparent.
Helsinki Contemporary
30.10.-22.11.2026
Wed-Fri 12.00-18.00
Sat-Sun 12.00-16.00
Free entry
Event details
- Date
- Saturday 31 October – Sunday 22 November 2026
- Time
- 12:00 local time
- Venue
- Helsinki Contemporary
- Address
- Bulevardi 10, 00120, Helsinki, Finland
- Price
- Free
- Category
- Exhibitions · Fine art
- Organiser
- Helsinki Contemporary
Upcoming dates (17)
- Sat, 31 Oct 202612:00
- Sun, 1 Nov 202612:00
- Wed, 4 Nov 202612:00
- Thu, 5 Nov 202612:00
- Fri, 6 Nov 202612:00
- Sat, 7 Nov 202612:00
- Sun, 8 Nov 202612:00
- Wed, 11 Nov 202612:00
- Thu, 12 Nov 202612:00
- Fri, 13 Nov 202612:00
- Sat, 14 Nov 202612:00
- Sun, 15 Nov 202612:00
- Wed, 18 Nov 202612:00
- Thu, 19 Nov 202612:00
- Fri, 20 Nov 202612:00
- Sat, 21 Nov 202612:00
- Sun, 22 Nov 202612:00
Venue & getting there
Helsinki Contemporary
Bulevardi 10, 00120, Helsinki
How to get to Helsinki Contemporary
- RautatieasemaTrain540 m
7 min walk - Metro RautatientoriMetro / subway560 m
7 min walk - Kamppi metro stationMetro / subway630 m
8 min walk
Parking
4 car parks within walking distance, the closest 150 m away.
Hotels near Helsinki Contemporary
- Hostel and Apartment Diana Park80 mCheck prices
- Klaus K Hotel120 mCheck prices
- Stiftelsen Blomsterfonden I Helsingfors140 mCheck prices
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Your visit to Helsinki Contemporary
- Date
- Saturday 31 October – Sunday 22 November 2026
- Starts
- 12:00
- Getting there
- Rautatieasema (train), 540 m – about 7 min on foot
- Parking
- 4 car parks within walking distance, the closest 150 m away
- Staying nearby
- 9 hotels within walking distance; the closest is Hostel and Apartment Diana Park (80 m)
Good to know
When is the exhibition “Kosen Ohtsubo & Tuomas A. Laitinen: Mitate 見立て”?
The exhibition Kosen Ohtsubo & Tuomas A. Laitinen: Mitate 見立て is on now and runs until Sunday, 22 November 2026, with 17 dates still to come.
Where is the exhibition “Kosen Ohtsubo & Tuomas A. Laitinen: Mitate 見立て” held?
Venue: Helsinki Contemporary, Bulevardi 10, 00120, Helsinki, Finland.
How much are tickets for the exhibition “Kosen Ohtsubo & Tuomas A. Laitinen: Mitate 見立て”?
Entry is free. Some free events still require registration, so check the organiser's page before you go.
How do I get to Helsinki Contemporary by public transport?
The closest stop is Rautatieasema (train), 540 m from Helsinki Contemporary – roughly 7 minutes on foot.
Can I park near Helsinki Contemporary?
There are 4 car parks within walking distance; the nearest is 150 m away.
