Salla Talvikki Nieminen (b. 1988, Finland) is a cross-disciplinary artist working with performance, dance, photography and writing. She has studied contemporary dance in Germany and holds an MA in Visual Cultures, Curating and Contemporary Art from Aalto University and an MA in Finnish Language from the University of Helsinki.
As an artist she is interested in saying as much as possible with as little as possible. Her work often involves minimal aesthetics, simple actions and subtle humour. She creates work that is personal, honest, and tenderly political.
Salla has performed in Finland, Germany and Italy, and her writings have been published in Parnasso and Nuori Voima magazines. She lives, works and bakes in Hämeenlinna, Finland.
Education
2020—2023 MA in Visual Cultures, Curating and Contemporary Art, Aalto University, Finland
2017—2018 PReS (Performance Research Studies), Kassel, Germany
2014—2017 professional education in contemporary dance, SOZO vim, Kassel, Germany
2013—2014 one-year intensive dance program, Västra Nylands Folkhögskola, Karjaa, Finland
2011—2014 MA, major in Finnish Language, University of Helsinki, Finland
2007—2011 BA, major in French Philology, University of Helsinki, Finland
Creating
2025
(upcoming) Kätketty kaupunki, a site-specific dance piece in the form of a walking tour in Hämeenlinna. Concept by Salla Talvikki Nieminen and Tanja Kunnari, dance and choreography by Salla Talvikki Nieminen, Tanja Kunnari & Anna Kupari.
2023
Tämä ei ole tanssiteos / This is not a dance performance, Yö Galleria, Helsinki. Dance and choreography by Salla Talvikki Nieminen.
2022
BLUE, Art Museum of Hämeenlinna, Finland. Dance and choreography by Salla Talvikki Nieminen.
Sanojen muisti / Memory of words, Aletheia fest, Raasepori, Finland. Concept and performance by Salla Talvikki Nieminen.
2021
Lupa/Permission, ANTI Contemporary Art Festival, Kuopio, Finland. Dance and concept by Salla Talvikki Nieminen.
2020
Syli / In my arms, Urbanapa X Ateneum 2020 festival, Helsinki, Finland. Concept and performance by Salla Talvikki Nieminen.
I tread softly because I tread on my dreams, Venice International Performance Art Week, Venice, Italy. Concept and performance by Salla Talvikki Nieminen.
2019
Vapaarytmityö / Free Verse Work, New Performance Turku Festival, Finland. Concept and performance by Salla Talvikki Nieminen.
2018
She said she would buy the flowers herself, Kassel, Germany. Concept by Salla Talvikki Nieminen, performed by Barbara England.
(L)on(e)ly Ones, Kassel, Germany. Concept by Salla Talvikki Nieminen, performed by Hannah Breuker, Huong Tran Thi Tam and Stephanie Schmidt.
2017
ALONE, Kassel. Germany. Concept & performance by Salla Talvikki Nieminen.
Don't stop me now I'm having a good time, Kassel, Germany. Concept & performance by Salla Talvikki Nieminen.
Performing
2024
Don Giovanni, Savonlinna Opera Festival, Finland. Directed by Paul-Emil Fourny.
2023
Impossible Actions, New Performance Turku Biennale, Finland. Concept by Yasen Vasilev.
Tanssikohtaamisia / Dance Encounters, Hämeenlinna, Finland. Concept by Vilja Hynninen and Salla Talvikki Nieminen.
2022
Kun kohdattiin / When We Met, Art Museum of Hämeenlinna, Finland. Choreography by Vilja Hynninen.
2018
l.o.v.e. deconstructed, Kassel, Germany. Concept by Barbara England.
2017
Rhetorics of Polyphony, Kassel, Germany. Choreography by Pavlos Kountouriotis.
2016
Threshold, Kassel, Germany. Choreography by Deborah Smith-Wicke.
Sculpture, Leipzig, Germany. Concept by Claudia Kühn.
Das Kasseler Rad der Zeit, Kassel, Germany. Artistic direction by Petr Manteuffel.
Olen, Kassel, Germany. Choreography by Vilja Hynninen.
Kajo (3:42 am), Kassel, Germany. Choreography by Sini Mantere.
2015
Water Net, Kassel, Germany. Chorepgraphy by Shai Faran.
Logos:orfeo IV – Rückkehr, Kassel, Germany. Artistic direction by Matthieu Götz and Thorsten Teubl.
2014
Es gibt da noch etwas anderes, Karjaa, Finland. Choreography by Maria Nurmela.
Writing
Poems (from the series Minä en ole Virginia). Nuori Voima 3—4/2019.
On yksinäisiä naisia (prose poems). Parnasso 3/2018.
Photography exhibitions & projects
2022 Taskusta versoo suru. Portable mini photography exhibition commissioned by Art Museum of Hämeenlinna.
2022 FRÄULEIN. Solo photography exhibition. City Library of Hämeenlinna, Finland.
2020 Homepage Project. Curated online gallery.
Grants
2024 The Finnish Cultural Foundation, Häme Regional Fund (working grant for 6 months)
2023 The Finnish Cultural Foundation, Häme Regional Fund (working grant for 2 months)
2022 Covid-19 Grant by the Arts Promotion Centre Finland (Taike) (working grant for 2 months)
2021 Covid-19 Grant by the Arts Promotion Centre Finland (Taike) (working grant for 3 months)
Awards
Nuoren Voiman Debytoi runoilijana -kilpailu / Poetry competition by Nuori Voima magazine, shared 1st prize, 2019
J. H. Erkon kilpailu / J. H. Erkko writing competition, 3rd prize, 2018
Residencies
11/2024 Kirjailijatalo, Jyväskylä, Finland
2/2024 Muodonmuutoksia ry, Luopioinen, Finland
1/2024 Villa Sarkia, Sysmä, Finland
10/2023 Haihatus Art Center, Joutsa, Finland
1/2020 Co-Creation Live Factory “Dissenting Bodies – Marking Time”, Venice, Italy
10/2018 Villa Sarkia, Sysmä, Finland
7/2018 Atelier Real, Lisbon, Portugal