Invisible Race

Cultural and political discussions about race often exclude the norm of whiteness, because people who are considered white think that discussions about race do not concern them. The group exhibition Invisible Race, organized by the Finnish Museum of Photography, examines the norm of whiteness and its relationship to photography from different perspectives, focusing in particular on issues of history, visual culture, ideals of beauty and nationalism.

Photography has been a key tool in the construction and maintenance of our racist society throughout history. Photography has been used to create a general image of what it is to be human – through the experiences of white people. At the same time, photography has been one of the most important art and media tools through which the bodies, experiences and existence of Black and Brown people, as well as indigenous people, have been reified and subjugated.

The exhibition opens up the museum’s own relationship to the norm of whiteness by critically examining, among other things, the museum’s collection. In addition to images dealing with whiteness, the exhibition will feature works by both Finnish and international artists that discuss Blackness and other non-white experiences. An extensive event program will be produced around the exhibition and the themes, continuing to explore the themes with different audiences and partners.