Finnish National Gallery opens exhibition exploring women and esotericism

The Finnish National Gallery has officially launched a landmark museum exhibition exploring how female creators across the Nordic region and Sápmi engaged with alternative spiritual currents, the occult, and hidden systems of knowledge.

Titled Arcana Borealis – Northern Women and Esotericism, the exhibition derives its name from Latin terms denoting hidden knowledge and the north. Staged at the Ateneum Art Museum in Helsinki, the expansive project stems from a multi-year international research initiative examining the intersection of modern art and invisible realms from the nineteenth century onward. Organizers held a press preview on Wednesday, 21 October 2026, featuring curated tours led by the exhibition's organizers.

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Historically, mainstream art history has predominantly examined modern art's relationship with esotericism and magic through the lens of prominent male figures. Dr. Marja Lahelma, chief curator at the Ateneum and co-curator of the exhibition, emphasized that the project deliberately shifts attention away from isolated male creators toward female collaboration and communality. According to Dr. Lahelma, the project exposes blind spots in traditional art history by asking who has been excluded from grand narratives.

"For quite a long time art history has been dominated by narratives focusing on male artists and on this notion of the individual genius. Our focus is on women and we also draw attention to this idea of communality and working together"

Dr. Marja Lahelma, Chief Curator at Ateneum Art Museum and co-curator, via Yahoo

Dr. Nina Kokkinen from the University of Turku, who serves as co-curator alongside Dr. Lahelma, noted that initial fears regarding a shortage of eligible creators proved unfounded. Researchers discovered so many northern women artists linked to alternative spiritual currents that curators could not include them all.

"Arcana Borealis shows how the boundaries between art and spirituality, fine art and craft, object and process, individual authorship and collective making begin to blur when viewed through the lens of artist women and esotericism"

Dr. Nina Kokkinen, University of Turku and co-curator, via Yahoo

The showcase features an exceptionally diverse array of materials and techniques. Alongside paintings and works on paper, the galleries display textiles, ceramics, metal engravings, stained glass, and mosaics. Several featured artists incorporated matrilineal traditions, where skills and knowledge pass directly from one woman to another. This includes the Sámi duodji tradition, which merges spirituality, tacit generational knowledge, and deep connections to the natural world.

Several creators represented in the collection reported feeling guided by non-human agencies, including angels, guiding spirits, or forces rooted directly in nature. The exhibition highlights how spirituality often surges during times of crisis and uncertainty, offering individuals a sense of security and lasting values. Curators also noted that the themes explored—such as light, darkness, and mortality—make the installation particularly resonant during seasonal periods dedicated to reflecting on the afterlife.

"This is a perfect exhibition to visit for Halloween, or Kekri as we say in Finnish. Esotericism is about light and darkness. We can explore themes such as death in art through this esoteric theme and sometimes the hidden knowledge, the secret knowledge that esotericism is all about, can be found through exploring darkness rather than light"

Dr. Marja Lahelma, Chief Curator at Ateneum Art Museum and co-curator, via Yahoo

The exhibition features both internationally recognized figures and previously overlooked creators. The roster includes historic and contemporary artists such as Hilma af Klint, Tove Jansson, Tyra Kleen, Anna-Eva Bergman, Anna Cassel, Ilona Harima, Sonja Ferlov Mancoba, Maja Fjaestad, Iria Leino, Outi Pieski, Laila Pullinen, Elga Sesemann, and Ellen Thesleff. Many of these practitioners worked in close knit communities rather than in isolation.

Forthcoming public engagement will be supported by an illustrated exhibition catalogue featuring essays from an international team of researchers, making previously unpublished archival materials publicly accessible for the first time.