Kiira Miesmaa has been chosen as the director of the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma
Photo: Finnish National Gallery/ Susanna Kesänen
The board of the Finnish National Gallery has selected KIIRA MIESMAA as the next director of the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma for a five-year term starting from June 1, 2024.
Kiira Miesmaa has worked in leadership positions in various organizations in the art sector, both in the public and private sectors. At Galerie Forsblom, she has been responsible for the operational management of the gallery. While the gallery operated in Stockholm, she handled the strategic management of both galleries in collaboration with the gallery owner. Miesmaa has consistently contributed to the internationalization of Finnish art, with the gallery participating in contemporary art fairs worldwide. She has been a member of the HIAP board since 2019.
“Kiira Miesmaa has excellent qualifications to lead Kiasma and the Finnish National Gallery forward in the next five-year period. Miesmaa’s expertise complements the Finnish National Gallery’s management team in a positive way,” says the chairman of the board Matti Vanhanen.
The Finnish National Gallery initiated the search for directors for Ateneum and Kiasma simultaneously in June 2023. Anna-Maria von Bonsdorff was selected as the director of Ateneum in early November, commencing her duties on January 1, 2024. Both museum directors are part of the National Gallery’s management team and collaborate with the CEO and other department heads to develop the National Gallery’s activities.
Miesmaa will succeed the current director of Kiasma, Leevi Haapala, whose second term in office concludes on May 31, 2024.
“Haapala has done excellent work as the director of Kiasma. He has navigated Kiasma through a challenging period with the pandemic and a major renovation. During his tenure, Kiasma has hosted, among other things, two major international ARS exhibitions and exhibitions of significant Finnish artists such as Markus Copper and Tom of Finland, not to mention numerous international names,” acknowledges Kimmo Levä, the General Director of the National Gallery.
Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma
Mannerheiminaukio 2, 00100 Helsinki
