Jani-Matti Salo (b. 1984) is a multidisciplinary artist based in Helsinki, Finland. He works extensively in new media art, public space, and scenography with a specific interest in collective practices, dramaturgy, and sharing authorship with the non-human. Salo has graduated from the University of the Arts Helsinki (MA, 2015) and the Tampere University of Applied Sciences, School of Art and Media (BA, 2009). Since 2015, Salo has worked with Mark Niskanen as part of the artist duo Niskanen & Salo. Niskanen & Salo's works have been exhibited at the HAM Helsinki Art Museum, Helsinki Biennale, Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma, Forum Box Gallery, Helsinki Festival, and in the United States at Mana Contemporary, Grand Rapids Art Museum, and Brooklyn Bridge Park. Salo has also worked as a lighting, video, set, and spatial designer in several contemporary performances that have been presented in more than 25 countries. He has been awarded the Säde Award for Lighting Design twice and has received multiple international recognitions for his work.
EDUCATION
2015 – University of the Arts Helsinki, Department of Lighting and Sound Design, MA
2009 – Tampere University of Applied Sciences, School of Art and Media, BA
EXHIBITIONS
2026 – EMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern Art | Espoo, Finland (group exhibition, upcoming)
2024 – Sports Hall Window | Helsinki, Finland* (solo exhibition)
2024 – Enter Woodland Spirits, European Capital of Culture Tartu 2024 | Tartu, Estonia* (group exhibition)
2023 – Porin Juhlaviikot, Galleria 3H+K | Pori, Finland* (group exhibition)
2023 – Grin Cupola | Iowa, USA* (group exhibition) (solo exhibition)
2022 – Teater Viirus, Amphitheatre | Helsinki, Finland* (solo exhibition)
2021 – Helsinki Biennial, HAM Helsinki Art Museum | Vallisaari, Finland* (group exhibition)
2021 – Forum Box | Helsinki, Finland* (solo exhibition)
2020 – Brooklyn Bridge Park, The FCINY | New York City, USA* (solo exhibition)
2020 – Poriginal Gallery, Pori Art Museum | Pori, Finland* (solo exhibition)
2018 – Miami Art Week, Mana Contemporary | Miami, USA* (group exhibition)
2018 – HAM Corner, HAM Helsinki Art Museum | Helsinki, Finland* (solo exhibition)
2018 – Grand Rapids Art Museum | Grand Rapids, USA* (group exhibition)
2018 – Helsinki Festival | Helsinki, Finland* (solo exhibition)
2018 – Art Quarter Budapest | Budapest, Hungary* (group exhibition)
2018 – Mana Contemporary | Jersey City, USA* (group exhibition)
2018 – Casa Gallery | New York City, USA* (solo exhibition)
2017 – Alt-ARS17, Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma | Helsinki, Finland* (group exhibition)
2017 – URB Festival, Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma | Helsinki, Finland* (solo exhibition)
2017 – Miami Art Week, Mana Contemporary | Miami, USA (group exhibition)
2017 – Hangö Teaterträff | Hanko, Finland* (group exhibition)
2016 – Mana BSMT, Mana Contemporary | Jersey City, USA* (group exhibition)
2016 – Mana Contemporary | Chicago, USA* (solo exhibition)
2015 – Prague Quadrennial | Prague, Czech Republic (group exhibition)
2014 – MUU Gallery | Helsinki, Finland (group exhibition)
2013 – Lux Helsinki, Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma | Helsinki, Finland (group exhibition)
2012 – Naked Kiasma, Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma | Helsinki, Finland (solo exhibition)
DESIGNS FOR PERFORMANCES AND EXHIBITIONS
2026 – Architecture and Design Museum Helsinki | Helsinki, Finland (upcoming)
2025 – Teatteri Takomo | Helsinki, Finland
2025 – Architecture and Design Museum Helsinki | Helsinki, Finland
2025 – The National Library of Finland | Helsinki, Finland
2023 – Himmelblau Gallery | Tampere, Finland
2023 – & Espoo Theatre | Espoo, Finland
2023 – EMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern Art | Espoo, Finland
2023 – Ateneum | Helsinki, Finland
2021 – Teater Viirus | Helsinki, Finland
2019 – The Finnish National Theatre | Helsinki, Finland
2019 – Theatre Academy | Helsinki, Finland
2018 – Q-teatteri | Helsinki, Finland*
2018 – Teater Viirus | Helsinki, Finland*
2017 – Savoy Theatre | Helsinki, Finland
2017 – Kiasma Theatre, Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma | Helsinki, Finland
2017 – SIC Gallery | Helsinki, Finland*
2017 – Dansens Hus | Stockholm, Sweden
2017 – Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma | Helsinki, Finland
2017 – Zodiak - Center for New Dance | Helsinki, Finland
2016 – Zodiak - Center for New Dance | Helsinki, Finland
2016 – Kiasma Theatre, Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma | Helsinki, Finland
2016 – Q-teatteri | Helsinki, Finland
2016 – Full Moon Dance Festival | Pyhäjärvi, Finland
2015 – Baltic Circle, Tiivistämö | Helsinki, Finland
2015 – Kulturhuset Stadsteatern | Stockholm, Sweden
2015 – Kiasma Theatre, Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma | Helsinki, Finland
2015 – Teatteri Takomo | Helsinki, Finland
2015 – Théâtre de L'Archipel | Perpignan, France
2014 – The Helsinki Music Centre | Helsinki, Finland
2014 – Baltic Circle, Teatteri Toivo | Helsinki, Finland
2014 – Q-teatteri | Helsinki, Finland
2014 – Helsinki Festival, Pannuhalli | Helsinki, Finland
2014 – Zodiak - Center for New Dance | Helsinki, Finland
2014 – The Finnish National Theatre | Helsinki, Finland
2014 – Teatteri Takomo | Helsinki, Finland
2013 – Kajaani City Theatre | Kajaani, Finland
2013 – Kiasma Theatre, Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma | Helsinki, Finland
2013 – Stoa | Helsinki, Finland
2013 – Ateneum | Helsinki, Finland
2012 – Teatteri Takomo | Helsinki, Finland
2012 – Baltic Circle, Tiivistämö | Helsinki, Finland
2012 – Helsinki Festival, Sellosali | Espoo, Finland
2012 – Stoa | Helsinki, Finland
2012 – Heureka Science Center | Vantaa, Finland
2012 – Kiasma Theatre, Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma | Helsinki, Finland
2012 – Zodiak - Center for New Dance | Helsinki, Finland
2011 – Theatre Academy | Helsinki, Finland
2011 – Stoa | Helsinki, Finland
2011 – Teatteri Takomo | Helsinki, Finland
2010 – Kiasma Theatre, Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma | Helsinki, Finland
2010 – The Finnish National Opera | Helsinki, Finland
2009 – Espa Stage | Helsinki, Finland
2009 – Kiasma Theatre, Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma | Helsinki, Finland
2008 – Stoa | Helsinki, Finland
2008 – Kiasma Theatre, Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma | Helsinki, Finland
2008 – Dansens Hus | Stockholm, Sweden
2007 – Stoa | Helsinki, Finland
2007 – Kiasma Theatre, Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma | Helsinki, Finland
Credits and photos
Performances on tour
PUBLIC ARTWORKS
2021 – A Scene II | Kaivopuisto, Helsinki, Finland*
2019 – Ohikulkijalle | Baana, Helsinki, Finland*
WORKS IN COLLECTIONS
HAM Helsinki Art Museum*
Mana Contemporary*
SCREENINGS, ONLINE EXHIBITIONS
2023 – Site:Brooklyn Gallery | New York City, USA*
2023 – Joensuun kirjallisuustapahtuma | Joensuu, Finland*
2023 – Pebbles Underground | Toronto, Canada*
2022 – Forum Box Market, Gallery Forum Box | Helsinki, Finland*
2021 – Uncommon Senses III, Concordia University | Montreal, Canada*
2020 – Gender Studies Conference, Tampere University | Tampere, Finland*
2020 – Split Video Art Festival, Sveučilišna galerija Vasko Lipovac | Split, Croatia*
2020 – Online Program, Mana Contemporary | Jersey City, USA*
2020 – Urban-Related Sensoria, University of Eastern Finland | Joensuu, Finland*
RESIDENCIES
2019 – 1-year studio residency, Mana Contemporary | Jersey City, USA*
2018 – 2-month studio residency, Mana Contemporary | Jersey City, USA*
AWARDS
2023 – Säde Award: Nomination for Best Video Design of the Year in Finland (with WAUHAUS)
2018 – Säde Award: Best Lighting Design of the Year in Finland*
2018 – Art Prize: Nomination for Juried Grand Prize & Time-Based Category Prize*
2015 – Prague Quadrennial Award: Gold Medal for the use of Media in Performance Design
2015 – Prague Quadrennial Award: Nomination for the Golden Triga for Best Exposition
2014 – Säde Award: Best Lighting Design of the Year in Finland
2013 – Säde Award: Nomination for Best Lighting Design of the Year in Finland
2012 – Säde Award: Nomination for Best Lighting Design of the Year in Finland
2012 – Säde Award: Nomination for Best Lighting Design of the Year in Finland
2010 – Säde Award: Nomination for Best Lighting Design of the Year in Finland
GRANTS
Arts Promotion Centre Finland (Taike)
AVEK – The Promotion Center for Audiovisual Culture*
Finnish Cultural Foundation
Finnish Cultural Foundation, The Satakunta Regional Fund*
Finnish Cultural Foundation, The Uusimaa Regional Fund*
Frame Contemporary Art Finland*
Frey Foundation*
Kone Foundation
The Greta and William Lehtinen Foundation*
PUBLICATIONS
Reorientations: Steps Towards More Ecosocially Sustainable New Media Art and Contemporary Performance Lighting Design
Theatre Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki
Publication Series of the Theatre Academy 81
ISBN: 978-952-353-086-7
ISSN: 2242-6507
INTERVIEWS, ARTICLES, AND REVIEWS
MEMBER OF
Forum Box
MANAGEMENT
* = Niskanen & Salo