EMPATHY ARTIST

I am the world’s first Empathy Artist. My vision is to transform empathy from an individual feeling to a radical and collective power to fight the growing global empathy deficit. Through installations and public interventions, collaborative projects, environments and tools I strive to bridge the growing divides in our society, both between humans, and humans and other species. 

My multidisciplinary and research-based practice investigates the interconnectedness of empathy, culture, systems and space. At the core of my work are sculptural and spatial artworks that imagine new environments for connection, invite interaction and create intimate moments with oneself, others, and our natural environment. The Election Artist-project extends my ongoing body of work and research examining the relationship between empathy and power, work which began with a collaboration with the Parliament of Finland in 2018-19 (Empatia Ele: empathy tools for politics).

My work has been presented at the Finnish Forest Museum Lusto (2024-34), Tate Liverpool (2022), Royal Geographical Society (2022), Puistokatu 4 (2022), Kettle’s Yard (2021), The Design Museum (2021), Somerset House (2021), The Nunnery Gallery (2021), and The Philadelphia Museum of Art (2019-20) to name a few. In 2021 I represented Finland at the London Design Biennale 2021 with the Empathy Echo Chamber installation, inviting over 1,000 visitors to share an intimate moment with a stranger.

I am a graduate of the Royal College of Art, Imperial College London, and the University of Oxford. Born and raised in Finland, I run my international studio from London. See more of my work on my website: www.ennikukka.com