Mari Keski-Korsu

Mari Keski-Korsu is a post-disciplinary researcher and artist who explores micro-level manifestations of the ecological polycrisis. Her research and art practice involve intuitive interspecies communication, hydrobodily care and walking methodology to acknowledge relationality in ecosystems as sentient ecologies. She is a doctoral researcher to study towards Doctor of Arts degree (expected 2024) in Aalto University’s School of Arts, Design and Architecture, Department of Art and Media and in RAT research group. Her research focuses on multispecies/more-than-human ritualisations in change in the (sub)Arctic and she is an artist member in interdisciplinary research group working in Abisko Scientific Research Station in Access Abisko program (2022 – 2024) by Swedish Polar Research Secretariat.

The medium of expression for the more-than-human collaborations is a hybrid combination of participatory performance, visual and live art. They have been exhibited internationally for the past 25 years in festivals, outskirts, galleries and museums such as Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art, ANTI Festival, neue Gesellschaft für bildende Kunst (nGbK) and Glasgow Centre for Contemporary Art to name a few. Notable residency programmes are for instance Frontiers in Retreat, Saari Invited Artist Programme, Northern Network for Performing Arts and More-than-Planet. Mari has been collaborating with Bioart Society for over a decade and worked as an artistic director for Pixelache festival. She holds a MA from University of Arts and Design Helsinki (Medialab)  and BA in visual arts from Polytechnic of Western Lapland. She is a specialist in Baltic Finnic steam bathing ceremonies and teaches traditional sauna healing practices.