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Roland Persson has been awarded the art prize Ars Fennica.

Roland Persson (b. 1963 in Hudiksvall, Sweden) is known for his painterly, surrealist silicone sculptures, that he casts in molds made from real objects. As an artist he explores the interface between consciousness and the subconscious, between humans and nature, and between the private and the public.

Ars Fennica is a contemporary art prize awarded every two years and one of the largest in the Nordic countries. The 50,000 Euro prize is open to Finnish, Nordic, and Baltic artists. Persson was selected as the winner of the 2025 Ars Fennica art prize by Mami Kataoka, who is the director of the Mori Art Museum and the director of the National Center for Art Research (NCAR) in Tokyo. Kataoka was appointed to the role by the Ars Fennica jury.

The Henna and Pertti Niemistö Art Foundation’s prize committee nominates the candidates, and an international art expert selects the winner from the shortlist. The nominees have often been Finnish, but also from other Nordic and Baltic countries. The prize is given to an artist in recognition of their high-quality and personal artistic work. 

The 2025 Ars Fennica nominees exhibition remains on view at HAM Helsinki Art Museum until May 29.

Read more about the Ars Fennica prize and the nominees exhibition

Read more about Roland Persson

Explore works by Roland Persson on Artsy