Berry-picking culture and conflicts in Finland1

Abstract

The ‘Berry Tours’ art project brought together artists, activists and scholars from the fields of art education, political science and environmental sociology to engage in discussions about berry-picking and the conflict between the berry industry and the rights of foreign berry pickers in Finland. The project was a practical part of art-based action research that aimed to promote the involvement of artists in environmental politics and science communication. Art-based research methods were used to examine berry-picking culture, communicate the reasons for the conflict through installations and spread awareness of the issue. The exhibition received visibility, and artists actively participated in political events and discussions. The findings shed light on activist art and the integration of art into science centres. Challenges related to different practices in naming the author, the heterogeneity of the target group and expectations regarding entertainment and interaction were faced when art was shown in the science centre.