IIDA VALMÉ
A BODY MANY HOMES:
from the ground to the earth, we low flying and have travelled far…
Don’t thank for the food
Moving in November“A Body, Many Homes” is a group exhibition consisting of works by seven artists: Iida Valmé, Miki
Nii, kemelo nozipho sehlapelo, Selma Mataich, Shaghayegh Ansari, Victor Miyano, and Vivian
Wong Wing Lam. We are a diverse group of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) art-
ists working across performance, video, sculpture, and installation.This exhibition is part of Antonia Atarrah & working group's performative installation Don’t thank for the food, taking place November 7th & 8th 2025 at Cultural Centre Caisaphoto credits: Meri Björn
Iida Valmé (all pronouns) is a Finnish-Haitian-American queer multidisciplinary artist with an international practice currently based in Helsinki. Love is at the center of their practice. Valmé's existence and expression is a direct homage to their ancestors, a declaration of love to those whose ancestor they will one day be. Their work and creative process draw power from their community, nature, intuition, and the spiritual realm.Currently Valmé studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in the Sculpture Department, where they are focusing on expanding their toolkit for artistic expression. From filmmaking and writing to painting and sculpting, Valmé continues to learn through joy and play.
Photo credits: Helmi Padatsu
Artist Statement:My work is love. My work is play, it is life, it is living, existing. We are whole, embodied, full, infinite beings. Beings that need connection to live. I am a creator of new connections, a highlighter of existing ones, a storyteller.Roots are a central part of why I do the work that I do. Physical roots, memories, moments of interconnectedness. Spiritual roots. Ancestry, ancestors. Love as the fascia that connects roots to trunk to branches to blossom to the pollen that drifts into the unknown. I make art because I love it. I make art because I am love. I make art because I love myself so much that I want to heal myself, the wounds I embody, no matter where they begin. My existence and expression is a direct homage to my ancestors, a declaration of love to those whose ancestor I will one day be.
Contact
email: [email protected]
instagram: @iidavalme
Curriculum Vitae
Iida Valmé
www.iidavalme.com
[email protected]
+358 44 236 4167
Helsinki, Finland, 2026Education
2025- Academy of Fine Arts, MFA
2021-2025 Academy of Fine Arts, BFA
2020-2021 Academy of Moving People and Images, Film Industry professional (Director)
2017-2019 McGill University, Bachelor of Science KinesiologyExhibitions
2026 Group Exhibition, Galleria Pirkko-Liisa Topelius, Helsinki, Finland
2026 Kuvan Kevät 2026, KuvA Tila, Helsinki, Finland
2025 A Body, Many Homes, Cultural Centre Caisa, Helsinki, Finland
2025 Very low-key zodiac show (always in retrograde), RECOVER LABORATORY, Helsinki, Finland
2025 Pearls (performance), Galleria LONGA, Helsinki, Finland
2025 Machines (performance), Kohta Kunsthalle, Helsinki, Finland
2025 Maja, Oulu Museum of Art, Oulu, Finland
2024 UniArts BFA Exhibition, KuvA Tila, Helsinki, Finland
2023 Fabulous, Vapaan Taiteen Tila, Helsinki, Finland
2023 Your body changes everything, Finnish Museum of Photography, Helsinki, FinlandFestivals
2026 URB Festival, Kiasma museum of Contemporary Art, Helsinki, Finland
2024 URB Festival, Cultural Centre Stoa, Helsinki, Finland
2024 Southnord Artfest, Kulturhuset Stadsteatern, Stockholm, Sweden
2022 URB Festival: KAIROS x URB: To be in Perpetual Dawn, Kiasma museum of Contemporary Art, Helsinki, Finland
2022 Love & Anarchy: Helsinki International Film Festival (KAIROS x R&A), Helsinki, FinlandResidencies
2024 Villa Karo, Grand-Popo, Benin
2024 Orkedi Foundation Art Residency, Nanyuki, KenyaProductions
2026 Walk With Me, dance production and installation by Ama Kyei and working group, vocalist
2025 Rosa, short film by Sasha Huber, actor & production assistant
2025 Signaling, video work by Alice Letessier, actor
2025 FUTURE ANCIEN, music video by Emilia Kabalu, actor
2024 Ephemeral Reverie, short film by Edit Williams, actor
2022 The Floor is Lava (Cybersad), collaborative video work by Tiia Kasurinen & Landys Roimola, directed by Viivi Huuska, director’s assistant & production assistant
2021 Serotoniini by Baby Blu, music video, director & producer
2021 Love & Anarchy Trailer, directed by Ima Iduozee, director’s assistant
2021 It Ain’t Nirvana, short film by Imaneh Ameli, actor
2021 When Were You Born, short film by Libbie Katsev, director of photography
2021 Sound, short film by Sanjay Shrestha, sound person
2020 Perhosefekti, album music videos by Yeboyah, production assistant
2019 Black in a White Space, short film, director, scriptwriter, producer, actor
2019 Elovena EP, visual EP by Yeboyah, production assistantPublications
2021 Behind Shut Eyes: QTBIPOC Dream Anthology, Journal Entry: A Written PieceAwards
2026 Excellence award for Becoming Water, Nature Without Borders Film Festival
2022 Best Student Film for Mirage, Conch Shell International Film FestivalGrants
2026 Anita Snellman Foundation grant
2025 Greta och Alfred Runebergs StiftelseOther
2025 Lecturer at Art School Maa, Art & Society course, Helsinki, Finland
2025 Artist assistant for Sasha Huber, January, Helsinki, Finland
Villa KaroGrand-Popo, BeninApril 2024 - July 2024
Orkedi Foundation Artist ResidencyNanyuki, KenyaJanuary 15, 2024 - January 29, 2024
Performance // MACHINES (2025)
Pole performance at KOHTA Gallery
Music: samsara by Sophia Mtiku
Duration: 3 min 6 s
Untitled (Who Gets to Be an Artist?) (2021)
Technique: Single channel experimental video
Duration: 1 min 13 sActor: Angela Emanuel Mugisha
FUTURE ANCIEN (2025)
Created and directed by: Emilia Kabalu
Actors: Ama Kyei, Angela Emanuel Mugisha, Iida Valmé
Styling and MUAH: Emilia Kabalu, Edith Njoroge, Amelie Hawa
Lighting and Cinematography: Derek Okekeani, Sedo Boor
Editor: Emilia Kabalu
Created for @ifadeou ‘s music video
Photo credits: Edith NjorogeSpecial shoutout to Maman Emi and The Ancestors🖤
Performance // MACHINES (2025)
Mirage (2021)
click hyperlink above to view
Iida Valmé – Mirage
In collaboration with Academy of Moving People and ImagesTechnique: Short film
Duration: 7 min 57 sDirected by Iida Valmé
Produced by Iida Valmé and Academy of Moving People and Images
Director of Photography: Sanjay Shrestha
Assistant Directors: Libbie Katsev, Imaneh Ameli
Editor: Iida Valmé
Colourist: Hannu Käki
Music: Benjamin Kolanen, Isa Sinivalo
Audio Engineering / Sound Design: Kirsi Korhonen
Mastering: Ville Kuukka
Stylist: Marié-Grace Iradukunda
Set design: Björk HijoortStarring: Hope Achan, Kevina IgiranezaWith thanks to Hävikkikukkakauppa Kukkis, Wanda Holopainen, Sofia Ilmonen, Swati Goyal
The Ancestors (2024)
Technique: Sculpture
Material: Raw East African clay
Dimensions: two 20 cm x 25 cm clay faces
Juurimatka / Root Voyage (2024)
Technique: Mixed Media Installation, single channel video
Marterial: Beninese Khaya senegalensis mahogany, North Karelian wood (pine), found & readymade objects, canvas
Dimensions: 300 x 300 x 300 cm
Iida Valmé – Becoming WaterTechnique: Two-channel video installation / kaksikanavainen videoinstallaatio
Duration: 16 min 37 sDirector: Iida Valmé
Producers: Iida Valmé and Aero Lee
Directors of Photography: Janne Lievonen & Axel Lievonen
Editor: Iida Valmé
Underwater movement consultant & Safety Diver: Salla Hakanpää
Costume designer: Mirjam Yeboah
Make-up and Hair Artist: Emilia Kabalu
Sound Design: Juuli Haverinen
Color Grade: Hannu Käki
Behind the Scenes Photographer: Helmi Padatsu
Special thanks to: Mami Wata, Amossou Codjo Edoh Eglimazin, Dossa Comlan Togbe Dagbe Diaz, Alodeou Ifáh, Artistes pour Mami Wata de Vodun Days 2026, My FamilyTyötä on tukenut Greta ja Alfred Runebergin säätiö / The work has been supported by Greta och Alfred Runebergs Stiftelse.
Becoming Water at Kuvan Kevät 2026
Masters degree exhibition at UniArts HelsinkiKuva/Tila, Academy of Fine Arts
Picture from Red Room Goes Performance
Galleria LONGA
Pearls (2025)
Pole Performance
Galleria LONGA
Fabulous (2023)
Technique: Single channel video
Duration: 2 min 18 s
