Pop up: Sankarien kohtaaminen

Jouko Lehtola & Young Heroes Sales Exhibition
Pop-up Gallery, 15–16 June 2026

Open both days from 11 am to 7 pm
Opening reception on Monday 15 June at 5 pm — welcome!

The Jouko Lehtola Foundation and Galleria Halmetoja are jointly organising a unique two-day pop-up photography sales exhibition, with all proceeds directed towards supporting and sustaining young Finnish photographic art. The exhibition brings together, for the first time, the late master of photographic art Jouko Lehtola and the new generation of Young Heroes: Veera Konsti, Joel Karppanen and Antti Sepponen. The exhibition is curated by museum director emerita Elina Heikka.

The sales exhibition is a rare and highly anticipated opportunity to acquire an iconic photographic work by Jouko Lehtola. On display is a curated selection of photographs spanning his entire career, some of them printed by Jouko himself. His works have been widely exhibited in numerous solo and group exhibitions both in Finland and internationally. His photographic works are included in several Finnish and international collections, including Moderna Museet, Deutsche Bank, and Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma.

The exhibition also features works for sale by the Young Heroes award recipients Veera Konsti, Joel Karppanen and Antti Sepponen.

“Pop-up brings together for the first time the strong and distinctive voices of the Young Heroes award recipients alongside Jouko’s classics. It is a joy to see how the works of these four photographers resonate with one another,” says curator Elina Heikka.

Every other year, the foundation awards the Young Hero monetary prize. The prize is granted to a promising young photographer who is a bold and original creator, and who makes images not only on commission, but out of a genuine passion for photography. All proceeds from the sale of Jouko Lehtola’s works at the event will be directed towards the Young Hero 2027 prize and the support and preservation of young Finnish photographic art.

The mission of the Jouko Lehtola Foundation is to support young artists working in documentary photography, preserve the legacy of the beloved late photographer Jouko Lehtola, and strengthen the sense of community within the Finnish photographic art field. The foundation organises and contributes to exhibitions and produces publications.

The exhibition catalogue is available at Galleria Halmetoja and upon request.

Refreshments by Olarin Panimo.