Roos Hermsen
born in 1994 in the Netherlands
living and working in Reila, Finland
artist, curator, writer, editor
founder of Taidetila Muijala
art space & artist residency in Reila, Finland
Current position – ongoing
2023- Artistic director, residency coordinator and host at Taidetila Muijala, art space & artist residency
Education
2018 BFA: Bachelor in Art and Design, department Image & Language. Gerrit Rietveld Academy, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2014 Propedeuse (1st year BA degree) Art History. University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Coordinating & hosting
2025-26 winter writing residencies, coordinating, hosting and supporting 11 international writers in residence
2025 artist residencies: coordinating and hosting 16 international artist in residence
2025 volunteer residencies: coordinating, hosting and guiding 8 volunteering artists in residence
2024-25 winter writing residencies, coordinating, hosting and supporting 11 international writers in residence, program in collaboration with The Temporary Bookshelf
2024 artist residencies, coordinating and hosting 21 international artists in residence
2023 “pilot” artist residencies, coordinating and hosting 12 international artists in residence
Curating
2025 Co-curator of the Rauma Triennale exhibition Enchanting Effort at Taidetila Muijala, participating artists: Matthew Cowan(NZ/DE), Laura Hetemäki (FI), Alan Bulfin (IR/FI), curated together with head curator Sanna Karimäki-Nuutinen and co-curator Serhii Varlamov, collaboration between Rauma Art Museum and Taidetila Muijala
2025 Curator of the group exhibition Soft fascination at Taidetila Muijala, together with curator Kirstin Naomie Broussard, participating artists: Jonghwan Jeong (KR/NL), Sophie Wright (GB), Lilia Kovka (KG/DE), Kristine K. Leopold (DK), Sylvie Zijlmans & Hewald Jongenelis (NL), Ryan Josey (CA), Vlada Predelina (GB/NL), Katrien Simons (NL), Zara Asgher (PK/FI), Laura Hasanen (FI/US), Serhii Varlamov (UA/FI) and Kirstin Naomie Broussard (DE/FI)
2024 Curator of the group exhibition trees, stones, reeds at Taidetila Muijala together with curator Serhii Varlamov, participating artists: Valerie Tee Lee (KR/BE), Anouck Fontaine (CH), Linne Guldemond (NL), Jeffe De Brabandere (BE), Lucy Cordes Engelman (US/NL) & Barbara Rink (NL), Mio Fujimaki (JP/NL) Tereza Kociánová (CZ/IS), Saf Homin (UA), Nikki Selser (NL) and Catelijne Boele (NL)
2023 Curator of the group exhibition Harvest at Taidetila Muijala, participating artists: Niklas Hallman (FI), twentyfivenineteen (Michelle de Vaan & Ilke van Deventer, NL), Mio Fujimaki (JP/ NL), Stijn Pommée (NL), Saf Homin (UA) and Serhii Varlamov (UA)
2022 Curator of the group exhibition Wild life at Taidetila Muijala, participating artists: Ville Kiviniemi (FI), Maija Paunu (FI), Katri Paunu (FI), Päivi Paunu (FI) and Aleksi Systä (FI)
Writing for publication and performance
2025 Foreword for the publication Licking the Moonlight, published by ttbbooks, 2025, Helsinki (FI)+ reading at the book launch at the Art, Craft Fair, Teurastamo, Helsinki
2025 Grassroots dreaming; art, effort and community at Muijala, essay for the Rauma Triennale Enchanting Effort exhibition catalogue, published by Rauma Art Museum, 2025, Rauma (FI)
2021 The time I got, short story & rain rhymes poems for the Sadehuone / the Rain Chamber zine, self-published, presented at the No proper roads exhibition, Malmitalon Galleria, Helsinki
2020 Mouth smith, short story for the Locus Solus zine, own publication presented at the group exhibition Locus Solus, Sepän Talo, Rauma
2020 The lost son, short story for the artist book Rafting down river Ganges by David Noro, presented at gallery Althuis Hofland, Amsterdam (NL)
2018 Bijwerkingen / Side Effects, self-published collection of short stories, available in Dutch and English, presented at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy Graduation Show 2018
2018 selected short stories from the collection Bijwerkingen, for the group publication Het pure spul, self-published by GRA Image & Language department class of 2018, presented during the Gerrit Rietveld Academy Graduation Show 2018.
2017 Hoofd Maal Tijd, libretto for a mini opera, produced and performed at the Opera Forward Festival 2017, the National Opera & Ballet, Amsterdam
2016 Reading from own work at the literary events from the GRA Image and Language department at the Torpedo Theatre, Amsterdam
2016 poems Stubborn swamp & Alligator illustrator for the group publication This fox appears to be especially dead, presented at the ‘Uncut’ Studium Generale Rietveld Academy exhibition, Brakke Grond, Amsterdam
2015 Reading from own literary work at the Stoorzender event, Museumnacht 2015, The Apple Arts Centre, Amsterdam
Producing & organising events
2025 Preview screening of Trees are bystanders (filmed during their residency at Muijala) and artist talk by Sylvie Zijlmans & Hewald Jongenelis (NL) at Taidetila Muijala
2025 Art picnic; 2 family days: interactive creative workshops for all ages, relating to the artworks in the exhibition Soft Fascination at Taidetila Muijala
2025 Muijala goes Rauma Art Museum, pop-up conceptual café, art shop, presentation & artist talks at Rauma Art Museum during the Finnish Visual Arts Day, artist talks by residency artists Hannah de Meyer (BE) and Lau Kaker (BE/FI)
2025 Opening event of the group exhibition Soft fascination at Taidetila Muijala, including curator tour & performance by residency artist Teti Wonder (FR)
2024 Movie evening at Taidetila Muijala, film screenings of works by Muijala’s artist-in-residence: Sylvie Zijlmans & Hewald Jongenelis (NL), Jonghwan Jeong (KR/NL) and Serhii Varlamov (UA)
2024 Discussion on experimental cinema, pop-up event at Rauma Art Museum with Muijala’s residency artists Sylvie Zijlmans & Hewald Jongenelis (NL); movie screening & public discussion
2024 Reilan Koulu visits Taidetila Muijala, program for schoolchildren: interactive sound workshop & guided tour of the exhibition trees, stones, reeds
2024 Curator tours of the group exhibition trees, stones, reeds at Taidetila Muijala, including works by 10 international artists
2024 Opening event of the group exhibition trees, stones, reeds at Taidetila Muijala, with a performance by residency artist Jongwhan Jeong (KR/NL)
2023 Open Doors Day at Taidetila Muijala, including residency artists presentations, film screenings, pop-up art installation an acoustic gig and guided tour of the premises. Artist presentations by Lucy Cordes Engelman (US/NL), Serhii Varlamov and Saf Homin (UA). Acoustic performance by Roosa Saine (FI)
2023 Ukrainian Christmas event: Ukrainian short documentary film screenings & Didukh (traditional Ukrainian Christmas decoration) workshop at Taidetila Muijala. Organised in collaboration with Life Goes On– collective by residency artists Serhii Varlamov and Saf Homin (UA)
2023 Opening event of the group exhibition Harvest at Taidetila Muijala, with performance by LadyBug (Niklas Hallman, FI)
2022 Co-producer Eine Fest, Eine Records’ one-day music festival at Taidetila Muijala with performances by 8 bands, including Kodinrikkojat, Sainen Roosa, Kaiher, Kuumat Hautakivet, Sakari Kaitaniemi band, T.E. Kaarle, Poika ja Ilves and Rakki. Collaboration between Eine records and Taidetila Muijala
Exhibitions (selected)
2022 Turun Taidehalli, Turku (FI). Turun Taiteilijaseuran 98. Vuosinäyttely, group exhibition
2021 Malmitalon Galleria, Helsinki (FI). No proper roads, solo exhibition
2020 Sepän Talo, Rauma (FI). Locus Solus, group exhibition Roos Hermsen, Katri Paunu & Aleksi Systä
2019 Turun Taidehalli, Turku. Turun Taiteilijaseuran 95. Vuosinäyttely, group exhibition
2019 Poriginal Galleria, Pori (FI). Out of order, duo-exhibition Roos Hermsen & Katri Paunu
2019 Sepän Talo, Rauma. Mieli Vaeltaa // The Mind Wanders, group exhibition Roos Hermsen, Aleksi Systä and Enrico Mazzone
2018 Gerrit Rietveld Academy, Amsterdam (NL). Graduation show Gerrit Rietveld Academy 2018
Editing
2025 Licking the Moonlight, publication of works by 10 international writers who participated in the winter writing residency program at Taidetila Muijala, in collaboration with the Temporary Bookshelf, published by ttbbooks, 2025, Helsinki (FI)
2021 Sadehuone / the Rain Chamber, self-published zine, presented at my solo exhibition No proper roads, Malmitalo Galleria, Helsinki
2020 Locus Solus, self-published zine, presented at the group exhibition Locus Solus at Sepän Talo, Rauma, (FI)
Grants
2023 Kone Foundation, working grant for research, preparation and the founding of Taidetila Muijala
Memberships
2022- Taidetila Muijala ry, board member: chairman
2020- Turku Artists’ Association
Other
2025 Supervisor Erasmus + post-graduate intern Karlotta Lainvae (ES) at Taidetila Muijala
2025 Participation in the Art, Craft fair with The Temporary Bookshelf & Taidetila Muijala, including the book launch of the publication Licking the Moonlight; public presentation & readings, at the A, C Fair, Teurastamo, Helsinki
2025 Curator tours of the Rauma Triennale at Taidetila Muijala, together with main curator Sanna Karimäki Nuutinen and co-curator Serhii Varlamov, collaboration between Rauma Art Museum and Taidetila Muijala
2025 Organising and co-running pop-up summer café and art shop at Taidetila Muijala
2024-’25 Organising and hosting peer-reading sessions during the winter writing residency program at Taidetila Muijala, in collaboration with the Temporary Bookshelf
2024 Participated (acting) in the film project Trees Are Bystanders by artists Sylvie Zijlmans & Hewald Jongenelis (NL)
2024 Attended the FAIRE (Finnish Artist Residency Network) networking meeting at Saari Residence, Mynämaki
2024 Presented Taidetila Muijala during their Afternoon Coffee residency gathering at HIAP, Helsinki
2021- Founder of Taidetila Muijala, art space & artist residency, located in Reila, southwest Finland
2020- Paintings available at the Turun Taidelainaamo, Turku (FI)
2017 Artist residency at van Doesburghuis, Meudon (FR). group residency with the Gerrit Rietveld Academy Image & Language department
Language skills
Native language: Dutch
Other language skills (self-assessed):
English: C2
Finnish: B1
German: A2
Contact
website: rooshermsen.com
e-mail: rooshermsen@hotmail.com
Taidetila Muijala art space and artist residency
website: artspacemuijala.com
instagram: @muijala.art.space
e-mail: artspacemuijala@gmail.com
Roos Hermsen 