Break Room

HAM Gallery, Helsinki Art Museum, 2025

What do everyday spaces tell us about the changing work life, the way people are perceived in various workplaces, and how employees’ needs are addressed?

The exhibition Break Room was on view at HAM Gallery, Helsinki Art Museum, 21.3.-4.5.2025, consisting of a documentary short film, a site specific installation and a riso printed text publication.

The documentary short film Room for a Break (2025, duration 27 min) depicts breaks in a think tank, construction site container, museum, and midwife break room, among others. In the video, a break expands into a question of space and time: who can take a break in today’s work life, in what kind of settings are breaks taken, and who decides on breaks? 

Created in collaboration with artist and architect Liisa Ryynänen, the installation brings a piece of an open-plan office into the exhibition space. The acoustically treated booth is designed for meetings as well as for resting and retreating. According to the ideals of modern work, it is flexible and adaptable, blurring the boundary between work and break. The meeting booth’s sofas invite the exhibition visitor to stay for a moment and read a zine with texts on care work, avoiding work, and breaks in urban space. The texts are written by Juho Narsakka, Katariina Yli-Malmi, Vilja Saarinen, and Hami Kuurtamo, and the publication is designed by Katariina Yli-Malmi. Sound installations in the exhibition space by Kirsi Korhonen.

Installation photographs by Sonja Hyytiäinen/HAM