Exposición
Lesser Evil
Jani Leinonen
18 April 2024 - 31 May 2014
In 2019, during an exhibition in Israel, a work of art was the subject of violent protests, leading to its removal from the Haifa Museum of Art and sparking global controversy. The sculpture in question consisted of a cross, and the crucified figure wasn’t actually Jesus Christ. It was Ronald McDonald, the clown mascot of the famous hamburger chain.
This was neither the first nor the last case of censorship of the works of Jani Leinonen (1978, Hyvinkää), a Finnish artist who throughout his career has received repeated threats and hate speech for focusing his artistic activity on questioning consumerism and the role it plays in contemporary society.
By manipulating the corporate imagery of globally reputable companies, Leinonen uses the very “voice” of capitalism to expose its effect on the collective psyche. In this process, figures as powerful, sacred, or historically influential as Che Guevara, Donald Trump, Lenin, and Buddha are subjected to corrosive criticism for becoming just another expression of capitalist iconography.
Jani Leinonen
Jani Leinonen (b. 1978, Helsinki, Finland) is a Finnish conceptual artist known for his social and political critique through art. His work often questions consumerism, globalization, and corporate power, using iconic images and symbols from popular culture to spark reflection and debate.
Leinonen frequently works with urban interventions, installations, and performances that blur the boundaries between art and activism. His satirical and provocative approach has attracted attention in several countries, exposing issues such as inequality, exploitation, and business ethics. Among his best-known projects is the ironic manipulation of commercial brand characters to question their social and cultural impact.
His work invites the viewer to reconsider the relationship between society, consumption, and power, positioning him as an important critical voice within contemporary European art.
