Eyes as Big as Plates

Date/Time:
Tuesday, June 30, 2026
10:00 am – 4:00 pm

Offer:
General Admission for 2 — This booking gets you General Admission for 2 people at ASI during museum hours. You'll get access to the exhibition, plus the historic Turnblad Mansion, Family Gallery, and additional exhibitions. Stop by the admission desk with your mobile pass or printed pass to receive admission stickers.

Event Details:

Eyes as Big as Plates

How do we make sense of our surroundings? How have events and encounters throughout our lives impacted our relationship with the environment? In a time when humans are becoming less and less connected with nature, Norwegian-Finnish artist duo Riitta Ikonen and Karoline Hjorth?s ongoing collaboration, Eyes as Big as Plates, explores this question through humans, quite literally, immersed in their surroundings.

The surreal photography series was initially conceived as a play on Nordic folklore characters and has grown into a project spanning over 160 uniquely crafted portraits shot across 17 countries and five continents, from the Nordic region to the South Pacific.

The exhibition will feature over 30 portraits from the series interspersed throughout the Turnblad Mansion. Each portrait features a protagonist?often an individual Ikonen and Hjorth met organically in their travels?who is actively impacted by the changing environment. The duo has documented farmers, surfers, grandmas, citizen scientists, rewinding experts, wild boar hunters, mycologists, philosophers, and many more, in their living environments, capturing and challenging how humans view relationships with the living world. Ikonen and Hjorth?s artistic process blends humans into their surroundings and affirms co-existence as the only sustainable path forward.

Each photograph comes together organically and is specific to each person. The duo shoots with an analog camera, which means the process can be slow and physically challenging and leaves time for Ikonen and Hjorth to connect with their subjects.

By camouflaging humans in organic materials sourced from the surrounding environment, Ikonen and Hjorth create surreal, other-worldly photography that blends artistry and curiosity with anthropology, activism, and education to challenge conventional narratives on environmental stewardship and how humans relate to and interact with their surroundings across diverse cultures and landscapes.

The exhibition will be on view at the American Swedish Institute from June 20, 2025 through October 25, 2026. Ikonen and Hjorth?s second book, Eyes as Big as Plates 2, will be available in the ASI Museum Store, and FIKA Café will be serving an inspired seasonal menu with dine-in seating available on ASI?s beautiful outdoor patio.

Eyes as Big as Plates Digital Press Kit.

Supporters

Eyes as Big as Plates is hosted by the American Swedish Institute with support from the Barbro Osher Pro Suecia Foundation.

Minnesota artist activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support grant, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

Corporate support is provided by JE Dunn Construction.

Additional artist support is provided by the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization.

Annual exhibition activity is supported by ASI?s members and donors.

Eyes as Big as Plates is a part of In Our Nature, an annual program dedicated to His Majesty Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden exploring humanity?s connection to the environment.

Location:
American Swedish Institute
2600 Park Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55407

Hours of Operation:
Museum (Turnblad Mansion & Osher Gallery) and Museum Store:
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 10 am - 4 pm
Wednesday: 10 am - 4 pm
Thursday: 10 am - 8 pm
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday: 10 am - 4 pm

FIKA Café:
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 10 am - 4 pm
Wednesday: 10 am -4 pm
Thursday: 10 am - 8 pm
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday: 10 am - 4 pm

The Museum, FIKA Café, and Museum Store are closed New Year’s Day, Easter, Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.

Parking Information:
Free parking is available in our surface parking lot, located at 27th Street and Park Avenue. Accessible parking is available on the northeast side of the parking lot. Free street parking is readily available on Park Avenue, Portland Avenue and 27th Street.

Accessibility Information:
ASI offers accessible parking, restrooms, listening amplification, and elevator service. Manual wheelchairs are available on request. Sign language interpreters can be arranged with notice and certified service animals are welcome. For more information, call 612-871-4907.

Organization Details:

Nearly 90 years ago, a new immigrant to Minnesota had a vision to create a vibrant cultural gathering place. Established in 1929, ASI has evolved into a dynamic arts and cultural center that welcomes all people to gather and share experiences around themes of culture, migration, the environment, and the arts; informed by enduring links to Sweden. From the gallery spaces, featuring local and international exhibitions, to the lively programming set in the historic Turnblad Mansion, to the shop, and award winning restaurant and café – there are many ways to see yourself at ASI and be part of this story.

Reserve a Pass

Offer: General Admission for 2 — This booking gets you General Admission for 2 people at ASI during museum hours. You'll get access to the exhibition, plus the historic Turnblad Mansion, Family Gallery, and additional exhibitions. Stop by the admission desk with your mobile pass or printed pass to receive admission stickers.

Date/Time: Tuesday, June 30, 2026 10:00 am

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