Jani Leinonen was interviewed by BBC News about his candidacy and unusual tactics to encourage people to vote in the Finnish parliamentary elections. Read the interview here: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-32347919

  Jani Leinonen’s Sacrifices-exhibition at Zetterberg Gallery is currently featured in Artforum’s Critics’ Picks, a select review of shows worldwide, written by Timo Valjakka. The permanent link to the review is: http://artforum.com/picks/id=51495

  Jani Leinonen announced his candidacy for the Parliamentary elections today. According to Leinonen democracy is in crisis. Year by year the electoral turnout decreases,  party members decreases and organizations activity are reduced. The Finnish policy does not provide the voters the means to participate in the management of public affairs. Leinonen, who’s candidate number is 267, has found a way to get people interested in politics again: As a member of the Parliament, Leinonen promises to set all the parliamentary votes on his website in advance for people to vote on, and he will commit to the result. The people …

Jani Leinonens solo exhibition Sacrifices is now open at Zetterberg Gallery until May 3, 2015. In the exhibition Leinonen questions the viewer  to think about what we really are willing to sacrifice? Q: What do you think is the most surprising thing about humanity? A: Man. Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present, the result being that he does not live in the present or the future, he lives as he is never going to die, …

Jani Leinonen is currently exhibited at Galerie Gmurzynska in Action – Reaction, an exhibition including works by Bacon, Basen, Botero, Brusilovsky, Calder, Cutrone, Lam, Meier, Stallone and Torres-Garcia. The exhibition can be seen from January-February 2015. http://gmurzynska.com/exhibitions/action-reaction#3

Jani Leinonen´s and shoe designer Minna Parikka´s collaboration Shoe Liberation Army is included in the Boutique exhibition at the Spiral Art Space in Tokyo, Japan from December 17th 2014. The exhibition consisting of collaborations between artists and designers was originally on display at the Amos Anderson Art Museum in Helsinki 2012 as a part of the World Design Capital program. http://www.spiral.co.jp/en/

  Jani Leinonen is represented by Galerie Gmurzynska at PAD London, London´s leading fair for 20th century art, design and decorative arts. Galerie Gmurzynska’s booth B18 can be found at the Pavilion of Art and Design on Berkeley Square, October 15-19, 2014. www.pad-fairs.com/london

  Jani Leinonen has opened a fake fast food restaurant called Hunger King in Budapest, Hungary to highlight how the Hungarian government deals with homeless and poor people. Hunger King gives out burger boxes full of money for homeless people during 3 weeks and fools around with the anti – homeless legislation. The burger boxes contain 3400 forints, the exact sum of Hungarian state’s minimum wage per day. For its wealthy customers Hunger King offers a red carpet fast lane and art pieces for sale. Leinonen says he wants to show the stark difference between rich and poor in Hungary …