SAAL Biennaal 2025 | Max Hannus' workshop: tools for compersion and collegial love
Thursday 28. August at 11:00 - 14:00
Contemporary Art Museum of Estonia (EKKM), Tallinn
What can ethical nonmonogamy teach us about good relating? How could we use this information in collegial relationships and artistic practices?
Good and direct communication, openness, recognizing and articulating one’s desires, needs, and boundaries, and valuing the freedom of others are central skills in practicing ethical nonmonogamy. In polyamory, one key concept is compersion: participating in the happiness or joy of others. How could one enjoy their partner’s sexual relationship or a colleague’s success? Recognizing jealousy and the complexity of relationships brings us closer to the practice of compersion.
In the workshop we talk about relationships, do writing exercises and map values that guide how we relate to each other. Although aimed at people working in culture, the workshop is open for everyone who’s curious to think along.
Max Hannus is a curator, working independently and at Kiasma Museum, Helsinki. Their research explores the interfaces of desire, human relationships and making of art, and aims at highlighting the subjective characteristic of curatorial practices, while still actively pursuing the ethical position of a curator and stressing the politics of representation. Their recent curatorial projects include exhibitions Dreamy — Queer Imaginaries (2023) at Contemporary Art Museum Kiasma, Helsinki, as well as Moon in your Mouth (2023) at UKS, Oslo, which considers consent, intimacy and emotional labour in the realm of exhibition making. Upcoming curated shows include Essi Kuokkanen (2025) and Sarah Lucas (2025) at Kiasma.
Contemporary Art Museum of Estonia (EKKM) • Kursi 5, 10415 Tallinn, Harju maakond, Estonia
