Sanna Hukkanen and Finno-Ugric comics
FinnAgora and Lehetőségek tere (Space of Opportunity) are organising an exhibition and workshop with artist Sanna Hukkanen. The exhibition consists of comics from Hukkanen's graphic novel Taiga and comics made by Finno-Ugric minority language speakers from Russia, Finland, Estonia and Norway.
The comics by minority language speakers were created in workshops organised by the Living Language community art project in 2015-2019. The project's goal is to promote and support endangered languages by using comics.
The graphic novel Taiga is based on Hukkanen's sketchbook travel diaries from her trips to the Finno-Ugric world during the Living Language project in 2015-2019.
The exhibition aims to show how comics can be used as a tool in rejuvenating endangered languages and also in understanding one's own identity as a minority. Through Hukkanen's own travels to the Finno-Ugric people and her own identity, we get to see an insight through the comics to this journey.
Opening event and lecture by Sanna Hukkanen:
Date: Friday 3.10.2025, 18:00-20:00
Place: Lehetőségek tere (The Space of Opportunity), Budapest, Práter u. 63, 1083
During the opening evening Sanna Hukkanen will have a lecture on her work in the project and in the Finno-Ugric communities. She will speak on how this method of using comic books has come to be and what the impact has been.
Workshop led by Sanna Hukkanen
Date: Friday 4.10.2025, 11:00-17:00
Place: Lehetőségek tere (The Space of Opportunity), Budapest, Práter u. 63, 1083
On Saturday Sanna Hukkanen will host a workshop on the method of using comics as a tool for community care and in supporting endangered languages and as a tool for minorities.
Comics workshop: Grassroots Comics as a tool for Community Art
Time: Saturday 4.10 at 11:00-17:00
Place: The Space of Opportunity, Budapest, Práter u. 63, 1083
Language: English
Participation is free, we ask for registration: https://forms.gle/5sQMnXZEgJ3pcdip6
A free soup (donation of HUF 1000 is possible on spot) will be served at 1pm so participants can stay together informally.
Grassroots comics are made by activists and minorities who want to get their voices heard. In this workshop Finnish comics artist Sanna Hukkanen will walk you through the steps of making comics and organising your own workshops.
The workshop is intended for comics artists, NGO and community workers and anybody who is interested in using comics for making a change. In the workshop you will learn the basics of script writing, drawing and publishing comics. You will get instructions and materials for organising comics workshops for different audiences. The participants do not need any earlier experience in making comics, and it’s not a must to know how to draw!
Grassroots comics is a method developed by World Comics Finland. It has been used widely by NGOs and minority groups as a tool for social and ecological change. The power of comics rises from the alliance of images and words. Grassroots comics have been used in human rights campaigns, environmental activism and development cooperation around the world.
Sanna Hukkanen has been active in World Comics Finland for twenty years and has organised workshops for minority language activists, asylum seekers, people with disabilities and different NGOs in Finland, Russia, Scandinavian countries, Estonia and Tanzania. Her own graphic stories dive into the mossy forests, to the roots of ancient trees and to journeys to the edges of the world.