Live Art Bookshop: Globus Hystericus Book Launch

Join us for the UK launch of performance art duo Kainulainen & Latva’s book Globus Hystericus, published in 2025 by Finnish publishing house Taide.

Finnish performance art duo Kainulainen & Latva have been making extraordinary performances in both their native Finland and internationally since 2014. Informed by narratives of personal trauma, twinned with accounts of Finnish folklore, they have produced a prolific and unique body of work from their profoundly intimate and collaborative dynamic.

Performance artists Katri Kainulainen and Maximilian Latva will give a presentation with video clips and slides of their practice, followed by a Q&A session. Key themes explored in the neurodivergent duo’s work include trauma, power relations and gender issues.

The book contains six texts by scholars and artists reflecting on the affects and inner workings of their practice. It includes comprehensive documentation of full colour images showing the impactful richness, humour, and poignant perversity of their visual vocabulary. Combined, the textual and visual content offers the reader perspectives on performance art as a contemporary and vital art form of compelling relevancy.

Copies of Globus Hystericus will be available to preorder, buy at the launch, or to order through after the event.

The event is supported by The Finnish Culture Foundation and Kone Foundation.

Katri Kainulainen (she/they) and Maximilian Latva (they/them) are partners in art and life. Based in Helsinki, Finland, they create visceral, nonverbal performances, and organise performance events internationally. In addition to live performances, the duo also display their art through both solo and group exhibitions.

The artists’ book Globus Hystericus by Kainulainen & Latva in 2025, was released in 2025 by the Finnish publishing house Taide (Art). Their most recent exhibition took place at Gallery Forum Box in Helsinki. In July, they will be performing in London at DISCHARGE event, curated by Martin O'Brien.

Event information:
This is a seated event. Various seating options will be available including fold out chairs, office chairs, a sofa and a bench. All are welcome to join in a relaxed space and are free to come and go as they please. The lighting will be fixed with no sudden changes and microphone amplification will be used. There are disposable masks and hand sanitiser available. After the talk there will be an opportunity to socialise.

LADA space:
The building is wheelchair accessible by lift and provides a wheelchair accessible ground-floor bathroom. All bathrooms are gender inclusive. There is no isolated quiet space inside, but there is a small quiet outdoor area. Some of the art on display in the space includes naked bodies. You can find more information and see photos of the space here. Should you have any particular access requirements, please email [email protected] and we will be happy to offer further support.

Content notes:
The presentation will include images of nude bodies and images of dead birds or dead animals. Sexual violence may be referred to in the talk. Please email [email protected] if you would like more information on what to expect.

Please note this event will be recorded.

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Host or Publisher Live Art Development Agency (LADA)