Iria Arenas
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AboutI’m an artist based in Finland living with an invisible chronic condition who often passes as able-bodied. This experience guides my engagement with infrastructural studies and infrastructural critique, through which I examine the visible-material and invisible-immaterial conditions that govern what circulates, how we move, who is supported, and who is cut off. My current research explores how artistic practices can intervene at the infrastructural level to activate counter-hegemonic agency, moving from representing change to reconfiguring the conditions that enable it.

Education






Other MA Visual Cultures, Curating and Contemporary Art. Aalto University, Espoo, Finland (2024-ongoing)
MA Theatre and Performing Arts. Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain (2016-17)
BA in Visual Arts and Contemporary Dance. Rey Juan Carlos University, Madrid, Spain (2010-14)

Postgraduate in Performance Research Studies. SOZO vim, Kassel, Germany (2017-18)
An Introduction to Trans Studies. Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland (2023)
​Developing an Artistic Research Project. Stockholm University of the Arts, Stockholm, Sweden (2021-22)
Work ExperienceEvents and Communication Assistant. Dept. Art and Media (DAM), Aalto University, Espoo, Finland (2025-ongoing)
Lighting Technician Assistant. Zodiak Centre of New dance, Helsinki, Finland (2023-ongoing)
Hip Hop and House Dance Teacher. Saiffa - Flow Mo Dance School. Helsinki, Finland (2023-25)
Website Designer and Social Media Coordinator. Tanzwerk Kassel e.V., Kassel, Germany (2020-23)
Stage Lighting & Web Development Teacher. SOZO vim Dance School, Kassel, Germany (2020-23)
Office Assistant/Coordinator. Tanzwerk Kassel e.V., Kassel, Germany (2020-21)
Administrative & Technical Assistant. SOZO vim Dance School, Kassel, Germany (2020-2022)
Grants2024. City of Espoo Culture Committee. (Grant cancelled due to health reasons)
2024. Goethe Institut. Culture Moves Europe. Individual Mobility Grant.
2023. Kulturförderung Kulturamt Kassel.
2023. Fonds Darstellende Künste. NEUSTART KULTUR. #TakeHeart Rechercheförderung.
2022. NATIONALES PERFORMANCE NETZ - STEPPING OUT.
2022. Kulturförderung Kulturamt Kassel.
2021. Goethe Institut - Nachwuchsförderung.
2021. Brückenstipendien - Hessische Kulturstiftung
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2021. Kulturförderung Kulturamt Kassel.
2021. Hessische Ministerium für Wissenschaft und Kunst.
2020. Kulturförderung Kulturamt Kassel.
2018. AC/E Programme for the Internationalisation of Spanish Culture (PICE).

Residencies2026. Redukt_Studio. Helsinki (FI).
2024. Sonnenstein Loft. Linz (AT).
2022. ON DISPLAY. Lake Studios Berlin (DE).
2021. Studio Practice and Artistic Process. Stockholm University of the Arts (SE).
2018. Atelier Real (REAT). Lisbon (PT).
2017. Oulu Dance Hack. Oulu (FI).
2016. DOCH Summer Residency. Stockholm (SE).

Lighting Design2026. Do You Like Bananas, Comrades?. KokoTeatteri, Helsinki.
2024. NEFES & Global Music Master’s Transcultural Ensemble. Vapaan Taiteen Tila. Helsinki (FI).
2023. Zipora and Friends. Sibelius Academy. Kalliosali. Helsinki (FI).
2023. STREAMS #4. Aura Antikainen & Niv Melamed. Halle 2. Kassel (DE).
2023. Sie starb und sie lebte. Rosalie Kubny. Kulturhaus Dock 4. Kassel (DE).
2022. DIE FLACHE ERDE. Lauren Rae Mace. Kulturhaus Dock 4. Kassel (DE).
2022. Silken Veil. C/O Mareike Steffens. Kulturhaus Dock 4. Kassel (DE).
2021. Visitors. arenas&antikainen. Kulturhaus Dock 4. Kassel, Germany (DE).
2021. EPILOGUE. Deborah Smith-Wicke. Halle 2. Kassel (DE).
2021. Could you stay for tea?. Aura Antikainen. Kulturhaus Dock 4. Kassel (DE).
2021. Body of land. TANZWERKE '21. Aura Antikainen. Kulturhaus Dock 4. Kassel (DE).
2021. Protrahere. Deborah Smith-Wicke. Halle 2. Kassel (DE).
2020. Rock, water, spell. C/O Mareike Steffens. Kulturhaus Dock 4. Kassel (DE).
2019. Choreografische Werkstatt, Staatstheater. Kassel (DE).

Dance / Performance








Guest Dancer / Performer2024. Tanssivirtaa Tampereella. check your body at the door. Hällä-näyttämö. Tampere (FI).
2023. Kulturhaus Dock4. check your body at the door. Kassel (DE).
2021. Stockholm Fringe Festival. anverso. Stockholm (SE).
2021. Gothenburg Fringe Festival. anverso. Gothenburg (SE).
2021. Galeria Kollektiva. late for laundry, again. Kassel, (DE).
2019. Oops Festival. anverso. Brighton (UK).
2018. RandFilm Festival. anverso. Kassel (DE).
2017. Stockholm Fringe Festival. Wortenlust. Stockholm (SE).
2017. OT301 Highs and Lows #22. Wortenlust. Amsterdam (NT).

2024. Red Bull Dance Your Style, Helsinki (FI).
2023. Fresko, Malla. Music video. Tallin (EE).
2019. Theater Spektakel. Terrain. Boris Charmatz. Zurich (CH).
2019. Staatstheater Kassel. Ares (statisten). Johannes Wieland. Kassel (DE).
2016-17. Reflections: Triple Bill. Body Politic Dance Company. Oxford (UK).
2017. Dancers. Coproducción Sonia Gómez + CORPO A TERRA. Ourense (ES).

Installation2022. Violett Kunstgalerie. anverso. Body Tales. Kassel (DE).
2022. tonwerkstatt kassel. anverso. Kassel (DE).
2022. Pilotenkueche. anverso. Moving surreal curiosity. Leipzig (DE).
2022. 4bid Gallery. anverso. Amsterdam (NL).
2022. CreativQuartier Fürst Leopold. anverso. Dorsten (DE).

Film




Video Art



2023. Festival Antigone. Centre Culturel d'Uccle . Brussels (BE).
2022. Tanzhaus Temporär Nº1. Bergpark. Kassel (DE).
2022. LAKE Studios Berlin. ON DISPLAY Screening. Berlin (DE).
2022. Staatstheater Kassel. Queeres Kurzfilmkino im TiF. Kassel (DE).

2020. United Cowboys. Seasoning Summer. Eindhoven (NT).
2019. NB Film Festival. Puebla, Mexico and Texas (US). 
2019. VideoSkin Festival. Ontario (CA).
2019. SzoloDuo Festival. Ork_Kota_Platform. Budapest (HU).

©Iria Arenas 2024
IndexWhat’s New?
LX Portfolio
Selected Works
Video Archive
Trailers

anverso, 2022

DIE FLACHE ERDE, 2022
Silken Veil, 2022
Could you stay for tea?, 2021
Body of land, 2021
Visitors, 2021
Rock, water, spell, 2020
Protrahere, 2021