Stefan Bremer – Helsinki by Night

Youngsters hanging out at the Central Railway Station, punks at Lepakko, new romantics in nightclubs, and silent streets. In the 1970s and 1980s, Stefan Bremer photographed Helsinki at night. His retrospective exhibition Helsinki by Night will open this autumn at Villa Hakasalmi.

Helsinki by Night is photographer Stefan Bremer’s profoundly personal view of the Helsinki nightscape. With his camera, he wandered through the city, capturing both the vibrant nightlife and misty urban landscapes. Alongside poetic cityscapes, the exhibition features photos of the diverse youth cultures, subcultures and music scenes of the era. A section of the exhibition is dedicated to images taken at rock concerts, some of which were hand-colored and used as LP cover art.

Stefan Bremer (b. 1953) is a central figure in Finnish photography art. He is renowned for documenting urban nightlife – iconic works from his legendary series Helsinki by Night (1983), Creatures of the Night (1984–86), and Valokuva on Rock (1982) are also on display at Villa Hakasalmi. His images offer intimate and powerful glimpses into a time when the city’s streets, concert venues, and clubs became stages for a new generation’s self-expression.

Coinciding with the exhibition’s opening, Parvs Publishing Company will release Bremer’s Helsinki by Night photo book. The exhibition is produced by Jari Harju, Head of Audience Services at the Helsinki City Museum, and the exhibition design is by Osmo Leppälä.

Stefan Bremer – Helsinki by Night
24 October 2025 – 30 August 2026
Villa Hakasalmi
Mannerheimintie 13b
Tickets: €16/11