Kaitera Talks: Rosa Liksom - How my views on sophistication and learnedness have changed

Award-winning author and visual artist Rosa Liksom speaks about how her understanding of “sivistys” (a Finnish term that spans a multitude of meanings, such as ‘education’, ‘learnedness’, ‘sophistication’, ‘erudition’, and a broad understanding of humanity and culture) has changed over the course of her life. Liksom sheds light on how she has perceived education and its meaning in society as a young student, and as an artist in her adult years. She also speaks about what she thinks of education now, in 2026.

Liksom is a renowned artist who has received the J.H. Erkko award, the State Prize for Literature, and the Swedish Academy Nordic Prize, among others. She was also awarded the Finlandia Literary Prize in 2011 for her novel Compartment No. 6, which was adapted into an award-winning film. In addition to novels, plays, screenplays, and short story collections, she has also published comic books and children’s books. Her works are in public collections at the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma, the Oulu Art Museum, and the Finnish Museum of Photography. She has been awarded the Pro Finlandia Medal of the Order of the Lion of Finland, and she is an honorary doctor in the Faculty of Art and Design at the University of Lapland.

The event is open to everyone. The language of the event is Finnish.

The Kaitera Talks 2026 speaker series is part of the University of Oulu’s 2026 cultural programme and the Oulu2026 Art&Tech week schedule.