For media

An exhibition designed for lovers of art and technology guides the visitor through the turning points of the internet and digital culture: from the 1990s technology boom to the beginning of the mobile era, the first steps of social media, and the future of the internet shaped by artificial intelligence. 

This evolutionary path is highlighted by the Creative Nerd 1996–2026: from modems to the meme economy exhibition, which presents the 30-year history of the commercial internet in Finland. The exhibition is on display at Helsinki's Cable Factory from September 26 to October 17, 2026.

At the exhibition, the viewer gets to dive into the turning points of the internet and digital culture through interactive and immersive media art pieces dealing with the internet as a phenomenon, works reflecting on the history of the field, and contemporary interviews. 

The exhibition features an immersive 1990s workstation, retro devices, and the history of the commercial internet in Finland. One piece consists of video interviews with Finnish digital pioneers, featuring Markus Grannenfelt, Asmo Halinen, Milja Köpsi, Johanna Sarviharju, and many others. The artists creating media art pieces for the exhibition will be announced in early autumn 2026.

The aim of the exhibition is to stimulate broader discussion about the development of the commercial internet in Finland, as well as mental images and reflection on its future. 

The exhibition originated on the initiative of Crasman Oy, an e-commerce expert company, which celebrates its own 30-year journey at the core of the Finnish digital economy in 2026. The company acts as the facilitator and patron of the exhibition, providing space for a broader societal discussion on how the internet has changed our daily lives and which direction the age of artificial intelligence is taking us.

"When Crasman started its journey in 1996, the Finnish commercial internet was only just arriving and modems beeped in the background. Now, 30 years later, we want to celebrate this journey by bringing our shared history and the turning point of digital culture for everyone to experience. Creative Nerd is not just a retrospective, but a gift to the Finnish digital community and future makers", explains Samuli Hokkanen, CEO of Crasman Oy.