Eija Mäkivuoti

BIO

I am photographic/visual artist and an artist-researcher. I am born and raised in Northern Sweden, in Tornedalen, and I am bilingual. I work with lens-based visual storytelling and documentary narratives from a critical, ethical and socio-culturally sustainable approach. I am interested in multidimensional storytelling as an artistic practice. My narrative works-of-art utilise dialogical art practices through long-term, committed and sustainable networks of collaboration that go beyond and blur different boundaries/ borders. Intimate encounters and being-with people/places as well as pondering on complex phenomena together with others are crucial parts of my artistic practice. Working in the Nordic dimension, border-crossing and multilingualism are important elements in my artistic work.

My artworks and artistic practice have been exhibited in solo and group exhibitions in Finland and internationally. The more experimental and interdisciplinary artworks/processes have been presented at different festivals and also found their place online and on social media.

I am a member of the Association of Photographic Artists’ in Finland and in CFF – the Centre for Photography in Sweden. I have been working in and with different interdisciplinary artist groups, networks and art projects, e.g. artArctica, Mikropaliskunta and Oblivia. I am active in Tjaldur – the friendship society Finland-Faroe Islands since 2011 (the chair of the board since 2015). I have been working in the Faroe Islands since 2008 with different art projects/processes and collaborations. I also have experience working in different Finnish and Nordic art institutions and in my opinion the artistic expertise/skills can be implemented in many ways.

A new interest of mine is the perspectives of deep time and dark matter as well as in a pondering inspired by theories and thoughts of Feminist New Materialism / Baradian philosophy.

EDUCATION

2016 – 2018 Master of Arts, Nordic Visual Studies and Art Education (NoVA), Aalto University, Helsinki
2005 – 2010 Photography & Visual Communication, BA | University of Lahti, Institute of Design, Dep. of Photography
2003 – 2005 Specialising studies: New Photography 20 cr. | University of Lahti, Institute of Design
2003 Graphic Design and Publishing Studies 19 cr. | University of Art and Design, Helsinki
1996 – 2000 Visual Artist, 160 cr. | Vocational Institute of Western Lapland, Institution of Arts and Audio-Visual Communication, Tornio, Finland

OTHER STUDIES

2022 Socially Engaged Art Practices, SEA studies & Basics of Photopolymer Gravure, University of the Arts Helsinki
2003 – 2005 New Photography, University of Lahti, Institute of Design
2003 Graphic Design and Publishing Studies, University of Art and Design, Helsinki

MEMBERSHIPS & POSITIONS OF RESPONSIBILITY

The Association of Photographic Artists in Finland / CFF - Centrum för Fotografi, Sweden / Jala Konst– och hantverksförening, Sweden / Kuvasto ry. / Tjaldur – The Friendship Society Finland-Faroe Islands (Chair of the Board) / GAP Creatives Database / With the River Collective / KUBN – Konst för Unga och Barn i Norrbotten, Sweden / artArctica Network / Mikropaliskunta artist collective

ARTISTIC PRACTICE Selected Solo Exhibitions & Screenings

2023 With the River, By the Seas: Painting with the Waves and Other Stories, Vingarðurin, Tórshavn, FO / In Remembrance: Mikkjal G. Hansen & Fighters They Bleed, Smiðjan í Litluvík, Tórshavn, FO 2021 Revontulten maa / Norrskenets Land twin exhibition, the Aine Art Museum, Tornio, Finland & Studio Jala, Haparanda, Sweden 2016 Birgit’s Garden, Invited Anniversary Exhibition, Pohjola-Norden Leppävirta, Leppävirta Library 2015 Birgit’s Garden: An exhibition and a photo book launch, Kulturkontakt Nord, Helsinki 2013 Ferðin til Heljar: A journey with Hamferð, G! Festival Film programme, Faroe Islands / Sirkus, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands 2012 Fighters They Bleed - Revisited, Performance Center, Helsinki 2011 Entertainment Island 5: Exhibition, Kana Theatre, OKNO Festival, Szczecin, Poland 2011 Entertainment Island 5: Exhibition, Tjóðpallur, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands 2011 Entertainment Island 5: Exhibition, CCA, Glasgow, Scotland 2010 SIC: Fighters They Bleed, Photographic Gallery Hippolyte, Helsinki 2010 Entertainment Island 5: Exhibition & Lounge, Kiasma, Helsinki 2010 SIC: Fighters They Bleed – Installation, The Nordic House on the Faroe Islands, Tórshavn 2008 TUSKA 2003–2007 – The story of Us, Finnish Museum of Photography, Helsinki 2008 TUSKA 2003-2007 (warm up) – The story of Us, Gallery Sinne, Helsinki 2007 AS ANYONE ELSE/ SIINÄ MISSÄ KAIKKI, Kotka Photographic Centre 2006 AS ANYONE ELSE/ SIINÄ MISSÄ KAIKKI, Gallery K, Helsinki 2005 AS ANYONE ELSE/ SIINÄ MISSÄ KAIKKI, Photographic Centre Peri, Turku 2004 AS ANYONE ELSE/ SIINÄ MISSÄ KAIKKI, Galleri Zebra, Karjaa 2003 AS ANYONE ELSE/ SIINÄ MISSÄ KAIKKI, Kemi Historical Museum 2000 – 2001 I support the equality of the disabled people – exhibition / Kauhava Art House / Pihlajanpuisto school, Kauhava / Pori Jazz 2000, Antinkartano, Ulvila / Town Hall, Tornio / Kiviranta school, Tornio / Tornion yhteislyseo 2000 fugit.irreparabile.tempus graduation exhibition, VIWL, Tornio

ARTISTIC PRACTICE Selected Group & Collective Exhibitions

2024 Menetetty rauha/En förlorad fred/The Lost Peace (Mäkivuoti/Välimaa), Studio Jala, Haparanda, SE 2023 Tillsammans med älven/With the River (Mäkivuoti/Hiltunen), Studio Jala, Haparanda, SE 2022 Norrbottens konstföreningar, Galleri Foajén, Luleå, SE 2021 #massisolationproject, The Centre for Creative Photography, Gallery Ratamo, Jyväskylä / Photographic Centre Nykyaika, Tampere / The Northern Photographic Centre, Oulu / Vetelin taidekartano (Veteli Art Manor) 2017 Visual Conversations with Cosmic Silence, NODE Gallery, Aalto University of Arts, Design and Architecture 2017/2016 Polar self Portraits – the artist and the curious case of the vanishing ice caps,  @eARTH – XI Florence Biennale, Italy / Ilulissat Kunstmuseum, Greenland / British Antarctic Survey's Research Station, Antarctica / Maison D´Árt Contemporain, Marocco / UCL Art Museum, London / Boz´Art en Baz´ Art Festival, France 2016 Birgit’s Garden, artArctica festival, Helsinki 2015 Photo books, Hippolyte Studio, Helsinki 2014 The Sailor King, The King Billy, Nottingham, UK 2013 Light from Darkness, Performance Center, Helsinki 2012 Kuvia Nyky-Suomesta – 2000-luvun teatteria, Theatre Museum, Helsinki 2002 Sky Scrapers/Pilven Piirtäjät, Aine Art Museum, Tornio 2002 Taivas feat. reAktio, Kellarikalleria, Suonenjoki 2002 I´m..., Association of Kemi Visual Artists exhibition, Tullimakasiini, Kemi 2002 reAktio, O.space, Kivipankki, Jämsä 2001 reAktio, O.space, Rantagalleria, Oulu | reAktio, O.space, Old Railway Station, Tornio 2001 Feel the Love, Association of Kemi Visual Artists exhibition, Tullimakasiini, Kemi 2000 JunkFoodHighway, installation, Kontti, Kiasma, Helsinki 1999 Open Doors/The Last Images of the Millenium, Rantagalleria, Oulu 1999 reAktio, Akti-exhibition, Exhibition Hall, Haparanda, Sweden 1999 reAktio slideshow screening, Tornio city centre | reAktio exhibition, Town Hall, Tornio 1998 Young Photographers from the North, Rantagalleria, Oulu 1997 Young Artists from Lapland, Rovaniemi Art Museum

OTHER ARTISTIC PRACTICES Selection

2023–2024 Atelier residency, Studio Jala, Haparanda, SE 2023 Atelier/Artist residency, Kambans Hus, Tórshavn, FO (March & August) 2022 KUBN Art Workshops for children & youth, Haparanda, SE 2022 In Remembrance, G! festival, Syðrugøta, FO 2022 Atelier residency, Studio Jala, Haparanda 2021 Artist-in-Residence, Viippola House, Tornio / Working Studio Sessions in Studio Jala, Haparanda (joint to the twin exhibition Revontulten maa / Norrskenets Land in TornoHaparanda fall 2021) 2020 Artist-in-Residence, Viippola House, Tornio (joint to the upcoming exhibition Revontulten maa / Norrskenets Land, supported by Aine Art Museum, Tornio) 2019 HeiMA festival Festival-Artist-in-Residence, Nólsoy, Faroe Islands  2019 Photo Walks, Korkeasaari Zoo, HPF, Helsinki 2012 Journey to the Holy Land: a photo documentary of Hamferð in W:O:A Metal Battle, Germany 2011 Ferðin til Heljar-concert tour photo documentary | Iceland and Faroe Islands 2009 – 2010 mikroPaliskunta: Finland is travelling –project | mikroPaliskunta.net 2009 mikroPaliskunta at Pixelache-festival 2008 Under the Northern Star – interdisciplinary art event | underthenorthernstar.org 2007 mikroPaliskunta: Berlin round tour 2007 –project | mikroPaliskunta.org 2007 Remote Presence: Streaming life – workshop & live streaming event Muu gallery, Muu ry. & Pixelache 2006 – 2009 mikroPaliskunta –pilot project [Finland from North to South] | mikroPaliskunta.net | mikroPaliskunta has been featured on many new media and art festivals in Finland and in Europe. 2005 A Photo Workshop for disabled children and young adults in connection to the exhibition AS ANYONE ELSE in Photographic Centre Peri in Turku 2004 Artist-in-Residence, Finnish Artist’s Association, Berlin, Germany 2004 Artist/Photographer in the Grüss Marcella-project, Volkspalast in Palast der Republik, Berlin, Germany 2004 Artist participant in the Trans Barents Highway Symposium of Art 2004 project (Finland, Sweden, Norway) 2002 Several Photographic Workshops for disabled children | in connection to the SkyScrapers / PilvenPiirtäjät project at the Aine Art Museum, Tornio, Finland

PUBLICATIONS AND ONLINE ART WORKS Selection

Upcoming 2025 The Land of the Northern Lights (art book/zine & online work of art) 2023 Periferi ‘23 zine CFF – Centrum för fotografi, Stockholm, Sweden with Sune Jonssons centrum för dokumentärfotografi, Västerbottens museum, Umeå, Sweden 2022–2020 Revontulten maa / Norrskenets Land / The Land of  Northern Lights micro-stories on social media 2021 #massisolationprojectfi Photo Book 2020 Poikkeustila 2020 – State of Emergency 2020 & Mass Isolation Project Finland (participation in the mass documentation projects)  2018 Master’s Thesis: Missing the Mountains or Being the Children of the Sea (or Not), Aalto University 2015 Photo book: Birgit’s Garden – My Wondrous Journeys to the Faroe Islands (in 4 languages; published by Sprotin, FO) 2014 Blogger of the month, Suomen Taiteilijaseura ry. | http://artists.fi/blogit/kuvataiteilijablogi-2/ 2010 Oblivia: Entertainment Island. The Book. (Photo Book | Exhibition Catalogue) | oblivia.fi 2010 Oblivia: Att vara cool i barer, 10 år av Oblivia. | oblivia.fi 2008 Under the Northern Star & Tuska 2003-2007 | Documentation and Project's Website | Offline 2006 – 2010 All mikroPaliskunta – projects | Documentation and Project's Website | mikropaliskunta.net 2006 Rethinking Nordic Colonialism | Documentation DVD and Website | rethinking-nordic-colonialism.org 2005 Trans Barents Highway Symposium of Art | Catalogue 2004 Tuska 2003 + 2004: Art Inkjet Prints Folder, ed. 3/3

WEB DOCUMENTARY | Digital Storytelling

2022–23 In Remembrance: Mikkjal G. Hansen & Fighters They Bleed 2019 – 2021 Revontulten Maa / Norrskenets Land micro-stories on Instagram 2018  Missing the Mountains or Being the Children of the Sea (or Not)  2013 Ferðin til Heljar  2010 Fighters They Bleed

My experimental movies / web documentaries are published on my Vimeo | www.vimeo.com/eijamakivuoti

BOOK FAIRS / FESTIVALS / BOOK RELEASES

2023 Periferi ‘23 Zine Project: Sune Jonssons centrum för dokumentärfotografi, Västerbottens museum, Umeå / Studio Jala, Haparanda / Kulturhuset, Stockholm / CFF, Stockholm 2017 Birgit’s Garden photo book, Helsinki Book Fair w/ Photographic Artists’ Union 2016 Birgit’s Garden photo book (artArctica Festival, Helsinki / Gothenburg Book Fair, FarLit / Frankfurt Book Fair, FarLit / Book Fair, Finnish Museum of Photography, Helsinki / Book Event, Finnish Union of Photographic Artists’, Hippolyte Gallery, Helsinki / PhotoIndependent Book Salon, Los Angeles, USA (PhotoIndependent Photo Festival) 2015 Birgit’s Garden – photo book release/launches on the Faroe Islands w/ interdisciplinary events: Reinsaríið, Tórshavn / G! Festival, Syðrugøta / Tutl-shop, Tórshavn

GRANTS, FUNDING, AWARDS

2024 Finland-Sweden Cultural Foundation 2023 Nordic Culture Fund (WTR) / Culture Moves Europe Mobility Programme, EU / Gustaf Packaléns Mindefond, DK / SLS – Swedish Literature Society Finland 2022 Finnish-Danish Cultural Foundation / The Culture Ministry of the Faroe Islands / Stipend Tornio River Valley Council / Swedish Cultural Fund Finland / Finnish Arts Promotion Centre TAIKE – Artist Working Grant 2021 Finnish Arts Promotion Centre TAIKE – Artist Working Grant / Letterstedstska Association Finland (travel grant) / Eugène, Elisabeth & Birgit Nygrén’s Foundation 2020 Swedish Cultural Fund Finland 2019 Kone Foundation – Artist Working Grant & Project Grant / Finland-Sweden Cultural Foundation / Letterstedstska Association Finland (travel grant) / Finnish Arts Promotion Centre TAIKE – Project grant 2018 Aalto Art Department Grant  2017 Mobility Funding, Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme  2017 Edda travel grant x 2 2016 Edda travel grant 2015 mesenaatti.me, a Nordic Crowd Funding campaign for Birgit’s Garden photo book 2015 Mobility Funding, Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme for Culture 2014 Nordic Culture Fund | Swedish Cultural Fund Finland / Letterstedtska Association | Mentanargrunnur Landsins (Art Council Faroe Islands) / Eugène, Elisabeth & Birgit Nygréns Foundation / Tórshavnar Kommuna (Municipality of Tórshavn), Faroe Islands 2010 Mentanargrunnur Landsins (Arts Council of Faroe Islands) 2009 Konstsamfundet 2008 mikroPaliskunta – Finland is Travelling-project / Finnish Cultural Foundation, Arts Council of Finland (group funding) 2008 Finnish-Danish Culture Fund / Arts Council of Finland | Helene and Walter Grönqvist’s Foundation 2007 Patricia Seppälä Foundation / Finnish Cultural Foundation – Uusimaa Regional Fund 2006 mikroPaliskunta: AVEK – The Promotion Centre for Audiovisual Culture; Art Council of Finland; Samuel Huber Art Foundation; The Foundation for Environmental Art – Stiftelsen för miljökonst (group funding) 2006 SLEIPNIR travel grant: Greenland 2004 SLEIPNIR travel grant 2002 Finnfoto ry. / Lapland Arts Council 2001 Tornio City Cultural Grant / Lapland Arts Council 2000 Lapland Arts Council

INTERNATIONAL PHOTO AWARDS

2018 Part of the curated selection of 18 projects from the inaugural Der Greif - Organization for Contemporary Photography and the World Photography Organisation open call. 2017 Honorable Mention, International Photography Award, Family of Man Award: Youth / Pro  2010 A series of photographs from Fighters They Bleed got a Honorable Mention in the 2010 International Photography Award (Lucie Award) by Lucie Foundation (US) in the category People: Culture / Pro.

WORKING EXPERIENCE

2024 Special advisor, TAIKE Arts Promotion Centre Finland 2022 Art Pedagogue, SpråkMakt & En hyllning till vatten art workshops Haparanda, KUBN, SE 2020 – 2021 Association Assistant (part-time), Finnish Association of Photographic Artists’ 2019 – 2020 Association Coordinator (part-time), Finnish Association of Photographic Artists’ 2019 Association Assistant (part-time), Finnish Association of Photographic Artists’ 2015 – 2016 Administrative Assistant, Nordic Culture Point, Helsinki, Finland 2003 – 2014 Photographer | Webmaster & Web Coordinator, Performance company Oblivia, Helsinki, Finland 2012 – 2014 IT-consultant, Northern Dimension Partnership on Culture (Nordic Council of Ministers), Riga Office 2012 – 2015 IT-consultant, Nordic Culture Point, Helsinki, Finland 2007 – 2010 Advisor, Nordic Culture Point, Helsinki, Finland 2003 – 2006 Project Coordinator | Project Assistant | Communication Coordinator, NIFCA – Nordic Institute for Contemporary Art, Suomenlinna, Helsinki 2000 – 2004 Teacher: Analog Photography & Dark Room Practices / Digital Photography, Vocational Institute of Western Lapland & Western Lapland University of Applied Sciences, Tornio, Finland 2000 – 2002 Museum Assistant, The Aine Art Museum, Tornio 1998 Photographic Assistant, Phil Flowers Photography, Somerset, England, UK

OTHER WORK Selected Freelance Based Work

2023/2021 Commission from the Aine Art Museum 2019 Promotional photography for the NoVA Master’s Programme at Aalto University 2018 Documentation of the INSEA 2018 Congress in Helsinki 2005 – 2020 Live Performance Photography (Rock and Metal Photography | Performance Art) | Commissioned by bands and performers 2009 Photographer | Imagematch Oy and Korjaamo Gallery 2004, 2007 Layout & Graphic Design | FRAME, Finnish Museum of Photography, NIFCA etc. 2006 Documentation photography | crew member: Rethinking Nordic Colonialism - project, NIFCA – The Nordic Institute for Contemporary Art, Helsinki, Finland 2006 Performance Documentation | Amorph´06 - performance festival, MUU 2006, 2008 Performance Documentation | Magnus Logi Kristinsson, Lucy Cash and other performance artists 2006 Juror at the Photographic Contest for Mundo project | MUNDO - Finnish Broadcasting Company education project for immigrants 2002 Photography | The Aine Art Museum & Tornio Region School project SKY SCRAPERS/PILVENPIIRTÄJÄT 2001 – 2005 Documentation Photography: Exhibition, Event & Workshop Documentation | Aine Art Museum, Tornio, Finland

VOLUNTEER WORK / PHOTO JOURNALISTIC WORK

2014 – 2024 Web/Communication Coordinator, Editor/Graphic Designer, Event Producer | Tjaldur – the Friendship Society Finland-Faroe Islands
2016 – 2019 Photographer | The Metal Phenomenon
2007 – 2019 Photographer/journalist | Inferno-magazine
2012 – 2016 Photographer/journalist | Allmetalfest.com
2012 – 2013 Photographer/journalist | Imperiumi.net
2009 – 2010 Photographer | Noise.fi

PUBLISHED WORK Live Performance Photography, Photo Reportage, Tour Documentary etc.

A list of works and project presentations on my website | www.eijamakivuoti.net

(CV updated in Sep, 2024)