Photography matters:

The Helsinki School

3
Dear viewer and reader,
It is a great honour and a pleasure to present to you the exhibition Photography matters: The Helsinki School. The
Helsinki School of photography has become an international brand recognised for its innovative works of art and excel-
lence in talent development. The Helsinki School is conclusive evidence that photography matters as art as never before
and demonstrates that a small country can develop talented, young artists into international calibre artists - by pushing
the limits. Year after year they have developed the photographic process as the way of the thinking eye. At the heart of
this approach is the creation of a unique learning environment at the University of Art and Design Helsinki, which fosters
technical excellence, conceptual clarity, creativity and the self-confidence to make art.
This exhibition shows a comprehensive selection of works by artists represented in the Statoil art collection, at different
stages in their development. Some are young and at the start of their career, while others are established artists on the
international scene. They show very clearly that the Helsinki School approach facilitates genuine individual and personal
expression. It is not a school in the traditional sense of the word; it is indeed an approach.
Encountering and engaging with art is possible outside of established cultural institutions. Our commitment to art allows
us to make a sustainable contribution to the cultural development of the societies in which we operate, as well as build
our corporate culture and profile. Art awakens creativity and inspiration - it brings people together and into conversation
with each other.
Our ambition is to:
Create a courageous, distinctive and coherent art programme
Promote young and emerging artists whose creative work gives society an orientation,
shakes things up, or redefines
Engage our people and encourage them to take advantage of opportunities for aesthetic
reflection and learning
Provide accessibility to the public so that even more people have immediate access to art
Actively support and participate in the exchange of ideas and culture with the communities
in which we operate
Our art programme comprises five related and dynamic elements: the art collection, exhibitions, learning, communication
and the art award.
This exhibition would not have been possible without the help and participation of Timothy Persons, director of the
professional studies programme and senior lecturer at the University of Art and Design Helsinki. We also wish to thank
artists Pertti Kekarainen and Anni Leppl, who have generously loaned some of their works to the exhibition, and the
curators Wenche Falkenhaug (Statoil art programme) and artist Joonas Ahlava. Enjoy the journey.
Jens R Jenssen
Senior vice president
Human resources
Leader of the Statoil art programme
Cover: Saviour, 2008
Susanna Majuri
5
The Helsinki School what is it?
What is now known as the Helsinki School was in its essence an educational model devised in the mid-1990s by the
Department of Professional Studies at the University of Art and Design, Helsinki, Finland. The model provided an op-
portunity to a selected group of MA students to measure and self-critique their own originality outside of the normal
curriculum. The goal from the outset was to take selected students out of the classroom, enabling them to experience
how to build, edit, present and curate their work on a professional level.
To realise this vision, the University sponsored a series of site-specific exhibitions throughout inner city of Helsinki from
1995 to 1999. These productions afforded the students scenarios for trial and error with the aim of finding solutions to
problems they would normally encounter. These site-specific exhibitions eventually led to the creation of gallery TaiK as
its primary showcase, and a means of introducing these selected artists to the international community. To achieve this,
the university coordinated its academic studies with gallery TaiKs participation in specified art fairs like Art Forum Berlin
or Paris Photo, as a practical way of exposing students to the expectations and demands to be met when forging a suc-
cessful artistic career. Today gallery TaiK maintains a permanent exhibition space in Berlin, where it also stages Helsinki
School exhibitions and produces publications for a worldwide readership.
It is impossible to measure the importance of the Helsinki School as an educational model and sustainable movement
until it has been tested by time and has realised itself to the full. What can be gauged is the impact it has had on the
numerous artists who have been through its system and who now lead professional careers. They serve as a good exam-
ple of how a university from a small country with limited resources can reach beyond its borders to set new standards in
preparing students for the real world and its challenges.
Our hope for the future is to sustain and broaden the conceptual dialogue used as the basis of our critiques by inviting
lecturers to the university to teach new perspectives. It is our goal to expand this professional workshop series to include
the best artists worldwide. This, combined with our touring exhibitions and new publications, will help establish the
Helsinki School as a leading educational model that other institutions can learn from, and build upon, in order to attain
their own goals.
Timothy Persons
Senior lecturer and director of professional studies
University of Art and Design Helsinki
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Table of contents
Anni Leppl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Elina Brotherus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Aino Kannisto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Hannu Karjalainen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Pertti Kekarainen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Ola Kolehmainen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Susanna Majuri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Tiina Itkonen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Ilkka Halso . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Kalle Kataila . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
9
Anni Leppl
Born in 1981 in Helsinki, Finland
Lives and works in Helsinki, Finland
2004 University of Art and Design Helsinki, Department of Photography, MA
2004 Arts Academy / Turku Polytechnic, BA

10 11
Girl in green, 2007
C-print, aluminium. 80 x 108 cm
Edition of seven
Hands, 2007
C-print, aluminium. 21 x 31 cm
Edition of seven
12 13
Garden, 2007
C-print, aluminium. 62 x 84 cm
Edition of seven
Loan from the artist
Red Blanket, 2004
C-print, aluminium. 94 x 62,5 cm
Edition of seven
Loan from the artist
14 15
Buttons, 2004
C-print, aluminium. 47 x 69 cm
Edition of four
Doors, 2006
C-print, aluminium. 21 x 31,5 cm
Edition of seven
16 17
Last Autumn, 2008
C-print, aluminium. 31,5 x 42,5 cm
Edition of seven
Rooms: Girl in a Museum, 2007
C-print, aluminium. 31,5 x 42,5 cm
Edition of seven
18 19
Untitled (Lamp girl), 2007
C-print, aluminium. 27 x 40,5 cm
Edition of seven
Window (mirror), 2008
C-print, aluminium. 21 x 31 cm
Edition of seven
21
Elina Brotherus
Born in 1972 in Helsinki, Finland
Lives and works in Helsinki, Finland, and Avallon, France
2000 University of Art and Design Helsinki, MA
1997 University of Helsinki, MSc
22 23
Model Study 21, 2007
C-print, aluminium, framed. 40 x 50 cm
Edition of six
Model Study 23, 2008
C-print, aluminium, framed. 50 x 46 cm
Edition of six
24 25
In the mirror 2, 2007
C-print, aluminium, framed. 40 x 52 cm
Edition of six
In the mirror 1, 2007
C-print, aluminium, framed. 40 x 52 cm
Edition of six
26 27
The Pool, 2008
C-print, aluminium, framed. 80 x 99 cm
Edition of six
Model Study 17, 2005
C-print, aluminium, framed. 80 x 61 cm
Edition of six
29
Aino Kannisto
Born in 1973 in Espoo, Finland
Lives and works in Helsinki, Finland
2001 University of Art and Design Helsinki, Department of Photography, MA
30 31
Untitled (Bed), 2003
C-print, Diasec. 90 x 112 cm
Edition of six
Untitled (Train Window), 2005
C-print, Diasec. 90 x 110 cm
Edition of six
32
Untitled (Two Mirrors), 2006
C-print, Diasec. 90 x 117 cm
Edition of six
35
Hannu Karjalainen
Born 1978 in Haapavesi, Finland
Lives and works in Helsinki, Finland and Berlin, Germany
2005 University of Art and Design Helsinki, Department of Photography, MA
2001 University of Art and Design Helsinki, Department of Photography, BA
1998 Muurla School of Photography
37
Man in Blue Shirt, 2006
16 mm film on DVD
Duration: 5.19 minutes
Edition of five
38 39
Man in Pale Blue Shirt, 2008
C-print, Diasec. 150 x 120 cm
Edition of five
Woman in Pink Dress, 2008
C-print, Diasec. 150 x 120 cm
Edition of five
40 41
Man in Red Sweatshirt 1, 2009
C-print, Diasec. 150 x 120 cm
Edition of five
Man in Red Sweatshirt 2, 2009
C-print, Diasec. 150 x 120 cm
Edition of five
42
Woman with Purple Scarf, 2009
C-print, Diasec. 150 x 120 cm
Edition of five
45
Pertti Kekarainen
Born in 1965 in Oulu, Finland
Lives and works in Helsinki, Finland
1989 De Vrije Academie von Beeldenden Kunsten, Den Haag
1989 Academy of Fine Arts, Helsinki
1985 University of Industrial Arts, Helsinki
46 47
TILA (Passage IV), 2007
C-print, Diasec. 195 x125 cm
Edition of five
Loan from the artist
TILA (passage V), 2007
C-print, Diasec. 195 x125 cm
Edition of five
48
TILA (Passage VI), 2007
C-print, Diasec. 195 x125 cm
Edition of five
Loan from the artist
51
Ola Kolehmainen
Born in 1964 in Helsinki, Finland
Lives and works in Helsinki, Finland and Berlin, Germany
1999 University of Art and Design Helsinki, Department of Photography, MA
1992 University of Helsinki, Department of Journalism
52 53
Yellow with Black and Diagonals, 2004
Analogue c-print, Diasec. 180 x 230 cm
Edition of five
Voluptuous, 2008
Analogue c-print, Diasec. 202 x 260 cm
Edition of six
55
Minimal Interventions of Linear Elements, 2007
Analogue c-print (diptych). 202 x 522 cm
Edition of six
57
Pink, Orange and Grey with a Tree, 2004
Analogue c-print, Diasec. 180 x 258 cm
Edition of five
58 59
More or Less Less Organic, 2008
Analogue c-print, Diasec. 140 x 186 cm
Edition of three
Aalto, 2006
Analogue c-print, Diasec. 180 x 245 cm
Edition of six
61
Susanna Majuri
Born in 1978 in Helsinki, Finland
Lives and works in Helsinki, Finland
2007 University of Art and Design Helsinki, Department of Photography, MA
2004 Arts Academy / Turku Polytechnic, BA
2000 Voionmaa College, Photography
1999 Orivesi College, Creative writing

62 63
Salme, 2007
C-print, Diasec. 80 X 120 cm
Edition of five
Birthday, 2007
C-print, Diasec. 90 x 135 cm
Edition of five
64 65
Saviour, 2008
C-print, Diasec. 90 x 135 cm
Edition of five
Save, 2008
C-print, Diasec. 90 x 135 cm
Edition of five
67
Tiina Itkonen
Born 1968 in Helsinki, Finland
Lives and works in Helsinki, Finland
2002 University of Art and Design Helsinki, MA
1995 Turku School of Art and Communication
69
Ice Fjord IlI, 2006
C-print, Diasec. 70 x 200 cm
Edition of seven
71
Icescape I, 2006
C-print, Diasec. 70 x 200 cm
Edition of seven
73
Kullorsuaq I, 2006
C-print, Diasec. 70 x 200 cm
Edition of seven
75
Uummannaq III, 2007
C-print, Diasec. 70 x 200 cm
Edition of seven
76
Man IV, 2002
C-print, Diasec. 80 x 80 cm
Edition of seven
79
Ilkka Halso
Born in 1965 in Orimattila, Finland
Lives and works in Orimattila, Finland
1992 University of Art and Design Helsinki, Department of Photography, MA
80 81
Untitled (3), 2000
C-print, Diasec. 100 x 136 cm
Edition of six
Untitled (2), 2000
C-print, Diasec. 100 x 136 cm
Edition of six
83
Kitka River, 2004
C-print, Diasec (tripych). 183 x 300 cm
Edition of six
84 85
Theatre II, 2008
C-print, Diasec. 125 x 190 cm
Edition of six
Theatre I, 2003
C-print, Diasec. 100 x 154 cm
Edition of six
86
Tree revolutions 1, 2008
C-print, Diasec. 100 x 132 cm
Edition of six
89
Kalle Kataila
Born in 1978 in Helsinki, Finland
Lives and works in Helsinki, Finland
2006 University of Art and Design Helsinki, Department of Photography, MA
2004 Lahti Polytechnic, Institute of Design, Department of Photography, BA
2002 UCE, University of Central England in Birmingham, Art and Design, Photography


90 91
Contemplation, Somerset, 2004
Pigment print on photorag.
90 x 110 cm; 105 x 135 cm, framed
Edition of five
Contemplation, Guhyaloka, 2004
Pigment print on photorag.
90 x 120 cm; 105 x 135 cm, framed
Edition of five
92 93
Contemplation, Lapland, 2007
Pigment print on photorag.
90 x 110 cm; 105 x 135 cm, framed
Edition of five
Contemplation No.13, 2008
Pigment print on photorag.
90 x 110 cm; 105 x 135 cm, framed
Edition of five
94
Contemplation, Madrid, 2004
Pigment print on photorag.
90 x 120 cm; 105 x 135 cm, framed
Edition of five
All images
the artists 2009
Photography matters: The Helsinki School
Statoil office, main reception,
Drammensveien 264, Vker, Oslo, Norway
1 October 2009 1 February 2010
Statoil art programme
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www.statoil.com/artprogramme