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26.2.2009 Research by TAMK University of Applied Sciences and the Finnish Museum of Photography:
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Elisa
Mäkitalo (left) and Liina Mäki-Patola (right) fourth-year
undergraduates Degree Programme in Fine Arts TAMK University of Applied
Sciences with Juha Suonpää, Head of Programme, contemplating
the various alternatives for attaching significance to pictures.. High resolution image (1406 Kb) Photo: Antti Haapio |
Juha
Suonpää of TAMK University of Applied Sciences in his
research has established that the breakthrough of success factors in
Finland’s photographic art occurred some 15 to 20 years ago. In
its first decade of EU membership Finland’s photographic art
strengthened as part of pictorial art, commercialized and westernized.
Many Finnish photographers won their spurs in international galleries
– and only after that achieved acclaim at home.
According to Suonpää’s research, the successful Finnish
photographer has succeeded in reconciling demands for internationalism
in photographer or photography with the call for a basis in the
“Finnish self-portrait”. This has typically been expressed
by three factors: the ethos of the forest primeval emanating from the
man-nature relation, a clear Finnish-man-woman gendered image and the
portrayal of Finland as a Europeanized periphery – the exotic
tourist attraction.
The Finnishness of the photographer has facilitated working with other
small nations and border peoples and conditions. The artist in his work
has identified with the object portrayed rather than being a voyeur or
a visual exploiter.
The international success of Finnish photographic art has had a major
effect on how photographers can make a living, including policy
regarding stipends. The findings of the research at TAMK University of
Applied Sciences are a new tool for photographers for those engaged
in exporting this art form and for other actors. The findings provide a
new, concrete basis for critical discussion on the content and quality
of photography past and present.
The findings can also be utilized in the design of teaching in
photography in higher education. In this research polytechnic students
participated in the multifaceted analysis of works of photographic art
and the texts on them. What is interesting in the research is
especially the method by which certain successful works of photographic
art were copied: a new picture, so-called pastiche, was created
from this using humour and exaggeration. The research was carried out
during the period 2005-2008 as part of the research and development
work of TAMK University of Applied Sciences.
Suonpää’s research formed part of the Finnish Museum of
Photography project Pohjan Tähdet (Stars of the North) examining
the internationalisation of Finnish photographic and video art. The
project was funded mainly by the Academy of Finland.
More information:
TAMK University of Applied Sciences Dr. Juha Suonpää Tel. +358 400 120 544 firstname.lastname@tamk.fi |
University of Helsinki, Christina Institute for Women's Studies, Faculty of Arts University Lecturer Leena-Maija Rossi Tel. + 358 9 1912 3229 firstname.lastname@helsinki.fi |