← Back to blog

Mia Seppälä

Challenging the binary essence of the photograph by destabilizing it with image-based experiments in public places

Mia Seppälä is a Helsinki based artist and doctoral candidate at the Academy of Fine Arts, University of the Arts Helsinki. She graduated with a Master of Fine Arts from the same institution. Seppälä works with photography, painting, performance, moving image and participatory art.

Her research interest is currently to challenge the binary essence of the photograph by destabilizing it with image-based experiments at the public places. In these situations, the image is slowly and manually removed, highlighting the physical connection to the digital image. Chosen image and its location is often based on existing structures, formats and established procedures.

Teaching and research activities

2021 – 2023   Doctoral candidate position, Finnish Academy of Fine Arts 1.9.2021-1.9.2023 

2021 – 2022   Hourly-paid teacher, Printmaking department: Artistic work seminar, Printmaking – Visual culture seminar, Artistic studies, independent artistic work, BFA and MFA students

2019 – 2022   Studiovisits (in all study areas) Finnish Academy of Fine Arts

2021   Workshop organizer, Research Pavilion, Hietsu Pavilion, Helsinki 

2021   Teacher, Artistic studies, Printmaking – Slow selfie, Open University, Mobility Studies

2020   Visiting lecturer, Studies in Site and Situation Specific Art – Participatory art and the ethics of social engagement, Finnish Academy of Fine Arts

2020   Visiting lecturer, Contemporary Art as Social and Institutional Practice, Aalto University

2020    Workshop teacher, Disappearing landscapes – painting workshops, Contemporary Art Center Hirvitalo, Tampere

2019   Visiting lecturer, Visual culture seminar, Printmaking department, Finnish Academy of Fine Arts 

2019   Doctoral candidate position, Finnish Academy of Fine Arts 1.9.-31.12.2019 

Trust activities and memberships

2021   Research Ethics Council of the University of the Arts Helsinki 2021-2023 

2021   BFA Admissions jury, Finnish Academy of Fine Arts 

Academic Council board member 2020-2022, Finnish Academy of Fine Arts

Teaching languages

English, Finnish

Doctoral candidate / Hourly-paid teacher

Taideyliopisto / University of the Arts Helsinki

Kuvataideakatemia / Academy of Fine Arts

email: mia.b.seppala@uniarts.fi

website: https://miaseppala.com

An ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0557-4383

KuvA research activities

This blog highlights the activities of the research unit and doctoral programme at the Academy of Fine Arts Helsinki | Tämä blogi esittelee Kuvataideakatemian tutkimusyksikön ja tohtorikoulutusohjelman tapahtumia ja toimintaa | I den här bloggen presenteras verksamheten och evenemangen vid Bildkonstsakademins forskningsenhet och doktorandprogram

Latest posts

Follow blog