Marja Viitahuhta is an artist and filmmaker based in Helsinki, Finland, who spent her childhood in Northern Finland and Sápmi. Her artistic practice encompasses experimental films, performances, collages, and installations. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Performing Arts from the Arts Academy at Turku University of Applied Sciences and a Master’s degree in Fine Arts from the Academy of Fine Arts in Helsinki.
Her works have received international recognition and awards at the Cannes Film Festival (Cinéfondation), Stuttgarter Filmwinter, Mediawave, L’Alternativa, Minimalen and Minikino film festivals, and have been acquired for collections including those of Kiasma, MoMA, and the Saastamoinen Foundation.
Her works have explored themes such as the layered nature of individual memories, examining their public and private dimensions side by side, as well as our relationship with landscape and its commodification.
Viitahuhta often incorporates archival or found footage into her work and develops narratives based on interviews. Images may be distorted or animated, juxtaposed with music, or accompanied by voice-over narration.
Many of Viitahuhta’s works have been created in collaboration with musicians, whose music enters into a dialogue with her visual expression. These collaborators include Ánnámáret (yoiking), Ilkka Heinonen (jouhikko, a Karelian bowed lyre), Turkka Inkilä (electronic music), Anne-Mari Kivimäki (vocals and accordion), Kärhämä (a vocal ensemble singing about the etymologies of words), and Sahrawi musicians Khadijatu Larusi and Tarba Baibu, who live in a refugee camp near Tindouf, Algeria.
Viitahuhta is particularly interested in the relationship between visual expression, text, and music, and in dismantling the hierarchies between these forms of expression.
Other websites
Av-arkki
Vimeo Marja Viitahuhta’s Vimeo account
Instagram Instagram account
Press & Reviews
Free, radical (2004) Cork Film Festival review by Maximilian Le Cain for Senses of Cinema. Chapter 8 talks about 99 Years of My Life
American-Scandinavian Foundation Celebrates Centennial with Exhibition of Contemporary Nordic Art (2011) review of North by New York, a group exhibition in Scandinavian House, New York
Chilly Scenes (and Sounds) of Scandinavia (2011) review of North by New York, a group exhibition in Scandinavian House, New York
Marja Mikkonen (2002) (in swedish) A portrayal by Joanna Sandell in SvD
Press & Reviews in finnish
Marja Viitahuhdan jännittävissä videoissa joiku kohtaa mediataiteen (2023) Harri Römpötin televisioarvostelu Marja Viitahuhdan ja Ánnámáretin (yhteistyössä muusikoiden Ilkka Heinonen ja Turkka Inkilä kanssa) toteuttamista videoteoksista
Hiljaisesti ja rauhallisesti ei-mistään (2013) Saara Hacklinin näyttelyarvio Mustekala -sivustolla
Miten maailma hahmottuu (2012) Otso Kantokorven näyttelyarvio Alaston kriitikko -sivustolla
Tuoksuja, katseita, matkoja ja politiikkaa Kiasman järjestetyssä jutussa (2010) Pirkko Holmberg, Jenni Martikainen ja Harri Mäcklin Mustekala -sivustolla
Neljän naisen yhteinen elämä (2004) Leena Virtasen juttu Helsingin Sanomissa
Taideakatemialaisten elokuva tuli kotikatsomon väkeä liki (2004) Ari-Matti Ruuskan juttu Turun Sanomiin 99 Vuotta Elämästäni -elokuvan valinnasta Cannesin Elokuvajuhlille
Publications
Noniin magazine (2022) My interview of artist and colleague Azar Saiyar published in the Noniin online magazine
Niin&Näin 4/19 (2019) Images of artworks published as illustration of a philosophical
Spotlight (2013) Monologue performance in the brodacasting company Yle Radio 1, as part of the Ääniversumi programme
Spotlight (2011) Performance monologue, published in the Esitys journal (Pdf)