The Helsinki School of Photography

The Helsinki School of Photography
By Miguel Bermudez

Most people are unaware of the power of contemplation. It is an intensely personal experience of self-awareness and introspection. Moreover, most religions in the world consider contemplation as a central part of communication with the creator. Photographs from the Helsinki School of Photography provide us with a contemplative experience, and the resulting appeal is spreading through many cultures.
In a planet where nature is showing humanity its displeasure with the relentless abuse infringed by its inhabitants, we find the tranquility and enigmatic power of contemplation in the work of these talented photographers.

This school was born as a new educational program at the University of Art & Design Helsinki in the 1990s. It placed tremendous importance on collaboration. One could say that it can trace its roots to the work of John Baldessari, whose conceptual art demonstrated and, in many cases, combined the narrative potential of images and the associative power of language within the boundaries of work of art. (1)

It was Baldessari’s initial concept that influenced Timothy Persons. Persons, having studied in California with Baldessari, was named adjunct professor of the newly formed program at the University of Helsinki.
One can also find the influence of Donald Judd underpinning the work of these photographers. Judd’s central theme of “seeking autonomy and clarity for the constructed object and the space created by it, ultimately achieving a rigorously democratic presentation without compositional hierarchy” (2). Whichever its origins, these artists have tapped into a hunger for simplicity and observation of nature through a very particular set of parameters.
These photographs have found surprising and powerful allies in societies ravaged by war, cultural upheaval, and an unknown path of the future. Yet, some see the serenity of the landscape as lonely, the soft light of the northern hemisphere; the simplicity of their composition; and the respectful collaboration with nature that we find intriguing. We call it all ‘contemplation.’ The photographers, perhaps, unaware of what the world is so urgently seeking – serenity and peace with nature and within ourselves- have created a movement that is finding a niche in many different cultures and places of the world.

There have been, and there are many gifted photographers around the world that portray nature, life, and observation. Still, they seem to lack the collective appeal and set of circumstances that have made the Helsinki school what it is today.

What we believe to be its powerful appeal is the mixture of solitude, observation, simplicity, the softness of light found in the northern hemisphere, its landscapes, and the fact that the viewer seems to look at nature at a distance, with respect and intrigue. Even when some man-made objects are included in some of these photographs, they appear as simple guests that will eventually leave the scene. These photographers remind us of the transient nature of those objects where nature plays the role of a host, just for a brief period.

As we become more aware of the damage we inflict upon nature, these artists bring us a message of calmness and serenity that trees, water, animals, and the overall natural world want to continue sharing with us.

Meb3
(1) Hohmeyer, Boris. “ Aufbruch in hohen Norden”. Art. Das Kunstmagazin. 09/03.
(2) Chilvers, Ian & Glaves-Smith, John eds., Dictionary of Modern and Contemporary Art. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 2009.
(3) “About. Persons Projects”. 21 July 2020.
(4) Alistair Hicks.The Helsinki School Vol.5 p 22.

Our thanks to Elina Brotherus, Leonie Willmann of Persons Projects, and Mikko Rikala for all their help.