Bio and Artistic statement

The inspirational theme for my practice and research is currently the feminine principle, artistic support for environmental and legal work and wisdom traditions addressing the planet earth being our body and consciousness. How can artistic practices bring these topics forward? How do these views direct the choices we make or the stories we tell? How distinct are the actions based on the feminine principle in today’s world? As an artist I work with songs, writing and visual art as means for storytelling on various levels. My work is often site-specific, emphasizing the moment of the now. As a cultural producer I concentrate on the question of artistic practices supporting environmental work in a tangible manner.

Having lived many periods of time in different cultures and studied the heritage of various spiritual traditions has influenced my work significantly. Collaborations with the community of artists internationally and inspiring organizations (e.g. TreeSisters: women seeding the change, Stop Ecocide International and Earth Protectors) form an enriching and inseparable part of my practice continually. 

CV

Raila Mar Knuuttila, lives and works in Fiskars and Rovaniemi, Finland

Degrees

2021 – Doctoral Researcher in Lapland University, “Arctic in a Changing World” – Doctoral Programme

2014 MA, Visual Culture, Aalto University 

2004 BA, Fine Arts, TAMK Art & Media, Environmental Art

2000 Baccalaureate, Tammerkosken aikuislukio

Other educations and expertise

Expertise in artistic research is gained through rigorous practice throughout the career.

Teaching: especially land art process and theory connected to Law of Ecocide and Art.

2004 – 2019 Numerous attended short workshops internationally from writing to music and visual arts & butoh dance.

2005 Nordic School of Butoh (3 months intensive course) 

Language skills

Finnish, English – working proficiency

Spanish, Swedish – good

French, Russian, German – beginner

Current employment

2022 – Sales Manager at Krannin tila Oy -organic farm

Previous work experience

• 11/2021 – 03/2022 Producer for Swan Song -dance performance by Kaaos Company
• 2018 – Project management and chair in Mandala ry  (non-profit organization in Finland), responsibilities covered: hiring and supervising the employees, budgeting, progress of projects, reporting to the association’s board 

• Experience working with different organizations and institutions, overlapping times:

•  8/2020 – 11/2021 Coordination of Stop Ecocide International, Ecocide Law Finland and reaching out to audiences both on social media and at various events, making contacts, producing materials for different stakeholders

•  9/2014 – 6/2020 Tropical reforestation organization TreeSisters: Women Seeding the Change, various tasks as a volunteer: social media, volunteer guidance, creation of a country branch and crowdfunding campaign in Finland 

• 11/2020 Helinä Rautavaaran museo. Part of Our Common Climate -project funded by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs,  Launching event of Ecocide Law Finland

• 10/2019 Fingo NGO’s Beyond Growth – EU conference: creative land art production for the public and politicians, Paasitorni, Helsinki .

• 2017-2021 Personal assistant, private employer Gunilla Sjövall,. The work included a wide range of encounters with people, accessibility-related counseling, interpreting speech, and assisting the employer in all aspects of daily life and her work as a dancer, teacher and producer.

Research funding and grants, art grants, prizes, residencies

2021 Working grant from Taike, 2 months 

2015 Artist in Residence, Copenhagen City, Denmark.

2014 Aalto University. Grant for collaboration w Mørk-Dans, Cph, Denmark.

2013 Tampere City. Production grant for Ahoi Performanci.

2010 Pirkanmaa Art Council. Working grant.

2009 Tampere City. Production grant for Tanssi Outo Paikka-festival. 

2008 Artist in Residency, Barcelona, Spain.

2007 Pohjois-Karjala Art Council. Working grant.

2007 Ministry of Education and Culture, Finland. Grant for the group.

2006 Sleipnir. Grant for further studies in art, Copenhagen, Denmark.

2006 Tampere City. Grant for further studies in art, Copenhagen, Denmark.

2005 Kinos Film Festival 1. Prize for video work.

2005 Foundation for Environmental Art. Grant for environmental art.

2004 Nokia City. Grant for group exhibitions and cultural events.

2004 Finland – Lithuania Foundation Travel grant for a group.

Research output, publications, artistic research

2018 “Liiteri-Picasso Martti Hömppi”, article in the book ITE teossa,(edit. Minna Haveri), Maaseudun Sivistysliitto, Helsinki.

2015 Kävely – Brysselistä Istanbuliin, book, Ntamo, Helsinki.

2014 Kävely – Brysselistä Istanbuliin, dissertation, Aaltodoc, Aalto University, Helsinki.

2009 “Tiheämpi tila”, article in the book Kansanestetiikka, 

(edit. Piela, Knuuttila), Kalevalaseura, Helsinki.

2007 -2008 Series of columns with Teemu Takatalo, Joensuu Graduate Magazine, UEF.

2004 Poissaolon estetiikka. Dissertation, Environmental Art, TAMK Art and Media, Tampere

• I have worked in various roles as part of numerous art exhibitions, installations and dance productions in 2004 – 2021, in international and Finnish working groups. For example as a production assistant and documentary at the Integrated Dance Explorations group’s performances in Copenhagen in 2018. As an assistant at the dance and art festival in Copenhagen, Handicap Art Festival 2014. 

• 2007 – 2015. Producing materials for audiences as a result of a long project “Walking – from Brussels to Istanbul”,  full length feature in YLE Radio 1, Exhibition (Joensuu Pakkahuone), website for the project, columns, publishing a book (Ntamo).

• 2007-2008. Walking across Europe, from Brussels to Istanbul, carried out with the artist Teemu Takatalo in , making contacts and collaborating in different countries along the way (Belgium, France, Spain, Italy, Slovenia, Bosnia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey).

•  5-7 / 2001.Creating an artistic nature trail as a group work at the Forest Museum in Lusto in cooperation with the Association of the Deaf and Blind, Punkaharju, Finland.

Scientific and societal impact

2020 Co-leading Ecocide Law -petition to Finland’s Government together with Mikko Husman, Marko Ulvila and Mikko Pyhälä, resulting in 137 signatures from former ministers, researchers, company leaders, religious leaders and artists. The discussion is on-going with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and is held at an international level. See more in www.ecocidelawfinland.org and www.stopecocide.earth 

EXHIBITIONS

2017 Mandala. Feminine Nature Based Process Work with Allan Jorch Dehn Kristensen, Denmark & Finland.

2016 Charity to Ants, exhibition with Heini Mikkonen, Linnan Pyöräverstaan Kahvila, Hämeenlinna, Finland.

2015 Walking Exhibition. Curator: Matilde Mörk, Saeby, Århus, Denmark.

2013 Paintings. Group Exhibition Generaattorigalleria, Pori, Finland.

2012 To Draw. Group Exhibition, Generaattorigalleria, Pori, Finland.

2010 Etäisyys Bryssel – Istanbul. W T. Takatalo, Pakkahuone, Jns, Finland.

2009 0db, video works, Practice as Research in Theatre, Tampere, Finland.

2009 Naisen Tila. Group Exhibition, Kemi Art Museum, Kemi, Finland. 2008        Screendance: the state of art II. Video work in sreening, American Dance Festival, Durham, North Carolina, USA.

2008 100 % Finlande. Video work in screening, Theatre l’Aquarium/Theatre Chaudron & La Cartoucherie, Paris, France.

2008 Dance Trade Fair. Video work in screening, Pavilion of Finland, Dusseldorf, Germany

2008 Linssin Takaa III. Video work in screening Zodiak Uuden Tanssin Keskus, Helsinki, Finland.

2007 Lintu ja Nainen. Sound piece in Marianne Laiti’s exhibition. Galleria Napa, Rovaniemi, Finland.

2007 Livejournal – Naisen Tila. Group exhibition. Anna Ahmatova museum, Saint Petersburg, Russia.

2005 Silmänlumetta. Group exhibition, St Petersburg Finnish Institute, Saint Petersburg, Russia.

2005 Ansojen kokija. Solo Exhibition. Pispala Contemporary Art Center, Tampere, Finland.

2005Taidelehto. Environmental Art. Tampere, Finland.

2005 Naulantaivutus. Environmental Art and performance happening, Tampere, Finland.

2005 Kinos, Video work in screening , Lahti, Finland.

2004 RATAS – Finnish-Lithuanian Art Expedition. Group exhibition. Siuronkosken Voimala, Nokia Finland.

2004 RATAS – Finnish Art Expedition. Group exhibition. Klaipedos Dailes Parodurumai, Klaipeda, Lithuania.

2004 PAM! Group exhibition, Vapriikki, Tampere, Finland.

PERFORMANCE, DANCE

2013 Ahoi Performanci, performances and production with four peoples group in Galleria Koppelo, Tampere, Gallery Huuto, Helsinki, Finland.

2009 Undercover. Solo, Tukkateatteri, Tampere, Finland

2009 Butoh Dance Pieces, coreography Grigory Glazunov, Athens, Greece.

2009 Yksi/kaksi. Group improvisations, Kerman Himinät, Heinävesi, Finland.

2009 Annikinkadun Butokioski. Interactive installation/ group performance, Tampere, Finland.

2009 Maisemanainen. Solo dance performance, Kemi Art Museum, Kemi, Finland.

2009 Lost Dolls, Butoh dance piece, coreography Grigory Glazunov, Kaapelitehdas Helsinki, Finland.

2007-08 Walk From Brussels to Istanbul. Process work with Teemu Takatalo. Europe.

2007 Under White. Dance piece with Anna Jussilainen Livejournal event, Anna Ahmatova Museum, Sant Petersburg, Russia.

2007 Whirl. Dance piece with Martina Elo, Dora Farkas. Body and Word -festival, Sant Petersburg, Russia.

2006 Meet the Mind that Moves. Mørk Dans Company, choreography Matilde Mørk. Roskilde Festival -06, Roskilde, Denmark.

2006 Natur, kropp og människa, choreography Anita Saij. Frederiks Bastion, Copenhagen, Denmark.