Eija-Liisa Ahtila

Still images from the installation of “The House” 2002

Link to an excerpt of the single-channel video : The House

Information about the artist

A video artist and photographer (born 1959), lives and works in Helsinki.
Often uses interrelated moving image installation pieces and 35mm films. Between 2008 - 2010 was the professor at the department of Time and Space-based Art at the Finnish Academy of Fine Arts (Finland).

Lizzy Brooks talked about this artist as an influence on her work on April 27th, 2010

---

Importance to myself

Eija-Liisa Ahtila was introduced via Lizzy Brooks as an artist who influenced her work. I am still interested in how video work continues to change over time even though I haven’t been producing video work recently.

I am curious how artists will continue to address the issue of creating moving images as the world continues to become saturated by them. Not to say “artists must create sensationalist work”, but how is perception of video itself going to keep changing.

Video has already for some time begun to be used as sculptural elements within physical pieces at MICA by undergrads as far back as 2008. No longer does it seem confined to the wall or monitor, but as a presence or vehicle for something else.

The artists that wish to continue to use projections or as multiple projections (like Eija-Liisa Ahtila) are exploring something much deeper and more meaningful. It is much more difficult to shrug a projection within an installation as being compared to “a Youtube video” or “Cell phone video work”.