Juha Suonpää

Academic degrees:

1.1.2019 Adjunct Professor, title of a Docent: Art, Environment and Representation of Nature, University of Lapland 

18.12.2002 Doctor of Arts. University of Art and Design (Aalto University), Department of Photography.

12.12.1997 Licentiate of Arts. University of Art and Design (Aalto University), Department of Photography. 

3.5.1987 Master of Education, Degree Programme in Teacher Education, University of Tampere. 

Current position:

1.1.2002 – Principal Lecturer, Visual Culture, School of Business and Media, Tampere University of Applied Sciences (TAMK), Finland

Previous work experience (full time)

1.1.2007–30.7.2017 Head of Programme, Fine Art, Tampere University of Applied Sciences (TAMK)

1.1.2004–31.12.2005 Head of Department (deputy), Fine Art, Tampere University of Applied Sciences (TAMK).

01.08.2005–31.01.2007 Postdoc Researcher, The Finnish Museum of Photography.

01.08.1999–14.02.2002 Academy Research Fellow, University of Art and Design Helsinki (Aalto University). 

13.01.1997–12.07.1997 Academy Research Fellow, University of Art and Design Helsinki (Aalto University).

1.7.1993–31.12.1995 Regional Artist, The Province of Turku and Pori Finland.

8.8.1988–7.6.1989 Editor, Ministry of the Environment Finland.

1.8.1987–1.1.1988 Producer, Nature league & The Finnish Association for Nature Conservation Finland.

Previous work experience (part time)

1.8.2011–30.3.2013 Professor of Environmental Photography, Faculty of Art, University of Lapland.

1.1.1992–31.12.1997 Film producer and director, Swamphead Ltd.

1.1.1992–30.12.2012 Teaching tasks in numerous institutions of higher education: University of Tampere (photojournalism), University of Helsinki (aesthetics), University of Jyväskylä (photojournalism), University of Joensuu (media culture), University of Lapland (sociology), Turku Art Academy (photographic art), Lahti University of Applied Sciences (photographic art), Satakunta University of Applied Sciences (communication), Pirkanmaa school of arts and crafts (communication).

International work experience (part time):

15.10.2018–5.11.2018 Visiting Professor, School of Art and Design, Wuhan Textile University, China (- fourth coming).

15.8.2011–1.12.2011 Artist in residence, School of Art and Design, Photography. Ontario College of Art and Design, Toronto, Canada.

10.8.2009–1.11.2009 Visiting Professor. Chung-Ang University, Department of Photography. Seoul, Korea.

1.6.2005–1.7.2005 Artist in Residence, Fluss-Society for the promotion of photo and media art, Wien, Austria.

Research funding and leadership:

1.1.2019-30.12.2023 Senior Researcher and Executive Project Leader (budget 400 000 €), CICAT2025, Finnish Academy STN Fund (total budget 5.3 milj. euro) 

1.8.2018–31.12.2020 Executive Project Leader, Virtual Medicine – Creative competence for social and health care, European Social Fund, ESR (total budget 578 010 €)

1.11.2015–31.12.2017 Project Leader, TaideART – Earning Logic and Models for Artist, European Social Fund, ESR.

1.5.2011–31.3.2014 Professor, Nature and Environmental Academy, The European Regional Fund, EAKR.

1.1.2005 - 1.6.2008 Post Doc Researcher, The Making of Polar Stars, Finnish Academy Fund.

Pre-examination statements:

16.4.2021 Doctorate Thesis, Aalto University, Faculty of Art, Pauliina Pasanen.

30.1.2015 Doctorate thesis, Academy of Fine Art, Perttu Saksa.

15.9.2008 Doctorate thesis, University of Lapland, Faculty of Art, Kalle Lampela.

20.8.2007 Doctorate thesis, Aalto University, Faculty Visual Culture, Harri Pälviranta.

30.5.2006 Doctorate thesis, School of Art and Design, Department of Visual Culture, Tapio Heikkilä.

12.10.2006 M.A.Anne Keskitalo. University of Lapland, Faculty of Art, Anne Keskitalo.

Supervision Master's Theses:

2000-2016 Several Master’s theses: Department of Visual Culture, Aalto University.

2021 Master’s theses: Academy of Fine Arts

Statements for academic appointments:

30.6.2015 Professorship statement, University of Art & Design in Berlin (BTK).

1.6.2014 Docent, University of Lapland (ULapland)

Academic recognition:

2000 Scientific prize of the year, Pirkanmaa Culture Foundation.

Quality Grants for Photographic Publications:

2018 Isoisä– ДеД (Grandfather) Arts Promotion Centre Finland.

2016 Juurtumisia (Rootings) Arts Promotion Centre Finland.

2006 Valokuva on IN (Photography is IN). Arts Council of Finland.

2006 Sacred Places/Pyhät paikat. Arts Council of Finland.

2001 Petokuvan raadollisuus (The Beastly Image of a Beast). Arts Council of Finland.

1994 Metsä liikkuu (Forest Is On The Move). Arts Council of Finland.

Art prizes and awards: 

2017 Majaoja prize.

2015 Quality film prize (Wolfman documentary), Arts Promotion Centre Finland.

2013 Taike Pirkanmaa- prize, Arts Promotion Centre, Finland.

2011 Finnfoto Prize.

2002 Book of the Year (Petokuvan raadollisuus). Finnish Book Arts Committee.

1995 Year’s most beautiful book 1994 award: Metsä Liikkuu. Finnish Book Arts Committee.

1994 Book of the Year (Karhunpennun kesä). Finnish Book Arts Committee 1994.

1992 Photographer of the Year 1992. Kameralehti.

1989 1. prize in the Nature Photographs of the Year -competition.

Private Art Exhibitions (selected):

2018 Isoisä – ДеД (Grandfather), Gallery Nykyaika, Tampere.

2011 Holy Melancholy, Northern Photography Center / Rantagalleria. Oulu.

2008 Sacred Places – Pyhät paikat, Gallery Hippolyte, Helsinki.

2007 Sacred Places – Pyhät paikat, Tampere Art Museum, Tampere. 

1999 Muumaa (Wilderness), Gallery Nykyaika, Tampere.

1993 Tuskan jälkeen, Laterna Magica, Helsinki. 

1992 Tie tappaa (Road is a Killer), Vanhan galleria Helsinki. 

1992 Tie tappaa (Road is a Killer), Gallery Opri, Lappeenranta.

1992 Tie tappaa (Road is a Killer), Rantagalleria, Oulu.

1991 Metsä liikkuu (Forest is On the Move), Fotofinlandia, The Cable Factory, Helsinki.

International Private Art Exhibitions (selected):

2011 Sacred Places, Neue Sächsische Galerie, Chemnitz, Germany.

2010 Holy Melancholy, Alternative Space Geonhi, Seoul, Korea.

2007 Elsewhereland, Tarto Art House, Tarto, Estonia. 

Art Works in Collections:

- Finnish National Art Collections, Finland.

- Tampere Art Museum, Finland.

- Jyväskylä Art Museum, Finland.

- Private collections (U.S., South-Korea and Finland)

Curator in International Art Exhibitions (selected):

2018 Rituals, Samtan Art Mine -gallery, South-Korea.

2016 Desire, Gallery Nykyaika. Tampere, Finland.

2015 Desire, Osaka University Art Gallery. Osaka, Japan.

2014 Revolutions, Bratislava Photo Festival, Bratislava, Slovakia.

2014 Simulation, GAFA, Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, Guangzhou, China.

2014 Pseudo OCADU Gallery, Contact Photo Festival, Toronto, Canada.

2014 Spotlight Backlight Photo Festival, Tampere, Finland.

Feature Length Documentary Films:

2023 Lynx Man, 80 min, 4K/FullHD, (director). Wacky Tie Films, Klara Films & Swamphead.

2013 Wolfman, 75 min, HD (director). Oktober Oy, Arte France, YLE Finland.

2000 Vuores, 52 min, DV (director). Swamphead Oy ja YLE TV2.

Juha Suonpää is an Adjunct professor in Art, Environmental and Representation of Nature, Doctor of Arts and a Master of Education. Suonpää works as the principal lecturer of visual culture in the international Degree programme in Media and Arts at Tampere University of Applied Sciences (TAMK). At the moment he is Senior Academy researcher and project manager in Finnish Academy CICAT2025 project. 

Suonpää has exhibited internationally and published documentary films, numerous academic monographs and articles and researched, for example, topics related to photography, visualizing science and the construction of the identity of a place. 

Monographs:

1. Juha Suonpää (2018) Juurtumisia (Rootings). TAMK Research Publications A24. Tampere: Swamphead, 272 p.

2. Juha Suonpää (2011) Valokuva on IN (Photograph is IN). TAMK Research Publications A16. Helsinki: Maahenki, 248 p.

3. Juha Suonpää (2007) Sacred Places – Pyhät paikat. Helsinki: Maahenki, 128 p.

4. Juha Suonpää (2002) Petokuvan raadollisuus. Luontokuvan yhteiskunnallisten merkitysten metsästys (The Beastly Image of the Beast). UIAH Publications A 35. Tampere: Vastapaino and Taideteollinen korkeakoulu, 216 p.

5. Juha Suonpää (2001). Luontokuvan totuuden hetki (The Truth Moment of Photography). The Finnish Museum of Photography Publications. Helsinki: Suomen valokuvataiteen museo, 112 p.

Art Books:

6. Juha Suonpää (2018) Isoisä– ДеД (Grandfather). Tampere Museum Publications nbr. 152. Tampere: Swamphead, 112 p.

7. Juha Suonpää (2010) Holy Melancholy – 거룩한 우울. Seoul: Geonhi Art Foundation & Swamphead, 48 p.

Anthology and International Referee Article:

8. Juha Suonpää ed. (2020) Visual Catalysts – Visuaaliset katalyytit. Tampereen ammattikorkeakoulun julkaisuja. Serie A, Research 29. CICAT2025 & TAMK: 240 p.

9. Minna Santaoja & Juha Suonpää ed. (2016) Interventions. Visualizing Environmental Change. Oulu: Oulanka Research Station, University of Oulu, Finland, 246 p.

10. Juha Suonpää (2008) Blessed Be the Photograph. Photographies, vol. 1., issue 1, March 2008, Routledge: 67-86.