PechaKucha Night

Irene Suosalo is a Helsinki-based video artist who focuses on animation. She graduated as a photographer from the Lahti Institute of Design in 2019. Suosalo creates in the middle ground between different established art forms. She approaches animation and illustration in an original way that adds sensory-combining changes to experimental video or, more broadly, abstract art. Most of her works are short animation loops or video installations composed of hundreds of animated elements. 

In 2022, Suosalo was awarded the Illustrator of the Year award (Kuvitajat RY). Her illustration clients have included the New York Times, New Yorker, The Atlantic, Bloomberg, Burberry and Bottega Veneta. 

She has presented video works internationally (including ArtRotterdam, the Netherlands and AuditoriumArte, Italy) and in Finland, including Aboa Vetus Ars Nova, Designmuseo and Amos REX. Her works are part of the art collections of the National Gallery (KIASMA) and the City of Turku.

Suosalo works closely with musicians, performing live video performances, at classical music concerts and on the stages of major festivals. She has also given interviews to numerous magazines and lectured about his work at Aalto University, among others. In 2024, Helsingin Sanomat included him in its list of “35 under 35” promising Finnish cultural figures.

Photo: Adele Hyry

Björk Hijoort Soppela is a Stockholm-born artist and metalworker, now based in Finland. After several years working internationally as a mural painter with collaborations ranging from major brands such as Dr.Martens, Marimekko, Flow Festival and Hartwall, to cultural institutions across continents with work featured three years in a row on Stockholm’s Snösätra Wall of Fame, she made a decisive career shift into Metal and production technology with main focus on welding. 

Moving from art and paint to steel and construction – her path bridges two very different worlds, art and industry, each shaping her perspective in distinct ways.

Mika Johnson is a Prague–Helsinki based artist and director, and the creative lead of Experience Aika. His practice spans film, mixed reality, sound and music, text, installation, and performance, often breaking away from traditional formats to create immersive experiences rooted in nature, time, and presence. Johnson’s work frequently draws inspiration from rituals, mythology, and ecology, weaving dream-like narratives that invite audiences into spaces of reflection and transformation. Currently training as a Somatic Experiencing therapist, he places embodiment and presence at the core of his artistic approach. His immersive installations have been showcased in more than 40 countries, and his films have received numerous awards at international festivals.

Ellen Järnefelt is a Helsinki-based writer and multi-media artist working with text, collage and fashion, and with music with her alias Monokromatiko. In her work, she explores affects and cultural symbolism and how meaning is made through intersemiotic exchange.

Ari Heinilä is the founder of Skimbaaja magazine (1977), a filmmaker, and a versatile media professional. In recent years, he has focused his efforts on improving the condition of the Baltic Sea. In 2022, he founded the environmental association Minun mereni (My Sea), with the aim of creating a grassroots movement to protect and restore the Baltic Sea.

Samuil Angelov is a Finnish restaurateur, sommelier, and entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience in hospitality and wine. He is the founder and CEO of Muru Dining, the group behind renowned restaurants such as Muru, Pastis, and Villa Lilla, as well as Muru Wines. A three-time Finnish Sommelier Champion, Samuil has represented Finland internationally and served as President of the Finnish Sommelier Association. Outside of work, he is a proud father of three who enjoys gardening in Helsinki’s Pakila allotment and supporting his eldest son’s ice hockey team.

Photo: Nico Backström

Joel Melasniemi is a music producer, composer and a graphic designer. He has done wide collaborative work in Finnish pop music as well as scoring films. He is the guitarist and visual designer for the bands Ultra Bra and Scandinavian Music Group.

Photo: Minna Hatinen

Anna Brotkin (born 1987) is a Helsinki-based screenwriter, known for her contemporary take on city life. She created the hit series “Aikuiset” that has won critics and audiences over. Her up-coming tv-series “Atlantis Pasila” is set in a bar in East-Pasila and will be released in January 2026 at Yle. She is especially interested in people, places and dialogue. She has been awarded with a Golden Venla Award and a Finlandia prize by the Minister of Culture. She holds a master’s degree in screenwriting from Aalto University.

Photo: Laura Mainiemi

Lilja Birgisdóttir is an Icelandic artist based in Reykjavík who works across photography, performance, video, sound, and installation. She has been closely involved with the artist-run gallery Kling & Bang in Reykjavík and co-founded Endemi, an art magazine focused on contemporary Icelandic art. Lilja’s work explores transformation, the handmade, and sustainability, often combining photography with materials like oil paint, resin, plants, and found objects. She is a member of the international art collective Fischersund.

From festivals to startups, Marko Ahtisaari works at the intersection of technology, design, art and philosophy. He currently serves as Board Chair of CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation and is co-founder of ÄÄNI / House of Sound – a new cultural center focused on sound and listening – on the grounds of Akola in Ii,  Finland. He plays bass in the band Construction.

Sanna Mander is a Helsinki-based designer and illustrator, boundlessly creating artwork for publishing, branding, textile and package design.

(Sanna’s PechaKucha takes an Art Walk in a local Supermarket, showcasing a visual haul of the everyday extraordinary!)