Pekka Niittyvirta works at the intersection of installation, photography, video, and alternative image technologies — blurring the boundaries of experimental, conceptual, and documentary work. Through several aesthetically and substantively divergent projects, Niittyvirta views our socially constructed realities critically. Since 1999, Niittyvirta’s works have been exhibited in Finland and abroad, in solo and group exhibitions. In 2014, he earned the Environmental Artwork of the Year award, and was a chosen finalist for Fotofinlandia in 2004, 2006, 2014, and 2016. Niittyvirta’s works are included in numerous collections held by institutions such as Kiasma, Serlachius Museums, HAM (Helsinki Art Museum), Pro Artibus Foundation, The Palestinian Museum, Art Society of Finland and The Finnish State Art Collection.

Studies

2007 Master of Arts, University of Art and Design, Helsinki, Finland
2001 BA (Hons), Kent Institute of Art and Design, Rochester, UK
1998 College of further education, Department of photography, Karjaa, Finland

Solo exhibitions

2020 Efter et nyt Minut, Sæby, Denmark
2018 Photographic Gallery Hippolyte, Helsinki, Finland
2018 Taigh Chearsabhagh Museum & Arts Centre, Scotland, UK
2016 Galleri Format, Malmö, Sweden
2014 Gallery Oksasenkatu 11, Helsinki, Finland
2014 Muu Gallery, Helsinki, Finland
2013 Gallery Alkovi, Helsinki Finland
2010 Galleri Sinne, Helsinki, Finland
2009 Northern Photographic Centre, Oulu, Finland
2009 Culture Centre “Annankatu 6”, Pori, Finland
2009 Photographic Gallery Hippolyte, Helsinki, Finland
2007 Häme Galleria, Lahti, Finland
2007 Galleri Sinne, Helsinki, Finland
2006 Photographic Gallery Hippolyte, Helsinki, Finland
2005 Helsinki International Airport
2004 Photographic Gallery Hippolyte, Helsinki, Finland
2000 Gallery Laterna Magica, Helsinki
1999 Gallery Kinn, Floro, Norway
1999 Gallery Finken, Bergen, Norway

Projects

2022 – 23 Línte na Farraige, Dublin, Galway, Wexford, Ireland

– Lines (Blackrock Park)
– Lines (Galway)
– Lines (Wexford)
with Timo Aho and scientists Zoë Roseby (Trinity College),
Maeve Upton (Maynooth University), Gerard McCarthy (Maynooth University),
and Jamie Mathews (Imperial College London)

2020 Coastline Paradox – Online art project. With Aho + Google Arts & Culture

Group exhibitions (selected)

2023 Something else Biennial, Cairo, Egypt
2022 HAM – Helsinki Art Museum
2021 WAM – Wäinö Aaltosen museo, Turku, Finland
2020 Ars Electronica – Kepler’s Garden, Paris, France
2020 Atelierhaus Aachen, Aachen, Germany
2020 MAIF Social club culture center, Paris, France
2019 UNTITLED ART Miami Beach (Monuments program), by FB Art Dept. Miami FL, USA
2019 Flash2, Suomenlinna, Helsinki
2017 Rosphoto – The State Russian Museum and Exhibition Centre, St. Petersburg, Russia
2017 Finnish Museum of Photography, Helsinki, Finland
2017 Kemi Art museum, Kemi, Finland
2017 Espoo Culture Center, Espoo, Finland
2016 Mongolia Land Art Biennale, Ulaanbaatar/Altan Ovoo, Mongolia
2016 “Freedom” Curated by Laura Köönikkä, Pori, Finland
2016 Art Vaasankatu, Helsinki, Finland
2016 Fotofinlandia 2016, Helsinki, Finland
2015 Serlachius Museum, Mänttä, Finland
2015 Galerii PIX.HOUSE, Poznan, Poland
2015 Mottisfont Abbey, Hampshire, UK
2014 3rd Art Prospect, St. Petersburg, Russia
2014 Es Baluard – Museum of modern and contemporary art, Palma de Mallorca, Spain
2014 Qalandiya International/Jerusalem Show VII, Ramallah/Jerusalem
2014 Backlight 2014, Tampere/Valkeakoski, Finland
2014 Zingst Foto-festival, Zingst, Germany
2014 Kaunas Foto festival, Kaunas, Lithuania
2014 Mänttä Art Festival, Mänttä Finland
2014 Kunstvlaai, Amstelpark, Amsterdam, Netherlands
2014 Fotofinlandia 2014, Helsinki, Finland
2013 Mustarinda Art Centre, Hyrynsalmi, Finland
2012 Kotka Photographic Center, Kotka, Finland
2012 Kallio Kunsthalle, Helsinki, Finland
2011 Kuntsi Museum of Modern Art, Vaasa, Finland
2011 Mustarinda Art Centre, Hyrynsalmi, Finland
2011 Raseborg Photographic Centre (Abidin, Laitinen, Niittyvirta, Saksa, Silomäki), Karjaa, Finland
2011 Supermarket Art Fair, Kulturhuset, Stockholm, Sweden
2010 Artists 2010, TR1/Art Centre Mältinranta , Tampere, Finland
2010 ArtParis+Guests (Stressed Beauty, Curated by Leevi Haapala), Grand Palais, Paris, France
2009 Young Artists 2009, Kunsthalle , Helsinki
2009 Finnish Museum Of Photography, Helsinki, Finland
2009 Kaunas Foto, Kaunas, Lithuania
2009 Gallery Fluss, Wolkersdorf, Austria
2009 Studio Marangoni, Florence, Italy
2009 VB-Centre, Kuopio, Finland
2008 Art Helsinki, Wanha Satama, Helsinki, Finland
2008 Palazzo Pepoli Campogrande, Bologna, Italy
2008 Helsinki Biennale, Design Museum, Helsinki, Finland
2008 Lodz Art Center, Lodz, Poland
2008 Museum Centre Vapriikki, Tampere, Finland
2008 Art Goes Kapakka, Helsinki, Finland
2008 Mänttä Art Festival, Mänttä, Finland
2008 Taidepanimo, Lahti, Finland
2007 Gallerie Elverket, Tammisaari, Finland
2007 Finnish Museum Of Photography, Helsinki, Finland
2007 “Stadthaus”, Mölln, Germany
2007 Jukka Male Museum, Helsinki, Finland
2007 Seh(e)stücke, Pasewalk, Mölln, Germany
2007 Luftschlosserei, Passentin, Germany
2007 Galleria Silta, Helsinki, Finland
2007 Historisches U, Pasewalk, Germany
2007 Jukka Male Museum, Helsinki, Finland
2006 Art Goes Kapakka, Helsinki, Finland
2006 The Fifth International Festival of Photography in Lodz, Poland
2006 Galerie Oljemark, Helsinki, Finland
2006 VB-Keskus, Kuopio, Finland
2006 Fotofinlandia 2006, Helsinki, Finland
2005 Beyond The Valley, London, UK
2004 Fotofinlandia 2004, Helsinki, Finland
2001 A&D Gallery, London, UK
2001 In-Motion, London, UK
2001 Zhandra Rhodes Gallery, Rochester, UK
2000 Home Gallery & Bar, London, UK
2000 Association Of Photographers Gallery, London, UK
1998 Gallery Zebra, Karjaa, Finland

Public Works

2023 Zone (Red 0001, Blue 0002, grey), Headquarters of the Southeast Finland Border Guard
District
2022 Lines (Galway) Spanish Arch, The Long Walk, Galway, Ireland
2018 Lines (57° 59′ N, 7° 16’W), Taigh Chearsabhagh Museum & Arts Centre (Art UK)

Works in collections

Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art
State art collection of Finland
Helsinki Art Museum
Serlachius Museums
Galway City Museum
Taigh Chearsabhagh Museum & Arts Centre
The Palestine Museum
Pro artibus
Art Society of Finland
Private collections, Finland & Abroad

Prizes

2016 Fotofinlandia finalist
2014 Fotofinlandia finalist
2014 Environmental Artwork of the year prize
2006 Fotofinlandia finalist
2004 Fotofinlandia finalist
2000 Association of Photographers (United Kingdom) and Kodak – Student Award