10 Questions with Minni Mäkinen

Minni Mäkinen (b. 2003, Helsinki, Finland) is a visual artist and photographer currently based in Switzerland. Her art explores themes of change, transition, and identity, deeply rooted in her personal experience of growing up internationally. Constant movement between cultures and environments sparked her interest in how change shapes who we are, a theme she often explores in her work.

After completing her bachelor’s in Photography and New Media in Florence, Italy, her career has blossomed with international exhibitions, including solo and group shows in London, Paris, New York, and Switzerland.

Her recent work focuses on the dance between the power and the burden of sensitivity. Reconnecting with what sensitivity is beyond the surface level, Mäkinen discovered its immense strength, embracing the vulnerable side in us as a core part of her creative process. Her art now highlights the quiet yet profound strength that resides within vulnerability, inviting viewers to reflect on the beauty in our softness.

With her work, Mäkinen aims to offer moments of peace amidst today’s fast-paced world. Through soft colours, meditative compositions, and subtle abstractions, she hopes to nurture and encourage viewers to recognize their own sensitivity as a source of strength and beauty, fostering a deeper connection to themselves and the world around them.

www.minnimakinen.com | @minnimakinen

ARTIST STATEMENT

Minni Mäkinen’s work is a reflection of movement, time, identity, and the unseen moments in between. Using still-life photography as her painting, she layers and distorts images into abstract compositions that explore change, memory, and emotion. Each piece is a dialogue between the past and present, revealing how our personal and collective past shapes our identity.

Sensitivity is at the core of Mäkinen’s practice. Through soft light, shifting colours, and fluid forms, she captures the delicate weight of emotions that often go unnoticed. Her work invites stillness in a fast-moving world, offering space to reflect on the beauty and complexity of transition.

Blurring the lines between fine art photography and traditional painting, Mäkinen’s art does not seek to capture a single truth but to explore the evolving nature of perception. Her compositions serve as invitations to pause, to feel, and to embrace the quiet power of change.

INTERVIEW

First of all, what sparked your interest in art, and how did you discover your passion for photography?

Creativity has always been a part of my life. As a child, I often spent hours drawing, whether alone, with friends, or with my brother. Growing up in a nomadic family and moving from country to country, drawing became a way to communicate before I learned the local language. My art teacher recognized my potential early on, not only in terms of technical skill but also in creative expression. His encouragement led me to pursue art seriously as a career. Photography entered my practice later, at 16 when I sought to expand my artistic language beyond fine art. This natural curiosity ultimately led me to a bachelor’s degree in photography and new media.

Can you share a bit about your journey as an artist and how your background and studies influence your creative process?

Studying photography and new media while coming from a painting background has given my work a distinct perspective. While every artist develops their own approach, my fine art foundation remains an essential part of my practice. Having explored traditional photography genres, I found myself continually drawn back to the expressive nature of painting and drawing, which ultimately led me to merge the two disciplines.

Your work blends still-life photography with abstract compositions. How did you arrive at this unique approach, and what do you hope to convey through the layering and distortion of images?

Through a process of experimentation, I began using still-life photography as a digital paint palette. This method emerged intuitively as I sought a way for photography to feel like painting, where the screen became my canvas. I explored various techniques, including painting on prints, but this approach felt the most natural and engaging. My work conveys many ideas, but the layering and distortion primarily reflect the complexity of transformation and how personal change unfolds while carrying traces of past selves. It’s a celebration of evolution, honoring both where we have been and where we are going.

Can you share how your personal experience of growing up internationally influences the way you explore themes of change, memory, and identity in your art?

Having lived in multiple countries since birth, my sense of home has always been fluid. While I am fully Finnish, I also recognize how other cultures have shaped me, making me feel connected to many places. This nomadic upbringing has instilled a deep curiosity about identity and culture. My work explores the idea of carrying past experiences and influences into new environments, reflecting the way we hold onto and integrate different aspects of our personal histories.

Your compositions often invite stillness in a fast-moving world. How do you balance the urgency of today’s world with the quiet, meditative quality of your work?

In an era of overwhelming speed and intensity, my work has evolved as a response to the collective emotional state. Like many, I often feel the weight of this urgency, yet I recognize that I cannot change the world overnight. What I can do, however, is create a sense of peace. My intention is to offer a moment of softness and reflection, a space where viewers can pause, breathe, and find stillness within their own lives.

You use soft light and shifting colours in your work. How do you decide on the colour palette for each piece, and what role does colour play in evoking emotion and transition?

With a strong understanding of color psychology, I carefully select hues that evoke calmness and introspection. While color is a significant element, form, and composition are equally important in conveying change and transition. My palettes are always sourced from flowers, which I photograph at the beginning of my creative process. Their natural gradients and delicate tones serve as the foundation for my visual language.

In your artist statement, you describe the dance between power and the burden of sensitivity. How do you explore this duality in your visual compositions?

This interplay emerges through both color and form. The softness of my hues and shapes embodies delicacy, while the layered compositions convey depth and weight. Sensitivity carries an unspoken strength, and my work seeks to highlight its quiet power. By focusing on this theme, I hope to encourage others to embrace their own sensitivity not as a weakness but as a profound and transformative strength.

Having exhibited internationally, how do different cultural environments influence your work and how do different publics react to your practice?

Experiencing diverse cultures has greatly shaped the way I observe and interpret the world. While my work does not explicitly reference any single culture, this exposure has broadened my artistic perspective. The responses to my work vary, but a common theme I hear is a sense of calm and tranquillity. Knowing that my work creates a space of ease for viewers, no matter where they are from, is deeply fulfilling.

How do you see your work evolve in the future? Do you have a particular project or long-term series you would like to work on? 

I aim to push my style further, expanding both the scale and depth of my work to create immersive, abstract landscapes.My goal is to craft pieces that feel like stepping into a serene, dreamlike space. Currently, I am focusing on ways in whichart can momentarily suspend time, offering the viewer a peaceful retreat within their own environment.

Lastly, looking ahead, are there any upcoming exhibitions or collaborations you’re particularly enthusiastic about?

This year holds many exciting opportunities for my work. I am honored to be represented by Artio Art Gallery, and together, we will be exhibiting in Paris at the Louvre in October. I am also excited to connect with more creatives in and out of my artistic field and gain new gallery relationships as well. 

Artist’s Talk

Al-Tiba9 Interviews is a promotional platform for artists to articulate their vision and engage them with our diverse readership through a published art dialogue. The artists are interviewed by Mohamed Benhadj, the founder & curator of Al-Tiba9, to highlight their artistic careers and introduce them to the international contemporary art scene across our vast network of museums, galleries, art professionals, art dealers, collectors, and art lovers across the globe.