As we go about our daily lives, we tend to assume that our perceptions — sights, sounds, textures, tastes — are an accurate portrayal of the real world. Yet, when we stop and think about it — or when we find ourselves fooled by a perceptual illusion — we realize with a jolt that what we perceive is never the world directly, but rather our brain’s best guess at what that world is like, a kind of internal simulation of an external reality. Still, we bank on the fact that our simulation is a reasonably decent one. If it wasn’t, wouldn’t evolution have weeded us out by now? The true reality might be forever beyond our reach, however.

Is space and time in which we think we operate just our VR headset, an interface that we can reverse engineer? What would it feel like to see reality as it is truly is? So far, it seems unimaginable, but at least we can imagine this “reality headset” melting and dripping away.

Inspired by the work of Donald Hoffman, an American cognitive psychologist, Professor of Cognitive Sciences at the University of California, Irvine, and popular science author.

The project emerged from my work on another series, called "Plastic Souls", so the characters look similar.

Life can be improved by adding, or by subtracting. The world pushes us to add because that benefits them. What if we focus on subtracting instead? First, I subtract everything that I can, and then I add only the most essential elements. The ones that I choose myself and that I feel will add the real value. I unlearn the old things and now my mind has space for the new knowledge. Ultimately there’s an infinity of possibilities in limitations. But you need to learn to subtract and make that space first in progress

Inspired by the darkness of Finnish winter and imposed isolation. In times like that, new opportunities to travel arise. It’s a different kind of travel though, it’s a journey within.

Each work covers a particular state of mind or inner discovery translated into a visual form. Some of them are truly dark, some are bright, but this is how the oneness of duality of life works: we wouldn’t be able to see light without the darkness.

The situation the whole world was in forced us to look at many things from a new perspective. The experience was painful but valuable. But you can only get a gain from your pain if you pause and take time to reflect on your actions, feelings, and thoughts. This project is a tribute to the lockdown wisdom, that each of us faced in a unique way.

We tried to imagine what the kids would do if they were locked down on their own in a situation similar to a pandemic version of "the Lord of the Flies" story. No parents, no rules, but not too much freedom either. So in our narrative, the kids make themselves the kings and queens of their lockdown home kingdom using paper and toys to create their symbols of power. Those symbols are fragile, they don't last long and are easily broken. But isn't it true for anything in life? Any habits, ways, things we get so much used to can disappear in a second.

Fashion industry will never be the same. The pandemic radically changed everything: the way people shop, behave and think. Global brands stare into the abyss of the impending recession, many of them (such as Gucci, Armani, etc.) declare a new approach to creating collections, producing their goods and even announce entire fresh brand philosophies, focused on sustainability, ecology-conscious production, moderation, recycling and reuse of old materials and items. That’s crucial not only for the survival of businesses with decades-long histories, but also to serve the changing demands of the general public and fashion addicts.

What will the revitalized fashion industry look like? This project is our speculation on the possible options based on the Finnish fashion culture traditions, deep-rooted in love to mother-nature and huge respect for giving new lives to old items.

With this project we are telling 8 stories of contemporary Finnish-fashion addicts. It's sort of a guide of today's Finnish fashion scene. We spent months observing how Finns dress, shop and recycle their clothes. We talked to influential people in the local fashion industry and researched how the sustainable values are flourishing in the production process of garments.

Each story has its own unique flavor and represents a particular subculture, but all of them are connected by similar views and values. The stories are our fantasies and interpretations of how certain elements of fashion scene in Finland look like and how they shape the society.

With these project we want to express hope that in every disruptive event there's always a silver lining. Often less turns out to be more and in order to create something new, you don't have to throw away the old stuff, but find new unexpected ways to make it shine.

Color the city with whatever is inside you. Bright and vibrant, let it pour out into the streets and devour the buildings.

Millions of people side by side on metros, in supermarkets, on the streets – we have never before been so physically close to each other in history. Yet it all feels a bit strange. Like our minds cannot get as close to each other as we would want them to. Like there’s nobody that really knows us.

As living creatures, we are wired for empathy and connection. Our ancestors lived in tribes and depended on each other for survival. Now, in our highly individualistic modern societies, everyone's for themselves. This affects our ability to connect. There’s so much more to relationships – deep down we can feel it. But somehow we’re lacking the words that could penetrate our shells. This collection of photographs captures the difficulties of connecting in a modern world that is characterized by physical proximity and emotional distance.

The best ideas come to you when you don’t try hard to get them. The best ideas are a result of simple play. With no pressure or responsibility. Wild and free. And limitless. Children know that, but as we grow up, we forget.

Our society tends to dismiss play for adults. Play is perceived as unproductive, petty, or even a guilty pleasure. The notion is that once we reach adulthood, it’s time to get serious. Yet, if we want to live our lives fully, play is like oxygen. This project was my personal reminder to myself that play is should always remain a crucial part of my life.

Wanna play? ;)

The project is a speculation on how close siblings affect each other's lives, when growing up and was born from my observation of the interactions of my daughters. Their lives intertwine in an unpredictable way, both shape the other’s opinions, moods, perceptions. Even though the relationship has its ups and downs, it doesn’t lose its tightness, which brings me to the conclusion that brothers and sisters and not parents are the closest people to you, because they share your life situations in many ways.

In solitude we are able to recover our energies, and start being ourselves again. But we are also social beings – who doesn’t like a good laugh with the loved ones?

The pandemic has changed the way we relate to other people – it forced us to become more distant. But it has also made it clear that we want to stay connected.

And when we’re free to connect, it’s difficult to know where to start. We want to get out there and finally let loose, but it feels a bit vulnerable. The words might not come out the same way. It may be scary to touch. It is like learning to talk or walk all over again.

Eyes Wide was shot right after the lifting of the lockdown. It captures the mixed emotions of someone who is trying to open up to the world and crawl back into their shell at the same time.

Time has always been my obsession. The lack of it. The overwhelming abundance of it.

When I was young there was too much time and I didn’t know what to do with it. That was frightening. Hours and hours of time and no ideas on how to enjoy them.

Then abundance turned into a constant lack and deprivation. I can’t spend too much time on this, I’ll be late for that. I need it fast. I don’t want to waste time. ASAP!
No time to think. No time to stop and see where I’m going.

So the time started to stop itself making me travel with it with the speed of light. My obsession went full circle. I learned to bend time. But only occasionally. When I finally get inside of a moment and stay there. Stay in the moment. Not chasing it. Just being there.

The project started with me wanting to show ways of wasting time. Then turned into self-reflection on my own relationship with it.

Emojis that we use every day are not labeled, so their meaning is always up to those who use them. You and the person next to you can interpret each sign differently. It's a matter of perception and cultural background of course.

Originally meaning pictograph, the word emoji comes from Japanese e (絵, "picture") + moji (文字, "character"); the resemblance to the English word emotion is purely coincidental.

Without our ability to recognize patterns, there would be no progress. Over the history of mankind, pattern recognition fueled great inventions. Flight wouldn’t be possible if we hadn’t been able to recognize the attributes that allow birds to fly. Our creations stem from our ability to make connections between phenomena.

Emotional maturity as well, develops when we recognize unhealthy patterns that we have inherited from our ancestors. These patterns cause us pain, and when we recognize them we can break the cycle.

Recognizing healthy or unhealthy patterns is crucial for creativity. It harvests the ability to visualize truths that the naked eye is unable to grasp. This project explores the relationship between pattern recognition and personal growth.

Big city life has its advantages: you don’t have to think much. Many things have been already decided and designed for you. Your routines, schedule, ways and means of communicating with peers, even your lunch time! Now, can you still be yourself while being on a factory treadmill? This is up to you, of course. This project is a playful look at how office life can be organized. No statements, only playful suggestions and pure irony.

Are you a juggler, clown or perhaps a trapeze artist? All people play multiple roles in life. Those roles seem to be very important and we do our best to play them right. We juggle and balance between being a great professional, partner, parent, friend, trying to solve problems, predict the future and be on time everywhere. Often we get overwhelmed by trying to be the best at everything and feeling guilty for not achieving it everywhere. We get lost in worries and lose connection with the essential things in life. However, sometimes the solution is simple and it only takes a change of perspective. How often have you looked back at some difficult situation in your life and realized that it wasn’t worth all the worry? From a bigger perspective, all those mind-built problems are nothing but a bunch of tiny pins thrown on a table.

The project attempts to remind viewers that we are all performers in the circus of our own life. On another level, it shows that our brain builds meanings and perspectives can change easily. Ordinary everyday objects can become meaningful when placed next to another image. Are the popcorn boxes just boxes or do they become two boys? How do you see the pins after seeing the photo of the joggler or vice versa? The magic happens not only in the circus but in our minds. Every single day.

There are a million ways to look at something. And sometimes – the overthinkers that we might be – we can get stuck on one negative view of ourselves. This negative view most often derives from critical voices, which we have internalized.

Truth is, no one can decide who we are. If we distance ourselves from these negative voices, the space for a new perspective emerges. A perspective that allows us to look in the mirror with a fresh outlook, and which allows us to get to know ourselves again. This project captures the shifts in perspective, which reveal new aspects of our being.

What is it like to see letters and digits in colors? Would you treat your partner or friend differently if her name was of the color that you hate? Would you love Mondays if they were of your favorite color?

The Synesthetic Letters project attempts to introduce you to a neurodivergent reality, as seen by someone who has grapheme synesthesia - a type of neurological peculiarity in which various senses are intertwined in a brain, evoking diverse involuntary experiences, in this case, colors of letters, names of people, days and months.

It took two synesthetes: visual artist and photographer Dasha Pears and her collaborator, stylist, Jane Kristofferson, three years and 26 photo shoots to complete the alphabet, as they see it. The resulting body of work aims to celebrate diversity and invite viewers to welcome new perspectives into their lives while broadening their outlook and having fun.

We're a reflection of the environment we were developing in. Often the environment breaks us and changes our perception of the world to a negative one. However, we have the same ability to influence everything that surrounds us. The point is to reconnect with ourselves and to claim our power to change the world into a better place.

Being different is a tricky thing to maneuver. But why hide our horns? They make us who we are, and show us the way. Uniqueness becomes a blessing the moment we accept it.

The unicorn life is full of fun – full of deeply felt feelings, crocodile tears, and hearty laughs. It’s a life that is worth embracing.

There are others like us, and our paths will cross – that is something we can always be sure of. This project exhibits the heartfelt moments of the unicorn life.

We have something to say, something to show that we know is meaningful. But there’s no elevator to get up there. We have to take the stairs. With each step our view of the landscape is evolving. It can sometimes feel like rolling a boulder up a hill. But it fills up our days with hope. The hope that what we have to say, and what we have to show will be heard. It’s all part of the process, losing hope and regaining it, losing sight of the reason we do it all, only to see it appear with great clarity the next day. Height & Stairs explores notions of hope and meaning that drive us in our pursuit of fulfillment.