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Mikko Kallio´s main artistic practice is detailed work on paper. He collages them like multi-layered puzzles. Rather than using existing fragments of images for his collages, he draws and paints everything during an often long process.

“I think of my artistic process as building, instead of simply applying paint or graphite on paper. There is always a sense of the physical feeling of material, like paper, and a three-dimensional structure, often in the scale of millimetres. To me the figures in my works are “wanderers” in an often very complex world, experiencing the diverse existence in everyday life. They could be humans, other living beings, plants, or something in between”

Mikko Kallio works also with larger scale paintings in which he combines paints with found objects and materials like sand, pieces of wood and found abandoned materials.

Mikko Kallio´s work has been shown widely in Finland and also seen internationally. His work is represented in public collections in Finland such as the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma, Helsinki, Finnish State Art Collection, Helsinki Art Museum and Tampere Art Museum in Tampere.

In 2023 Mikko Kallio´s work will be supportetd by a one year state artist grant by Arts Promotion Centre Finland.


CV (English)

CV (Finnish)

Artist Statement (Finnish)

Helsingin sanomat 8.8.20 (Finnish, Timo Valjakka)


Article 2019 (Finnish, Maaria Salo)