VESA LOIKAS

I am a fine art photographer & film maker based in Turku, Finland. 

February 2024
ICE HOT NORDIC DANCE PLATFORM OSLO

More More More Entanglement installation pitch

February 15, 2024 Vega Scene, Oslo, Norway

September 2023
FOUR DANCE FILMS
Manilla Culture Factory Festival

Vesa Loikas ja Maria Nurmela: Tanssielokuvien sarja
September 13-23.9.2023 Manilla, Turku, Finland

May 2023 ECHOES dance film
featured in DANCESCAPES – spinning worlds / TAMPERE DANCE CURRENT festival, Arthouse Cinema Niagara, Tampere, Finland

September 2022 Porin Juhlaviikot AR-installations with video & sound Galleria 3h+k, Pori, Finland - Exhibition as a member of FAINOMENON collective

March 2022 Art Exhibition for Charity
Five Turku-based artists' organizations (me being a member of Photographic Centre Peri) had a three-day art sales exhibition in Turku, Finland. All proceeds (700€ on my part) were donated in full to the following aid organizations: Doctors Without Borders, UN Women and Finnish Red Cross.

March 2022 ECHOES dance film
The film was nominated for prestigious PRIX LUMIÈRE The screening and gala event took place in
Musée d’art de Rouyn-Noranda, Canada March 10th during CINÉDANSE ROUYN-NORANDA 2022

October 2021 ASKEL photograph
An underground permanent collection was opened. My piece ASKEL was one of the selected works for this collection commissioned and maintained by Turku Technology Properties.
See map of the collection (No 37), open year around during the week.

April 2021 CROSS-LATERAL dance film
MASH JERUSALEM 2021 international video dance series.

CROSS-LATERAL dance film 

January 2021 LIMINAL dance film 

OFFICIAL SELECTION
VideoDance Festival Brazil

December 2020 LIMINAL dance film 

OFFICIAL SELECTION 
Moving Images videodance festival Nicosia, Kypros

October 2020 E C H O E S dance film 

OFFICIAL SELECTION
CINEDANZA FESTIVAL Modena, Italy

PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITIONS | VALOKUVANÄYTTELYT:

RESCHEDULED FOR 2023 due to Coronavirus

Joki Centre, Turku, Finland 
Solo exhibition and film premiere.
Opening event by invitation only - contact me for details!

SEPTEMBER 2018
INTERACTIONS | VUOROVAIKUTUKSIA

Nomad Cellars, Annankatu 22, Helsinki, Finland 
Solo exhibition, nine large scale photographic works on canvas.
SEE opening night video (in Finnish) VIDEO-LINK

2018
SHIFT ARTIST - TAIKO.FI

Kakola, Turku, Finland 
ART-WALL featured my dance related photographic works on aluminum.

2017
NIGHT OF THE ARTS GALLERY

Hansakortteli, Turku, Finland 
This group exhibit featured sixteen of my Turku related photographic works.

2015
SOUTH WEST COLLECTION
Galleria Pirkko-Liisa Topelius

Hietalahdenranta 17, Helsinki, Finland 
This group exhibition was a collection from artists currently working in the southwest region of Finland.

 
LIVE IN NYC
Atelje Sari Aaltonen 2015

SOLO EXHIBIT| Kauppiaskatu 1, Turku, Finland
Showcases seven of my large scale LIVE IN NYC aluminum prints as well as TURKU landscape triptych.

2014
A MOMENT FOR DANCE
HETKI TANSSILLE

Culture Centre Stoa| Itäkeskus, Helsinki, Finland|stoa.fi

This group exhibition displayed the winners and top-ranking contestants of the 2014 national Dance Photo Competition, arranged by Liikekieli.com, an online dance journal - My entry 'FREEDOM' was selected for the exhibit | Vuoden 2014 TANSSIKUVA kilpailun parhaimmistoa esittelevä ryhmänäyttely - teokseni 'VAPAUS' valittiin kilpailun parhaimmistoon

2014
SOUTH WEST COLLECTION
propeller.gallery 

GROUP EXHIBIT|Taalintehdas, Turku, Finland|propeller.gallery

This wonderful new gallery in picturesque coastal town by the Baltic Sea displays five of my works as well as my LIVE IN NYC book.

2014
TITANIK GALLERY - Super Public Art School

GROUP EXHIBIT|TITANIK Gallery| Itäinen Rantakatu 8, Turku, Finland|www.titanik.fi
This multimedia event & exhibition displayed Dance related art in different forms - Four of my works were showcased in the historic river front gallery.

2014
IMPROVISATIONS ON ALUMINUM - LIVE IN NYC
IMPROVISAATIOITA ALUMIINILLA - ELÄVÄNÄ NYKISSÄ

SOLO EXHIBIT|Old Townhall Gallery| Old Town Square, Turku, Finland|www.turku.fi/vanhasuurtori
This solo exhibit included 22 of my large scale works on brushed aluminum.

2013
WINTER IMAGES

SOLO EXHIBIT|Le Cakery Cafe Gallery|Elm Grove, Wisconsin, USA

2012
Food ART

Food For Four Gallery| Forum, Turku, Finland | Group Exhibit
 

HONORS | ANSIOITA:

• 2014 Selected to be a part of the BEST DANCE PHOTOGRAPHY in Finland exhibit | valokuvani valittiin vuoden 2014 TANSSIKUVA kilpailun parhaimmistoon (www.liikekieli.com)

• 2013 – Artist residence in New York City as a photographer | taiteilijaresidenssi New York, valokuvaaja - Varsinais-Suomen taidetoimikunnan ja Läntisen Tanssin aluekeskuksen myöntämä

• 2006 Lapland in winter photography competition, 3rd prize | Lappi talvella valokuvakilpailu, 3. palkinto

• 2005 Summer in Helsinki photography competition, 3rd prize | Kesä Helsinki valokuvakilpailu, 3. palkinto

• 2000 St. Paul Prize Design Competition, Minnesota, USA, 2nd prize

• 1999 Sukkot Project, Minneapolis Institute of Arts, USA, 1st prize

• 1995 The David R. Williams Student Award for Excellence in Architectural Design - award annually given to the best architectural thesis at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, USA 

BOOKS & PUBLICATIONS  |  JULKAISUJA:

• KALEVALASEURAN VUOSIKIRJA 102 - 2023 cover: Balance, New York 2013 dancer: Alex Springer

• CASAS internacional (Argentina)
  special issue 2022
  photographs: Villa Askainen by Eräpohja Arkkitehdit

• FINNARC – Finnish Architecture
  photographs: EduCity by SIGGE Architects
  pages 212-217

• FINNISH ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW
  ARKKITEHTI-lehti 01/2021
  photographs: EduCity by SIGGE Architects, Turku, Finland

• FINNISH ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW
  ARKKITEHTI-lehti 03/2020
  photographs: House SAHA, Säkylä, Finland

• FINNISH ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW
  ARKKITEHTI-lehti 02/2020
  photographs: Villa Askainen, Masku, Finland

• PARLIAMENT OF FINLAND (Suomen Eduskunta) 2017
  official pamphlets featuring my interior photographs of the parliament building

• 'Into The Wild' article in PURE (Germany) magazine 01/2017| features my black & white night orienteering sports photography

• FINNISH ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW
  ARKKITEHTI-lehti 03/2015
  photographs: Villa Tuuli, Turku, Finland

• MICHIGAN MUSE MAGAZINE University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance 2014
  Dance portraits of Xan Burley & Alex Springer

• SCAN MAGAZINE Issue 82, November 2015 
  Promoting Scandinavia. 
  photographs: Villa Tuuli, Turku, Finland / TYS Ikituuri tower, Turku, Finland / VillAma, Turku, Finland

• Live in NYC – Elävänä Nykissä (2014)
  book about urban landscape and contemporary dance in New York City | valokuvakirja New Yorkin nykytanssijoista kaupunkiympäristössä

• A New Golden Age, Nordic Architecture & Design (2014)
  book edited by Marianne Ibler and published by Archipress - includes my photographs of VillAma concrete house

• Turun seudun arkkitehtuuriopas (2013)
  Mikko Laaksonen, Juri Nummelin – sisältää valokuviani

• FORUM Sapa Building System magazine nr 1 (2013) - cover and additional photographs of VillAma concrete house, Hirvensalo, Turku

• Tikkurilan Viesti magazine 02 (2011) cover photograph: TYS Ikituuri apartment, Turku, Finland

• FINNISH ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW | ARKKITEHTI-lehti 04/2011
  photographs: TYS Ikituuri apartment, Turku, Finland

• FINNISH ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW | ARKKITEHTI-lehti 02/2011
  photographs: ASA-huset, Åbo Akademi, Turku, Finland

• Svensk Golf Magazine nr4 (2011)
  photographs: Aura Golf course, Ruissalo, Turku, Finland

• Villas and Saunas in Finland (2010)
  2nd edition ISBN-10: 978-951-682-957-2 , Rakennustieto Oy , sisältää valokuviani, Mökki Taipalus, Rymättylä ja kesähuvila, Kustavi

• Casa Naturale no. 11 (2008)
  Italian architecture & design magazine - photographs: Seaside Villa, Kustavi, Finland, 12 pages including 14 photographs

• FINNISH ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW | ARKKITEHTI-lehti 03/2007
  valokuvia: Mökki Taipalus, Rymättylä ja kesähuvila, Kustavi

• FINNISH ARCHITECTURE 0405 (2006)
  ISBN: 952-5195-22-8, kirja ja näyttely Suomen rakennustaiteen museo - sisältää valokuviani Arken, Turku ja kesähuvila, Kustavi

• Villas and Saunas in Finland (2006)
  ISBN-10: 951-682-781-0, Rakennustieto Oy - sisältää valokuviani, kesähuvila, Kustavi

• PUU WOOD LEHTI MAGAZINE 06 (2006)
  sisältää valokuviani, kesähuvila, Kustavi

• FINNISH ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW | ARKKITEHTI-lehti 04/2004 sisältää valokuviani, Arken, Turku

EDUCATION | KOULUTUS:

• Bachelor of Architecture 1995 University of Louisiana at Lafayette, USA

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

• Vesa Loikas Photography & Design, Turku, Finland since 2002

• Architecture Office Sigge Ltd., Turku, Finland since 2001

• Architecture Office Bentz/Thompson/Rietow Inc. , Minneapolis, USA 1995-2001

HOW I GOT STARTED

My sister Mirja was a big influence on my photography. When I was thirteen years old, she handed me her 35mm camera and said to finish the roll. I hadn't photographed before, because it was so expensive during the film era. I did as she instructed, and immediately felt like this is very creative and magical. After that I started photographing on my own and eventually purchased my own camera. I continued to photograph , mostly documenting my travels and events while living abroad. Fast forward almost 30 years, and I started taking my photography more seriously. At that time I understood the value it provided me. I could really express myself as an artist with the camera. I continue to educate myself and to exhibit my photography while pursuing a variety of projects as I see it as an integral part of my being.