I make pictures to get lost in

I make small, individual silver gelatine photographs. I observe and document people, spaces, objects and moments without preconception. I look for poetry underneath daily life that can only be exposed, iconised and fossilised with the snapshot. Ritualistic work in the darkroom helps me to interpret and reflect on my human experience. I make pictures to get lost in.

Mikael Siirilä (b. 1978) is a darkroom artist living and working in Helsinki, Finland.

He learnt darkroom printing at home at a young age. After initially studying philosophy, he pursued an entrepreneurial career in graphic design and branding before rediscovering his passion for photography. Throughout the 2010s, he built a private darkroom and began learning printing techniques to bring his vision to life.

He started exhibiting his work in 2022 and has since had shows in Spain, Italy, France, Denmark and Germany. His debut photobook, Here, in Absence, was published in by Iikki Books in France and was shortlisted for the 2024 Prix Nadar. Siirilä is represented by Polka Galerie.