Maarit Mäkelä
Doctor of Arts, Professor
Group Leader
Maarit Mäkelä works as an artist in the junction of ceramics and fine art. She has had several solo exhibitions in Finland and has taken part in frequent joint exhibitions in Finland and abroad. Mäkelä’s works deals with femininity. She has discussed this theme broader in her doctoral dissertation “Saveen piirtyviä muistoja. Subjektiivisen luomisprosessin ja sukuopuolen representaatioita” [Memories on clay: representations of subjective creation process and gender] (University of Art and Design Helsinki 2003). The study is a practice-led research, where visual representations of femininity are produced during the research process by artist-researcher herself. The works were shown in the series of three exhibitions (Mirrorplay I-III), and this series forms a central part of her doctoral study.
During 2004-2006 she worked as a postdoctoral researcher and during 2009-2011 as a coordinator in the Design Connections Doctoral Programme in the Department of Design at the University of Art and Design Helsinki. Since 2011 she has worked as an Associate Professor at Aalto University, School of Arts, Design and Architecture. Her research interests lie in practice-led research. She is initiator of The Art of Research conference and co-editor of the Anthologies “The Art of Research. Research Practices in Art and Design” (University of Art and Design Helsinki 2006) and “The Art of Research II. Process, Results and Contribution” (Aalto University, Helsinki 2012). In addition, she has published widely in international arenas.