magi viljanen

About Magi

Magi Viljanen, self-portrait. The photographer is shown frontally in a white headwrap and blouse, hands together in a gesture of greeting or contemplation, against a dark wooden background.

“I think art is meant to move something within a person, and at its best, art affects those things to which people may have become numb. I don’t see myself as a subjective artist, but as part of something shared, and that is the way I work. I am a documentary photographer, and I believe that art that makes a statement is important.”

Magi Viljanen has had a long career as both an artist and a commercial photographer. Her photography is distinctive and refreshingly different from the mainstream. As a photographer, Magi is open-minded and has repeatedly chosen challenging subjects throughout her career. She has courageously experimented with different methods and materials in her work.

Magi’s work is accessible and moving in the way it reveals truth and represents life. Viewers can identify with different aspects of her photographs. Her work brings the realities of others before us, allowing us to encounter authentic stories from around the world.

Magi

Short Story by Ilona Järvelä

The final journey

Documentary by Timo Elomaa