Born in Rauma, Finland 1952 | Lives and works in Helsinki

In his paintings, Jarmo Mäkilä combines historical and contemporary elements together with rich, baroque-like expression. The starting point is autobiographical: the themes usually revolve around the journey from childhood to adulthood and the acceptance of the past. Within the forest scenery, finely detailed drawing combines with expressive painting, while the interiors, respectively, contain photo-like quality refinement and clear composition displaying scenes of stage play.

The political movements and radical atmosphere of the late 1960s and early 1970s were reflected in Mäkilä's early work. His ability to couple images from the media with mythological themes made him one of the most significant postmodern artists in Finland. Later influences on Mäkilä's expression included art history, comics, and images from the rock-n-roll and film industries. 

In his 40-year artistic career, Mäkilä's work has been widely exhibited in galleries, museums, and art fairs worldwide. He studied at the University of Helsinki's School of Art and Design, and in the Finnish Academy of Fine Arts. Mäkilä was awarded the Pro Finlandia-medal in 2002 and a Carnegie Art Award nominee in 2011. Mäkilä's artworks have been collected by all major art museums in Finland, as well as by foundations, institutions and private collections around the world.

Galerie Forsblom has been representing Jarmo Mäkilä since 1985.