Biography

Exploring humanity with art, seeking what is sustainable. As an artist/scientist Pirjo Virtanen reveals the flow of time and urges the audience to reflect their position as a human being in the context of built environment and nature. She has a background and a doctoral degree in science and technology, which has made it natural to extend her artistic expression from pure watercolor to printmaking, installation and digital art, always considering the least harmful ways of making visual art. Besides her artistic practice, she is passionate about the sustainability impacts of the art world. She aims at enabling artists to make conscious choices while making the social and environmental sustainability impacts of art measurable.

Pirjo’s recent thesis on sustainable art (link to Theseus). Before art studies she has gained a doctoral degree on materials science and has work experience as Vice President, Sustainability of Metso Oyj, and continues as a part time Sustainability Advisor at Greenstep Oy during her full time role as an artist.