Eija-Liisa Ahtila was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of the Department of Audio and Visual Arts

Accomplished visual artist and filmmaker of Eija-Liisa Ahtila was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of the Department of Audio and Visual Arts, in a ceremony that took place in the Ionian Academy on Tuesday, June 5th, 2018.

Following the address by the Rector of the Ionian University Prof. Vassilios Chrissikopoulos, the resolution of the Department of Audio and Visual Arts was read by the President of the Department Prof. Nikolaos-Grigorios Kanellopoulos. The Laudatio and the presentation of the work of Eija-Liisa Ahtila was delivered by Assist. Prof. Elena Hamalidis, while the honoree’s investment was performed by the Rector of the I.U. and the Department’s Chair.

Finally, Ms. Eija-Liisa Ahtila held a speech on "Non-Humans and the Moving Image".

Eija-Liisa Ahtila is one of the most celebrated visual artists and filmmakers. She has studied visual arts in Helsinki, and film in London and Los Angeles. Ahtila has herself described her work as “human dramas”. Her work focuses on existential issues and film language, and more recently, on more profound theoretical and philosophical issues, concerning human existence and culture. In her recent works Eija-Liisa Ahtila widens the focus from people onto their environment, departing from a biopolitical perspective. For example, in her film Studies on the Ecology of Drama she explores ways of creating images that move beyond cinematic anthropocentrism onto issues concerning the ongoing ecological crisis. Among others, her work has been shown in individual and retrospective exhibitions in Tate Modern, in MoMA, in Guggenheim, in Bilbao, in Jeu de Paume, in Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin, in Kiasma in Helsinki, in Moderna Museet in Stockholm, while she has participated in influential group shows, such as Venice Biennale. Her work has received numerous distinctions and awards, including, an honorary mention at the 48th Venice Biennale (1999) and Artes Mundi Prize (2006). She is a former professor at the Finnish Academy of Fine Arts, at 2009 she was honoured with the title of Academician of Art. Her works have been shown in significant festivals all over the world, as well as on television.