Mia Mäkila (b. 1979) Norrköping, Sweden
Mia Mäkilä started to make collages as a little girl. Later she got into painting for 15 years and found her way back to collages in 2006, going through a period of personal crisis. Today she works as a professional collagist and painter - “a mixed media horror artist”.

For Mia collage is foremost an instrument to make the unconscious visible, to deal with one’s sorrow, pain and rage in a way that painting does not allow. The authenticity of the materials used and their part in creating a new surreal world with the result of a puzzling effect on the viewer is what attracts her to collage in the first place. Moreover she prefers collage to painting because it is faster, more spontaneous and therefore closer to the emotions she wishes to express.

Approaching a new collage, Mia usually has a clear idea of what she wants to create, although this idea might change during the work process, giving way to something more true and bold.