At this year’s Paris Photo, Finnish artist Ulla Jokisalo will show new unique works from the Collection of Headless Women, a series which she has been working on since 2013. The collection is an on-going body of work, with 30 unique pieces so far – all of which have “found their new owner”, as Jokisalo puts it when I talk with her pre-fair.

Q: Ulla, can you tell me how your new works are done?
A: The works in the Collection of Headless Women are built in a collage-like manner, from cutout pigment prints and pins. I have found the image material in French fashion magazines dating to my childhood, the 1950s and 1960s, and in an animal encyclopedia of the same time. By re-photographing printed images and by image processing, cutting and attaching, I have created characters with double personalities, resulting in a dialogue between the human and the animal. Just as the images, also the titles create content and are an essential part of the working process.

Q: Which part of the working process do you enjoy the most?
A: I create my works through many stages. It’s a play of the imagination as well as concrete handcrafting. Perhaps the most fun, however, is when I take the time to explore all the image material, hoping to find a new, fun and surprising human and animal character for a pair. And then, all of a sudden, it appears quite naturally.

Q: What are your expectations for this year’s fair?
A: Of course, as in the past, it feels good if someone I don’t already know becomes interested in my work, and even buys it for him or herself. For me as an artist, Paris Photo has long been a unique opportunity to gain international exposure and promote sales. I believe that especially in Paris, my work has already an established audience.

Q: Has your relationship with fairs changed over the years?
A: For me, Paris Photo has for a long time been an annual tradition with Gallery Taik Persons. A special year in my own case was in 2006, when the Nordic countries were the Guest of Honour and I had the privilege to represent Finland in the exhibition curated by Andrea Holzherr. This event, of course, also strengthened my affection to Paris and to this particular art fair

Q: What’s your favourite place in Paris?
A: Paris is an artistically, historically and mentally recharged place at the heart of Europe. As a city, it inspires me. My personal favourite is the Rodin Museum, where I have been shooting for a long time. The project is still a work-in-progress, and I will not hurry a deadline for it. It is also a good reason to visit Paris, which I do almost every year.

If in Paris, you can see Ulla’s new works at Gallery Taik Persons booth.