Professor Maarit Mäkelä

Contemporary Design

Associate Professor, Practice Led Design Research

prof Maarit Mäkelä. Photo Anne Kinnunen

Maarit_Mäkelä_portrait_Photo_Pertti_Maleka_CoDe — Maarit Mäkelä, working with soil

Maarit Mäkelä is an associate professor of design, especially practice-led design research, and the leader of Contemporary Design programme and EMPIRICA research group. Maarit conducts her own creative practice in the junction of ceramics and fine art. The starting point of her scholarly work is creative practices that takes place in the context of art, craft and design. She is interested in materiality, especially how one’s embodied mind operates during the creative process. She uses documentary and reflective methods for capturing and understanding one’s personal creative process.

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The aim of the course is to provide challenging environment for action, where the student is encouraged to experiment his/her ideas related to a given theme with a brave and open-minded attitude.
MUO-E5020

Contemporary Design

The students learn to professionalize their ideas, and present their ideas to relevant stakeholders. At the end of the course the student should be capable to present a coherent exhibition and/or catalogue plan that is based on clearly curated narration.
MUO-E5028

Contemporary Design

Practice

Maarit_Mäkelä_Photo_7__Working_with_soil_CoDe_LowRes — Maarit Mäkelä - Woking with soil

Maarit_Mäkelä_Photo_6_Maarit_Makela_Portrait _of_a_woman_CoDe_LowRes — Maarit Mäkelä - "Portrait of a woman"

6_painting_on_clay-1_Maarit Makela — Painting with earth on clay (2015). Maarit Mäkelä

Curtains (2015), Maarit Makela Photo: Samuel Hartnett — Curtains (2015). Maarit Mäkelä. Photo: Samuel Hartnett

Earth-woman series (2015), Maarit Mäkelä. Photo: Samuel Hartnett — Earth-woman series (2015). Maarit Mäkelä. Photo: Samuel Hartnett

Ms Wellington (2015), Maarit Mäkelä. Photo: Peter Whyte — Ms Wellington (2015). Maarit Mäkelä. Photo: Peter Whyte

Feminine objects I-III (2008), Maarit Mäkelä Photo: Rauno Träskelin — Feminine objects I-III (2008). Maarit Mäkelä. Photo: Rauno Träskelin

Ellen I (2019), Finnish earthenware body, painted with soil and sediments gathered from Venice, 34 x 36 cm. Photo: Kalle Kaitala — Ellen I (2019). Maarit Mäkelä Finnish earthenware body, painted with soil and sediments gathered from Venice. Photo: Kalle Kaitala

Pietà (2019). Maarit Mäkelä Finnish earthenware body, painted with soil and sediments gathered from Venice.Photo: Kalle Kaitala.

Catharina Negra I (2016) on display in Vilafranca. Black fired local earthenware and terra sigillatas. Maarit Mäkelä — Catharina Negra I (2016). Maarit Mäkelä. Black fired local earthenware and terra sigillatas.

Mirror (1997). Maarit Mäkelä silkscreen and painting on Finnish earthenware, detail. Photo: Rauno Träskelin — Mirror (1997). Maarit Mäkelä. Silkscreen and painting on Finnish earthenware. Photo: Rauno Träskelin

Silence (2007). Maarit Mäkelä. Silkscreen and painting on Finnish earthenware. Photo: Rauno Träskelin

La Dolce Vita I (2007). Maarit Mäkelä. Serigraphy and painting with slips on Finnish earthenware. Photo: Rauno Träskelin

Maarit Mäkelä, Jussi Leveinen, Priska Falin, Nathalie Lautenbacher 2025

Maarit Mäkelä, Priska Falin 2025

Maarit Mäkelä 2025 In line, online, off the grid

Katriina Soini, Juha Hiedanpää, Riikka Latva-Somppi, Himansu Mishra, Maarit Mäkelä, Taru Peltola, Mia Pihlajamäki, Kati Pitkänen, Matti Salo, Kristiina Svels 2025

Bilge Aktas, Anniliina Omwami, Pirita Seitamaa-Hakkarainen, Maarit Mäkelä 2024 The Design Journal

Maarit Mäkelä, Mira Niittymäki 2024

Maarit Mäkelä, Mira Niittymäki, Catharina Kajander, Miia Kallio 2024

Maiju Suomi, Maarit Mäkelä 2024 Research in Arts and Education

Priska Falin, Petra Falin, Maarit Mäkelä 2023 FormAkademisk

Kati Sara Sanelma Hulkkonen, Miia Lötjönen, Maarit Mäkelä 2023 FormAkademisk

More information on our research in the Aalto research portal.

Updated: 19.5.2025
Published: 27.11.2018

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Contemporary Design