Timo Jokela is Professor of Art Education and former Dean (2008-2017) of the Faculty of Art and Design, University of Lapland. He is a leader of University of Arctic’s Thematic Network on Arctic Sustainable Arts and Design (ASAD) since 2012. In 2010- 2019 he worked as a head of Northern Culture Institution of Lapland University Consortium. He also worked as Visiting Professor of Art Education and Environmental Art at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland (2006-2011). “My interest in Arctic art, design and culture has been the basis of my academic and artistic work for three decades. Over time, I have gathered an extensive network of international, circumpolar academics, artists, higher educators and other stakeholders”, says Jokela.
His theoretical academic studies and art-based research focus on relationship between Arctic cultures, arts and nature. He has been responsible for several international, national and regional art, nature and culture research projects, where participatory new genre Arctic art has been studied in the contexts of decolonization, revitalization and cultural and social sustainability. Jokela works actively as an artist, often using natural materials and the cultural heritage of the Arctic as a starting point for his community-based works and artistic projects. He has realized and several exhibitions, environmental art and community art projects and curatorial works in Finland and abroad, mainly in Arctic counties. In 2019, he was awarded the International Society of Education through Art Edwin Ziegfield Award for his leadership forging new direction in art education.
“The Arctic Chair position motivates the further development of Arctic situational awareness, international communication and interaction skills. Moreover, this position recognizes differences in universities and academic operational cultures in diverse countries to increase indigenous and local culture knowledge. This is especially important, as Arctic art is strongly associated with identity issues and therefore has culturally sensitive and ethical dimensions. As such, the dialogical, participatory and consultative methods of contemporary art must be part of both research and education”, Jokela says.
More about his projects and publications can be found at: https://www.asadnetwork.org/
UArctic Chairs are highly qualified academics who serve as academic drivers in a broad area of relevance to the Arctic. They implement and drive collaborative actions in research and education among UArctic members and Thematic Networks and build partnerships with the broader Arctic community.