Samuli Siirala
The section on consumer disputes has been a playground where I can let my ideas run wild.
How do you illustrate anger and turn annoyance into humour? Illustrator Samuli Siirala’s (b. 1977) first solo exhibition, Riita! (“Dispute!”) A Celebration of ordinary absurdity, presents skilful, smile-provoking editorial illustrations on this topic spanning more than ten years.
The section entitled “Ratkaisuja riitoihin” (“Solutions to Disputes”) in the Kuluttaja (Consumer) magazine presents rulings made by the Consumer Disputes Board in disputes between consumers and businesses. Despite the seemingly dry topic, the section has become one of the magazine’s most popular, led by prominent illustrations. The client has given me free rein and has been happy to go with even my crazier ideas, says Siirala. There are no advertisements in Kuluttaja magazine, which makes it a financially independent, bold media.
Represented by Napa Agency, Siirala is a storyteller at heart, specialising in editorial and advertising illustration and textbooks. He has also made comics and worked as a photographer. Siirala originally graduated from the Lahti Institute of Design as a cinematographer. Siirala’s illustrations utilise traditional drawing skills combined with the fresh winds and colours of digital art. In his narrative illustrations, he draws on the sense of drama he gained during his studies.
Photography: Ilkka Vuorinen
