Merja Aletta Ranttila, originally from Utsjoki, is a well-known Sámi visual artist, illustrator, and graphic artist. She resides in Inari and has widely promoted Sámi culture both in Finland and abroad. Ranttila studied at the Lapland Art School from 1980 to 1982 and at the Rovaniemi School of Art and Design from 1982 to 1986. Early in her career, she illustrated textbooks and children’s books, as well as collections of short stories and novels. Her first major illustration work was 600 images for the Davvin textbook in 1980. She has also drawn postcards, especially with Sámi themes.
In the early 1990s, Ranttila adopted the linocut technique, which has since become an essential part of her art. In January 2012, Posti released stamp stickers illustrated by Ranttila. Her art often deals with childhood traumas related to the Laestadian environment. Ranttila’s works depict the role of women in Laestadianism as well as her personal crises. Her works are known for their rich symbolism, dreamlike atmosphere, recurring devil and female figures, and references to dramatic news events of the time. Her art has been classified as shamanistic expressionism and feminist art. She belongs to the second generation of Sámi visual artists.
In the fall of 2002, Ranttila spent a month at the Villa Karo Finnish-African Cultural Center artist residency in Benin. This experience led to an African-themed exhibition in Oulu with her sister, textile artist Seija Ranttila. In 2001, Ranttila participated in a group exhibition of Finnish artists in Australia and in the Madrid Art Fair in 1995. In 2015, she addressed the wolf debate by participating in a joint exhibition of Northern Finnish artists, and during the Finland 100 theme, she held an exhibition in Paris. Ranttila has also designed ice sculptures and worked as a gallerist.
Ranttila spent her childhood in Lemmenjoki and is of fell Sámi background, with Northern Sámi as her mother tongue. She has received numerous grants, including one from the Sámi Council’s Cultural Board in 2005 and another from the Arts Council of Finland in 2007. In 2016, she received a grant for artistic work from the Lapland Fund of the Finnish Cultural Foundation, and in 2017, a grant for exhibition expenses from the Arts Promotion Centre Finland (Taike). Ranttila has been awarded several prizes, including the State Prize for Children’s Culture and the Sámi Parliament’s Cultural Prize.
