Pirkko Tanttu

The Real Thing

While living in the United States in 1980–1981, Pirkko Tanttu (b. 1946) carried her camera with her wherever she went. She photographed often and in large quantities, striving to capture fleeting moments of the hustle and bustle of city life. The majority of the pictures were taken in Philadelphia, where Tanttu lived with her partner, and in New York during their numerous trips to the city. Some of the photographs stem from a long road trip spanning all the way from Arizona through New Mexico to Los Angeles.

The Real Thing was Tanttu’s diploma work in the Tyler School of Art, where she studied photography. Previously, during the 70’s, she had studied in the Lahti Institute of Design, where at the time the focus was on documentary and journalistic photography. This was in stark contrast with her studies in the United States, which emphasized photography as an art form. In the U.S. she was able to acquaint herself with the classics of American photography, as well as learn new proofing techniques.

After her return to Finland, Tanttu worked as a photojournalist. She took photos for, among others, Helsingin Sanomat and multiple periodicals.