This interview was made by Serpento for Via-Nocturna in october 2005

JARNO LAHTI – NOT WITH CONSCIOIUS MIND

Computerization boldly entered almost every single domain of human existence including art. However in the field of digital art it's hard to find artists-visionaries that wouldn't be copying the well-known schematics in never-ending collages. One of few, which succeed in uniting the classic and modern, creating tasteful creations of darkness is Jarno Lahti.
Unfortunately before we start I would like you to introduce yourself to the readers of Via-Nocturna.

I'm digital artist from Tampere , Finland . I founded my art studio “Kaamos” in 1999 and since that I have done lots of dark arts, CD- artworks and web designs for various artists, but mainly for heavy metal bands.

Looking at your portfolio, it seems that you are no debutant in graphics, you do it professionally now for a some time. How did it happen that you've decided to create Kaamos and work with graphics in a more serious way?

I have done art since I was a child. At younger age I use to do oil paintings and I also drew comics, but since I went to study graphic design, I found possibilities of computer related art and since that, all of my creations are made that way. And after few years of studies, I founded my art studio in 1999. At the moment I don't do this for living but I hope one day it is possible, at least everything seems great at the moment and I have plans how I will develop my studio so maybe I will to this as a full time artist soon.

Kaamos, not only because of its name, connects with darkness. Could you tell us more about your soul, is it where you find your inspirations?

I get inspiration from everything… Music, pictures that I see, pictures that I take, feelings… from everything. And from these thing Kaamos images are born. Usually pics are born when I just sit in front of my computer, play with images and see what kind of material will born from this. This kind of making process is very natural and therapeutic for me.

Therapy? Your pictures are engorged with darkness, sometimes depressive, sometimes hypnotic. Are they the mirrors of your emotions? Or maybe you try to create worlds as different as possible from the ones you live in, speaking literally and in metaphor?

Well I don't know if we need to go that deep. Like I said, pics are born more or less from feeling and not with conscious mind. Subjects are usually dark and depressive but I don't want that these things are all that there is. Many people have found also positive feelings from my art and that is great.

You prefer creating series or standalone paintings?

About all my pics are standalones, but at the moment I got one series ready: ”see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil”. Probably I will make more series in the future but I'm quite sure that in the near future I will prefer standalone pics.

I asked you that because it is quite obvious that the series take more time and are harder to make. I've encountered some of the 7 deadly sins in your portfolio, but you haven't finished the series yet?

True. Series takes much time to do. Many years ago I did started series about Seven Deadly Sins, but I was able to finish just two sins: Lust and Wrath. And I did those so long ago that if I ever finish that series, I will probably do those again.

Suffering that you show us through your works can force some major questions concerning God and his entity. What is your opinion about God and religion?

I'm not that religious person but I'm definitely not satanic. Many people seem to think that just because I do dark art. But I think my opinions about religions are quite neutral and I'm not that interested in either.

Returning to more light themes I would like to ask you again about your inspirations, do you find them outside yourself? I am asking here about other artists, not necessarily painters…

Iron Maiden's cover artist Derek Riggs had a big impact to me. Basically he is the reason why I end up doing what I do. His paintings are really top of the class. In field of digital art, his creations are horrible; I recommend that he stop playing with computers and start to paint again. Other great traditional painters are Ken Kelly, Lois Royo and Boris Vallejo. In the field of digital art, Travis Smith and Chad Michael Ward have inspired me quite a lot.

You create art simply because of the inside need to create, but in your portfolio there are some cd covers that you've done for some bands. How did you get involved in that kind of work?

Very first CD-artwork projects came to me because I knew people in the music business and they asked me to do art for them. Later new bands found my portfolio, liked what they saw and wanted to do cooperation with them. Since that I have done more and more projects with bands and I hope I could do even more projects. I really like to do art for metal bands. Hope that many years later some new artist will say that he/she saw my stuff and that started the flame for arts like Derek Riggs did for me twenty two years ago.

Impressive. In that case, I must ask you is music an important thing in your life?

Really important, basically I listen to music all the time and naturally music gives me feelings that reflect somehow in my art. Everything started for me from Iron Maiden, Kiss, and Wasp in year 1983, when I was just 7 years old and since that, I have been into music and heavy metal. And I'm sure it will be this way until the day I die.

But before you die I would like to know what are your plans for the future and dreams, and why such?

I hope that someday I would get living for this work. At the moment I got plans how I will expand my business, so we have to wait and see how it will work. One of my long-time dreams is to make art book and I have even started that project but it is too early to say when or even “if” I will ever finish this project. But I thought many years about selling my art as high quality posters and finally some time ago I got my shop open, so at least that goal is achieved

Any last words to the readers of Via-Nocturna?

Remember to visit my site at www.kaamos.com and purchase high quality limited editions prints today.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you for having me here.

Serpentor, Ia
09.10.2005