Erno-Erik Raitanen is a photographer born in Finland. He photographed self-portraits using colourful and unusual patterns. These series, called “Bacteriograms”, display Raitanen’s own body bacteria cultivated on the gelatine surface of film negatives. The artist had an original idea of gathering the bacteria samples from his own body. The bacteria consumed the film surface and produced photographic images. Erno-Erik did not take part in forming these artistic shapes as they were created naturally and impulsively.  Though, the result was the product of his body. “With this work I want to raise questions about representation and reality; the nature and the place of the photographic medium in contemporary society,” he says. Raitanen has also created Cotton Candy Works – a wall of cotton candy. The installation is definitely playful as visitors can lick or pull off the cotton candy. It lasts for a few hours before the sugar reverts to its original crystal form. This is an attractive example of modern art, which poses deep questions about the circle of life and decay.

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