BLACKLANDS celebrates art in the color black, created and curated by Zakarian.
This interview series directs the spotlight at fascinating artists working with the darkest shades.
Morbid Beauty in Comic Art : Dahmu.mu
13 June 2026Artist Interview
Juha Arvid
Helminen
The Invisible Empire
Interview by Mariam Zakarian, July 2026
Juha Arvid Helminen is a Finnish artist whose photography I have followed for over a decade. I am very proud and pleased to introduce his powerful and important work to the BLACKLANDS audience.
He has exhibited in fine art institutions, galleries and festivals, is published in several books and has been editor-in-chief of multiple magazines. Some of you may know his art for the music releases of Author & Punisher and Apocalyptica.
Although Helminen is a prolific and curious artist who also works in several other media, often creating more colorful pieces, this article will focus on his iconic Invisible Empire project.
These photographs seem to show the distilled darkness of the worst episodes in our collective human history and experience. And yet, they are presented in such an elegant and perfectly controlled, minimalist way, that the pictures are instantly intriguing.
Unsettling, black-clad figures, in strange masks, hats and stern uniforms. Some are clearly referencing a particular time or country, some seem to be more abstract or universal characters.
Faceless, nameless.
“We wear clothes described by religion, profession, political thoughts and tradition to communicate and represent authority, where we belong and how we see the world. Often, this hides our true persona and creates walls between ourselves and between the people that we meet.
The characters in my works are the prisoners of these traditions and walls that we’ve created for ourselves. How close can we, the viewers, get to the characters that have so much of their personality taken away from them?”
- Juha Arvid Helminen on "The Invisible Empire"-series. Published on his website.
The anonymous figures all seem to be in silent scenes. I can almost hear the faint clinking of the metal of weapons, the creaking of military-grade leather boots and gloves, and breathing behind the masks – if they are even human. The artist has cleverly avoided depicting the violence and chaos that these figures can surely cause. We are left with the unnerving blankness that stares back at us; severe, cruel.
Incredible attention to detail is evident in the combinations of textures, different materials, reproducing the aesthetic of historical outfits, of lighting them in just the right way, enhancing them to look real, but not ordinary. Helminen creates many of the intricate masks, costumes and props himself. The images are instantly iconic.
Juha Arvid Helminen was born in Helsinki in 1977 to factory and daycare worker parents. In the interview he mentions the negative side of humanity as a persistent source of inspiration and explains how the subjects for the Invisible Empire series sadly remain constantly relevant a decade later:
“When I started the series, at least Europe was a calmer place and war up north was mostly in the history books. But after Russia started its full-scale war against Ukraine, it all came close and opened up old wounds.
My grandfather had to leave his home in Eastern Karelia thanks to Soviet imperialism under Stalin.”
While many artists find it easier to stay “apolitical” and purposefully avoid speaking about divisive topics publicly, Helminen’s Invisible Empire seems to have no shortage of sharp commentary. It feels like a kind of universal imagery of humanoid villains who are disturbing precisely because we can see the links to our recent history and current political climate.
Simultaneously, there is a cold, brutal beauty to this body of work.
Iconic imagery is effective and fascinating to us precisely because it is recognizable, memorable and interesting. Looking at these photographs makes one reflect on the danger and allure of iconography and the use of striking aesthetics in politics and propaganda. From the Hugo Boss-clad ghouls of Nazi Germany to the contemporary combat uniforms of US riot police descending on peaceful demonstrations, the exploitation of fashion and aesthetics to project power and dominance has obviously always been a useful tool for control. Consequently, the responsibility of the artist for the way their work is used and what it helps to accomplish in the world, is still a worthy and relevant discussion – perhaps even more so now with our compulsive use of media and our addiction to technology and screens.
Helminen studied graphic design in Tikkurila, Finland, which is where the interest in Photoshop developed, and he later completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in Photography at the Lahti Institute of Design. “I don’t think I would be the artist I am today without the Institute of Design,” he states, “that’s where I found the balance between following my passions and being critical of my work.”
The Invisible Empire series began at the school’s studio setup with black walls and has traveled around the world since.
Currently, he lives and works in Helsinki and likes to make toys for his nephew from time to time. “My drawings, some of the toys I make, and my animations are full of colour. I am not my art,” the artist points out. Given the subject matter presented in this article, that’s a relief!
If you find yourself in Moldova in October, Juha Arvid Helminen’s next solo exhibition ”Anatomy of Authority” will be held at Galeria Plai in Chișinău. Enjoy the striking fine art photography and the insightful interview below.
Q: Are there particular themes in your work that you keep returning to?
Juha Arvid Helminen: For most of my artistic career, I have been working on one photo series, The Invisible Empire, which is about the misuse of power. On the side, I occasionally do something completely different, like magazines or animation, as I like to challenge myself.
But the themes of the negative side of humanity always pull me back in. Sadly, there is never a lack of inspiration in that field. It’s really hard for me to produce any artwork with positive and nice topics. But don’t get me wrong – I do enjoy colourful work by others.
Q: I find some of your work really unsettling in how clearly it reflects the scariest aspects of humanity: oppression, the pursuit of power etc. For someone who creates such images, do you feel it requires you to continuously read up on history and to stay politically conscious?
It’s good to read history, but it is also good to see what is happening now and choose your battles, whether it is Russia/Ukraine, Israel/Palestine or Sudan. When it comes to Sudan, the silence is truly deafening, even though it’s one of the biggest tragedies of our time. If we can’t add the words “colonialism” or “imperialism” to a conflict in a satisfactory way, we (the west) just don’t care.
So sad
In Finland, history has taught us to live in peace but always be ready for war, as our eastern neighbour will always be the bully on the block. After the Cold War, while other European nations were selling their tanks, Finland went on a shopping spree to buy them. It’s a very different mindset up here. So there is that weird duality in my artwork that I despise the ideologies, and I am intrigued [by] the facade that these rotten ideas are sold with.
"[T]here is that weird duality in my artwork that I despise the ideologies,
and I am intrigued [by] the facade that these rotten ideas are sold with."
- Juha Arvid Helminen
Q: What does your work process look like?
It often starts with pen on paper, sketching things I’ve seen in history books or movies. Some of the characters in my pictures are fairly recognisable from history, but I also put my own twist on things. I’ve had photos where the outfits and accessories have taken a long time to collect. Also, since I make some of my masks myself, that takes time, too. So, step-by-step, a character develops, and then the props for it. It’s a slow process compared to just taking photos; straightforward photography has never really appealed to me.
I need to get my hands dirty building things.
Q: Who and/or what are your main influences?
Aesthetically, I developed my interest in uniforms during my lonely years in my early 20s. Interestingly, during the pandemic, loneliness made me learn a lot of new skills, such as first making plastic masks for my pandemia figure project and then in 1:1 scale for my models.
In my 20s I also saw the documentary ”Daddy and the Muscle Academy” (1991) about Tom of Finland and fell in love [with] how he draws black leather. Also ”Cindy Sherman: Nobody’s Here But Me” (1994) had a huge impact on me.
The way I light my pictures has a lot to do with 80s horror movies. I often light my black pictures the same way because I frequently combine images from different years and shoots. Then there are painters like Vilhelm Hammershøi, whose work I love because of the poetic silence in it. In my pictures, nothing really ever happens, because it’s all based on the characters and the audience’s imagination.
I guess I could say silence also inspires me – what a Finnish thing to say.
"[T]he themes of the negative side of humanity always pull me back in.
Sadly, there is never a lack of inspiration in that field."
- Juha Arvid Helminen
Q: Is there an area in art that you want to improve in?
I got a sewing machine during the pandemic and I would love to be more confident with it. Most of my elaborate costumes are made by friends, or I buy them ready-made and modify them either physically or in Photoshop. So, I would love to develop my skills in that field, because the more I do everything myself, the freer I am to produce artwork exactly the way I want to.
I’m also really happy that I started using the laser cutter in a library’s makerspace. It’s a wonderful way of making props for my artwork that would be almost impossible to get otherwise. It also gives me great freedom to create my own designs. I’ve produced prop cameras, weapons, blades, and different kinds of radar and radio systems. Even though the backgrounds are often made in Photoshop, I think it’s good for the model to have something physical in their hands instead of just adding something there in post-production.
I guess what I’m saying is that as an artist, I always want to develop. I think if you get too comfortable being good at something, there is a good chance you will get really bored. Never be afraid of learning something new or be bad at it.
"When it comes to being a bigot,
artists are in no way better than anyone else."
- Juha Arvid Helminen
Q: Why do you choose to use black in your work?
I think originally it was for practical reasons, as I was using some of my old clothing and a dress made by my school friends. Later, I learned that black is an excellent way of showing shapes and textures when there is no colour. Someone once described my work as “complicated minimalism”, and I can sign off on that. Sometimes it’s interesting how much you can create with so little – although my new pictures have become more and more complicated.
The first pictures for the Invisible Empire series actually had brown and green backgrounds, but then I decided to go full black.
Q: Are there specific pieces (among your own), which matter more to you than others?
I think it’s really important for me to always create a new classic picture, at least in my own eyes. It would be kind of horrible if I always thought that a picture from my first shoot, or something from five years ago, was the special one. I’ve been working on new images for my Moldova exhibition, and there is at least one that makes me feel like it’s truly special. I always create my artwork for myself first and then for the audience, and I simply hope they like what they see and feel.
Q: Do you have any experiences with censorship? What do you think about it and how does it affect your work?
An artist used antisemitic tropes in their nonsensical artist talk, and when I criticised it, I was asked to censor my response. The whole experience showed me that in contemporary art, some artists deal with personal or family issues in their work, and these people are usually really nice, sincere, and curious about the world. And then you have those who chase trends and are full of shit. Even hate has trends, and some are eager to follow them just to get more artistic clout, even if it just means being part of one big circle jerk.
When it comes to being a bigot, artists are in no way better than anyone else. I also learned that if you want to hate a group of people, you must add nonsensical elements to that hatred, because the true believers will not question them. Kind of scary.
Q: How do you feel about the commercial aspect of art? Do you exhibit and sell your artworks in galleries?
Most of my rent money comes from my artistic work in the form of print sales, commissioned work, or art grants. I don’t have a ”real job”, as they say. I’ve been lucky in life to travel a lot thanks to my art, and to exhibit my work in galleries and museums. I became an artist so I could meet interesting people, and I’m not doing badly on that front.
Q: What do you wish you knew when you started making art?
Oh, how bloody difficult life can be as an artist! It brings a lot of freedom and amazing experiences, but at the same time, it can take a toll on you. Hopefully, I didn’t sound too doom and gloom.
Q: Do you have any advice for younger artists who are contemplating to commit to this life path?
Hmm, I guess the biggest thing I’ve learned is that the saying ”you can be whatever you want!” isn’t actually true. You can be so much more if you just ask for help every now and then.
"I guess I could say silence also inspires me
- what a Finnish thing to say."
- Juha Arvid Helminen
Q: Do you create in silence or listen to something?
I often listen to movie soundtracks when I’m photoshopping my work, just to get into the right mood. When I create album artwork for bands—which are usually metal bands—I have this funny habit of listening to ABBA, since I don’t listen to metal that much. I know it’s silly, but some of my best album artwork has been made while listening to ABBA’s Dancing Queen.
Find more of Juha Arvid Helminen’s works on Instagram and on Facebook.
If you enjoyed this, you might also like our interview about the dark, chaotic portrait paintings of Bahrull Marta.
And check out last month’s interview about morbid beauty in comic art with the anonymous artist Dahmu.mu.