Bio
Saarto was born 1961 in Kotka Finland. He works and lives in Helsinki. Since 2000 he has been lecturing in numerous art schools and has given workshops and courses at the Aalto University, School of Arts, Design and Architecture/Department of Media, Aalto Open University, Former University of Art And Design, Helsinki, Helsinki, University of Technology (now Aalto University, Finland), Lahti Institute of Design (Finland), Turku Academy of Arts (Finland) and Estonian Academy of Arts (Eesti kunstiakadeemia, Tallinn, Estonia). Before 2000 Saarto worked as the Principal Lecturer of Photography at the Lahti Institute of Design, Finland (1996–2000).
His main topics in lecturing are history of photography, contemporary photography/contemporay art, landscape. Saarto's work has been shown in various exhibitions in Japan and Europe: among others United Kingdom, France, Italy, Austria, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands and Sweden. His works can be found in the collections of Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art, Helsinki, collections of the State of Finland, collections of the Museum of Photography, Helsinki, collections of the Wihuri Foundation (Rovaniemi Art Museum), collections of the town of Kotka and private collections in Finland, Japan and USA. Saarto is a member of the Union of Artist Photographers, Finland. Saarto speaks fluent English, some Swedish, German and Russian.