Finnish born, Sirkka-Liisa Konttinen's work has attracted considerable acclaim. The New Statesman has described her photographs as 'masterpieces of representation - political as well as photographic...' whilst New Society said 'Here is a sensibility, a wisdom of the eye and the heart that makes this collection unforgettable'. She holds the distinction of having had her work toured in 1985 in China by the British Council as the first photographic exhibition from Britain after the Cultural Revolution. She has continued to exhibit widely. A founder member of Amber, a unique collective of filmmakers and photographers, based in Newcastle, in the north east of England, Konttinen works both in photography and film. Her projects Byker, Step by Step, and Writing in The Sand have each evolved into books, exhibitions and films. Writing in the Sand is itself the culmination of twenty five years work.