Aino Laiho is a Finnish Deaf visual artist whose work explores identity, language, and the social experience of Deaf culture. Working across sculpture, installation, drawing, and mixed media, her artistic practice engages with questions of accessibility, communication, and the relationship between Deaf and hearing worlds.

Originally trained as a designer, Laiho later returned to artistic practice with a renewed focus on three-dimensional and conceptually driven work that reflects on contemporary social realities. Her projects often combine humour, critical observation, and personal experience, addressing themes such as language borders, cultural belonging, and the lived experiences of Deaf people in society.

A recurring motif in her work is the figure “Kivikuuro” (Stone-Deaf), through which she comments on Deaf culture and the everyday dynamics between Deaf and hearing communities. Through this visual language, Laiho invites audiences to reconsider norms around communication, perception, and inclusion.

Her exhibitions have included collaborative and solo projects such as Taka-ajatuksia – Baktankar – Ulterior Motives(2022), developed during an artist residency in Haparanda on the Finnish-Swedish border, where she explored linguistic and cultural boundaries together with artist Olga Green. The exhibition featured drawings, paintings, and installations addressing the intersection of language, place, and identity.

Alongside her artistic practice, Laiho is actively involved in cultural mediation and accessibility in the arts. She regularly leads art tours in Finnish Sign Language at cultural institutions in Helsinki, contributing to broader access to visual culture for Deaf audiences.

Her work forms part of a broader movement advocating greater visibility and equity for Deaf and disabled artists within the contemporary art field. Through both artistic production and community engagement, Laiho continues to expand conversations around accessibility, representation, and cultural participation.