Kaisa Leka

• Name — Kaisa Leka • Birth Name — Kaisa Maria Leka • Born — 25 October 1978 • Birthplace — Lahti, Southern Finland • Known for — comic artist, graphic designer • Training — Lahti University of Applied Sciences. • Notable Works — * I am not these feet (2003) • Your name is Krishangi (2004) • Website — Kaisa Leka

Kaisa Leka, works with graphic design as well as comics, mostly layout, for instance for a vegetarian cookbook put together by the Green party's presidential candidate for the 2006 election. Leka has also written a small book about India published by the Helsinki City Art Museum. Along with complete personal works Leka has worked for several magazines and done different smaller projects for a variety of clients. Leka also regularly teaches comics courses and workshops in many different schools. In 2012 she was given the Finnish Comics Society's Puupäähattu award, the most prestigious Finnish award for comic artist. The same year she was also given the Cyclist of the Year Award for the work she's done to promote cycling and cycle travel.

In 2004 as part of her graduate studies at Kemi-Tornio polytechnic Marika Väisänen worked on a short 26min documentary film entitled Koko nainen - Whole woman about Kaisa Leka. It was awarded best student documentary film in one of the biggest short film festivals in Finland. Koko nainen - Whole woman is a documentary portrait about Kaisa, who openly discusses her relationship to her body and the meaning of corporality. After a childhood disrupted by agonising medical procedures, Kaisa had both legs amputated beneath the knee. Now she wears only skirts, drawing attention to the artificial legs that are her statement of identity. She doesn't want to hide her disability but rather show it with pride. How is it to be a disabled woman in a society obsessed with appearances? • Title — Produced by — Directed by — Music by — Format — Length — Year — Country — Awards • Koko nainen (Whole Woman) — Marika Väisänen — Marika Väisänen — Emmi Knuutinen — 24 min — 2004 — Finland — 2005 Hannover Film Festival - Best Student Documentary