1939

Born December 31 into a working-class family in Turku. Primary and secondary school in Turku. Passionately interested in drawing from early childhood.

1955

Dreams of a camera come true when the parents give him a Zeiss Ikon Nettar 6 x 6 camera. Everyday snapshots he will use 30 years later in his book Portsa.

1958

Matriculates.

1958-59

Art studies in the Turku School of Fine Arts. Debut exhibition (drawings, prints, paintings) as a first-year student together with a fellow student.

1960-61

Works as a teacher in the northern Finland after completing national service. Exhibition in Oulu. Hitch-hikes to Paris. First of several trips to study art in Paris over the next few years.

1962

Exhibitions in Turku and Stockholm. Graduates from the art school.

1963

Moves to Helsinki.

1964

Works as a casual assistant in a photography studio of questionable repute while attending courses in art History, aesthetics and French at the University of Helsinki. Exhibition at the legendary gallery Agora.

1965

Picture stories in various magazines. Exhibition (collages) in Stockholm. Takes a job as an assistant at a commercial photography studio. Marries Eva: two children are born (Ursula 1967 and Nils 1975). Over the following years participates in various happenings typical of the period.

1970

Freelance photographer: advertising and illustration. Continues working on collages; some are exhibited at the Exhibition of Young Artists.

1971

Starts to teach photography at the Institute of Applied Arts (later University of Industrial Arts).

1973

First solo photography exhibition.

1975-78

Becomes more deeply involved in the photography scene. Exhibits collages and similar works at various exhibitions, too.

1978

Appointed professor of photography at the University of Industrial Arts in Helsinki. Gives up commercial photography and focuses on independent projects. Co-founder and chief curator of Photographic Gallery Hippolyte.

1981

Co-publishes a book on one of the first Finnish photographers, I.K. Inha (1865 - 1930) together with T.-J. Vuorenmaa, for which receives a governement prize. Is also awarded a governement grant. Travels to work in Paris.

1982

Breaks a leg in a hang-gliding experiment.

1983

Almost 10-year-long project on childhood places and memories is published in the form of a book entitled Portsa.An exhibition of photographs by 9x12-format (4 by 5) camera tours Finland and various other countries.

1985

Leaves the University of Industrial Arts. Receives a three-year governement grant.

1987-88

The Marathon retrospective is shown in Helsinki, Pori and Lappeenranta, including a selection of new sculptures and collages. The title of the exhibition and catalogue refers to the participation in two city marathons.

1988

Receives the State prize for Excellence in the field of art photography. Appointed rector of Finland's oldest art school, the Turku School of Fine Arts. Invited to hold the opening exhibition of the Titanik-gallery in Turku.

1991

The newly founded Museum of Contemporary Art (later Kiasma) purchases a number of Kajander's works from 1962 - 86. Spends part of the money on an Italian Bianchiracing bicycle. The acquisitions and various other old and new works are shown in the opening exhibition of the museum's Studio N. Prticipates in the Finnice photography event in Nice.

1992

Gloria Vanderbilt exhibition in Helsinki. Invited to take part in the Finnish Artists' Association's 98th Annual Exhibition in Karkkila: submits a seven-metre work portraying the death of Modernism. Surprised to be decorated with the medal of the Order of the White Rose of Finland.

1994

Submits works for various theme exhibitions in Oulu, Lahti etc. Turku unveils a monument sculptured by Kajander in memory of Red soldiers imprisoned in camps during the Finnish civil war of 1918 .

1995

Exhibition Kutsuttu vieras (Invited Guest) at the Turku Art Museum. A catalogue of the same title is published.

1997

A small exhibition The Long Walk in Turku to mark the occasion leaving the Turku School of Fine Arts.

1998

Receives a five-year governement grant. A new beginning: sets to work on numerous new projects and series of works, starting with a two-month stint of work in Paris.

1999-2000

Celebrates the Millennium and his own 60th anniversary with a series of exhibitions pompously called TIE 2000 (tie = road).

2001

A small garret acquired in Paris is a youthful dream come true..

2003

Exploration of the spiritual heritage, exhibition called 1918 (the year of the Finnish civil war) in Helsinki.

2004

Exhibition The Short History of Time in Turku is some kind of a 'short retrospective'.