Herkki-Erich Merila (born February 6, 1964 in Tallinn) is a prominent Estonian artist and photographer. He studied photography at Tallinn’s 2nd Technical School in 1982–1983. From 1984 to 1991, he worked as a photojournalist. In 1992, he co-founded the influential photographic group DeStudio with Peeter Laurits, serving as one of its artistic directors until 1996. Since 1997, he has worked as a freelance artist and is a member of the Estonian Artists’ Union.
Merila has exhibited his work internationally in cities like New York, Chicago, London, Vienna, and Copenhagen. His works are held in significant public collections, including the Estonian Art Museum, Tartu Art Museum, and abroad in institutions in Denmark and the USA. His photographic style often highlights hidden visual signals beneath architectural facades, using photo collage and digital techniques to explore the intersection of human presence, urban space, and historical imagery — notably in his series Real Estate of Mind and Chromatics.
