Firstindigo&Lifestyle

21-century art

Category: scandinavian

  • Designer Mari Isopahkala // fresh whirlwind from the Milan Design Week

    Designer Mari Isopahkala // fresh whirlwind from the Milan Design Week

    Firstindigo&Lifestyle: COULD YOU TELL A GREAT STORY FROM MILAN, AN ENCOUNTER, HOW WAS IT LIKE THIS TIME?
    Mari Isopahkala: It was overall a great trip, although these design exhibition weeks are sometimes heavy. Meeting different people and professionals is very interesting and gives you back a lot. As I had to be standing a lot, and walk around long distances between the exhibit places, I kept changing my shoes to feel more comfortable. I got few great contacts. It will be exiting to see what these new things will bring me in the near future.

    Firstindigo&Lifestyle: HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU ATTENDED MILAN DESIGN WEEK?

    Mari Isopahkala: Many times, I have not even counted. Not every single year during my active working years, but almost. It is already a very familiar place to me.
     
     
    (Designer Mari Isopahkala with a ruffle carpet, 2009. Capture: Liisa Valonen. Above: Kristallit small glasses, Konkkaronkka cutlery for Marimekko, designed by Mari Isopahkala)
    Firstindigo&Lifestyle: WHEN YOU WERE IN NEW YORK TWO YEARS AGO, WHAT DID THE CITY OFFER?

    Mari Isopahkala: It was good to see what the industry is like in North America. What are the current trends there, who are participating in those trends, and so forth. New York City is definitely quite different from the North Europe. Commercialism and business are in a higher level in the North American marketplace. What I can say about Finland is that we tend to be not so good in selling and marketing. I still have so much to learn about it, and even about how to brand my products. What I admired in New York City was the openness of people, how they have positive energy and courage. They also seemed to be forward thinking.

    Firstindigo&Lifestyle: Your design-language is very poetic, and perhaps minimalistic (or is this a stereotypy that is often attached to Scandinavian design?). In any event, how would you describe your designing?

    Mari Isopahkala: Thank you, poetic is very beautifully put. Well, I would not consider minimalism as a stereotypical thing in the Nordic design. I think that minimalism comes so naturally. We are living that type of lifestyle, and it shows in the designs, which is unpretentious. This notion contains our products and our environment. I would describe my own design-language as clear, and yet personal. It does not shout too loud, yet it does not leave you cold. I hope that my designs are attractive as well. My products have some Ostrobothnian (Finnish) femininity in them. They comply strength, and also sensitivity.  

    Firstindigo&Lifestyle: It is simply amazing that you are so diverse as a designer, you have interior design, jewellery, everyday objects, unique industrial design pieces, lighting design, and so on. Is there a design, which is closer to you personally and why?  

    Mari Isopahkala: Yes, I like to do different things. It keeps my mind open and fresh, and very much helps to discover new things. When I look at the ideas from outside, I have to learn new things. This creates newness and innovation. I enjoy working together with skilled craftsmen from different industries. I have a huge respect for artisan’s skills.  If I had to pick one material, it would be glass. I am so intrigued by the practice in glass factories. It is hypnotic to watch the melting glass. It feels almost sensational.

    Firstindigo&Lifestyle: Can you name a few of your mentors and inspirations, Finnish and international? 

    Mari Isopahkala: I have many inspirations in art, design, and in the everyday life. I have not been following anyone’s path really, but I have been gaining inspiration from many great masters in the past and in the present. The environment where I live inspires me tremendously.

    Firstindigo&Lifestyle: How would you describe the essence of nature in your designs, the Finnish nature-urban dynamics? What comes to mind also is the Nordic nature with mythological traces, how it can be present in our consciousness. Is there room for utopia in your designs?

    Mari Isopahkala: Nature is so important part of my life and that way it probably shows in my designs. It is not an absolute value but it is present. I have tried also other ‘domains’, and any kinds of oppositions interest me. I think I question existing myths in a good way. There is of course room for utopias in my designs. I have a need to move things forward towards the unknown paths.

    Firstindigo&Lifestyle: Can design be masculine and feminine?

    Mari Isopahkala: Good designer can utilize both, and then be without specificity of these qualities. Doing feminine or masculine design can be a conscious choice. I am very aware of my own choices. And I have used both of these two qualities. So I am trying my best.    

    Firstindigo&Lifestyle: What are your future plans?  

    Mari Isopahkala: There are many things, some of the plans are still in the air, so to speak, some on the other hand are in the process. Right now I have worked so hard that its time to start planning the summer. I believe that once you get some rest you gain new perspectives. Then it is also time to make next big decisions. 
    1. greenhouse light, 2. viikari light in space, 3. viikari basis, 4. no jaa big sculpted light
    5. furing jewellery, 6. winter pearl jewellery, 7. suma fiilis jewellery set,  8. kristallit fat glass
  • Finnish Paloni designers come to New York

    Finnish Paloni designers come to New York

    MINNA SÄRELÄ is a founder of Finnish design collective PALONI, which is coming to New York this weekend to open a pop-up store during the fashion week. PALONI shop will be open through the end of February at the Ivana Helsinki NYC Concept Store. Their motto is: YOU CAN CALL IT DESIGN, INDIE FASHION, ART OR HANDICRAFT. WE CALL IT PASSION.

     

    Firstindigo&Lifestyle: Minna, I was so happy to hear that PALONI is coming to New York, tell me little bit about this ‘invasion’?

    Minna: I founded Paloni one and a half years back, and lately started to feel that it’s time for the next step, broadening our scope and doing the first international project. New York opened as an opportunity through another Finnish fashion company Ivana Helsinki. After I got to discuss with their crew, things started going forward very fast. Our designers are very excited about this project and the possibilities it offers. We had a total of 37 Finnish designers joining the project, despite a very tight schedule for the preparations. Now it’s not just my project anymore, it’s something we do together. We have a group of 20 Finnish designers coming personally to New York, and together we will promote Finnish design and fashion know-how, build a pop-up store within the Ivana Helsinki NYC Concept Store. We will organize events and parties, network and build ourselves wider horizons for future dreams.

     
    Firstindigo&Lifestyle: When you started the company-collective, who did you include, was it by invitation and with like-minded people?
     
    Minna:  When I started, I had 45 designers that I represented. Now I’m trying to settle the number at about 80, although there would be much more demand and need from the designers’ side to join this kind of a platform or network. Still, I think it makes more sense both to our designers and customers that we can concentrate on the people we represent.

    At first all of my co-operations with designers started by finding interesting labels or designers, and looking for cooperation. Now I get many requests every week from designers who would like to cooperate. I try to answer them all and to help them all, even if I think there’s something about their line or products they should still work on before going to the market.
    Firstindigo&Lifestyle: HOW INTERNATIONAL IS PALONI?
     
    Minna:     I see Paloni as “born global”. Even though we’ve only operated in Finland so far, our way of communicating in English, and with international vibes, have brought us international customers and connections, and made our network international. Also our designers come from across the globe, although this New York project concentrates on making Finnish designers’ skills better known.

     Firstindigo&Lifestyle: I learned from your website that you have been participating in eco- and sustainable fashion events, what have you learned about this field, and what are your thoughts about this trend?

    Minna: I really wish it will not be just another trend among others, but rather a chancing force that will make the whole industry into something different and affect our behavior profoundly. I feel there’s much need for making ethically and ecologically sustainable options available and better known. I don’t believe the change comes from pressuring or from being negative. It needs to stem from each one of us. Personally, I feel that wearing a garment I respect in all ways makes me feel more balanced and respected, too. There’s a lot of discussion and information around this issue, and I’ve learned so much about the debates and aspects in the past years. However, I think offering information will not change it very much – we already get too much information every day. I think we rather need some easy and pleasant ways of loving fashion more sustainably. By bringing together tens of designers that represent this ideology and by offering their offerings as a holistic array and experience, we try to build sustainable design in a pleasant way, and include a wide enough collection to be part of it.
    {All photos Paloni: Minna Särelä, captures: Sami Perttilä}

    Firstindigo&Lifestyle: WHAT ARE YOUR NEW PROJECTS WITHIN PALONI, AND YOUR EVENTS?
    Minna: Simply teamwork. By doing things in a committed team and by supporting each others’ potentials we can reach much more than with big money. The word ‘Paloni’ comes from the Finnish word “my passion”. When you have passion for something, it shows. And when it shows, others get excited too. And when that happens, impossible things become possible.
    Firstindigo&Lifestyle: What do you expect from your visit in New York, how many times have you visited?

     

    Minna: Although I haven’t been in New York many times, it’s one of my favorite cities in the world. I think each one of our designers have big and very different expectation. Personally, I expect networking, finding new inspiration and ideas, -these two things combined can lead the way to something new and unexpected.

     Firstindigo&Lifestyle: Is Paloni hoping to bring the products here, or will operate via the e-shop?

    Minna: The Paloni pop-up will be open inside Ivana Helsinki NYC Concept Store from February 11th until February 28th. This is a good chance to see, feel and try on the products in person. However, we also have an online store through which we have worldwide shipping at all times. The collection we’re presenting in New York are these designers’ new spring-summer collections. New Yorkers will have the privilege of getting to buy these items first – they will only become available in our Helsinki-store and our online store in March. Our online store has all this information in English, and can be found from www.paloni.fi/store
     
    Firstindigo&Lifestyle: Welcome to New York!

    Minna: Thank you! And welcome to our opening party on Wednesday Feb. 13th at Ivana Helsinki NYC Concept Store! We will have DJ Fiona Timantti playing Finnish music, and you’ll have the chance to meet our designers in person.
    Read also story about Scandinavian Design in this blog

    Check the Paloni website: http://www.paloni.fi/

  • Galleria Saima brings Italian art influence to Helsinki

    Galleria Saima brings Italian art influence to Helsinki

    Gallerist Lea Karttunen founded her art gallery Galleria Saima in the heart of Helsinki in 2012. She is a graduate from the Graphic Design program at the Institute of Design and Fine Arts in Lahti Finland. Lea has worked in the graphic industry for decades, and painted in her free time in Italy where she is inspired by the ancient Etruscans.

    LeaKarttunen, Saniaisen olemus, Akvarell painting, 37×27 cm, 2012

    Lea, How did you start your Saima Galleria?

    LK: The art gallery has been my long term dream. My idea is basically to create a platform for young talent. Then I want to work with different artistic genres, I want to mix forms and overall be very interdisciplinary. In my opinion, this is the way to create a new type of artistic space. And it is situated in the heart of Helsinki.

    What is your background in the arts?

    I have always worked with painting myself, but I love and respect all the other art forms as well, for example music and theater. I studied visual communication, Russian classical portrait painting, and akvarell painting with many prominent artist-mentors. I find that this is truly a life-long learning process, to acquire techniques takes a long time. In addition, I have been involved in the business world for decades so I have that experience as well.

    I visited Saima after it had opened in August 2012. I was impressed by Mari Vuolanto’s huge black-and-white works on paper, which you presented for the opening without frames. She has lived and worked in Italy too. I understood that your dream is to bring Italian art world closer to our Finnish one. How do these two places meet in your gallery?

    I love Italy, its culture and nature, and the ‘Etruscan influence’ in Mazzano Romano is a constant source of inspiration. Perhaps this is the reason why Italy has been part of my vision from the very beginning. I personally think that Italian artists are more expressive or courageous, and more multiple in their approach than we often are here in the North.

    What is your curating principle and the set of goals?

    By combining different art forms and using interdisciplinary means, I want to bring something new to the art field. I want to be taking part in the current trends, or what is timely, both locally and internationally.

    This is what we have planned for the near future in the gallery. We will have very interesting event coming up, when we are working together and in conjunction with another show taking place in London. On April 20th 2013, one artist paints here at Saima Galleria and the ’other part’ paints simultaneously in London. These two artists are making portraits of each other. The project examines memories, discovers distance and  longing. We will use internet in the process of making the portraits.

    Then we will have an exhibition coming up, which will be based on music, and focuses on the musical and the sound experience. I believe that when wecombine different art forms we promote new kind of art-loving participation and we create new opportunities for audiences.

    Tell me about your current exhibition with artist Valentina Toma?

    Valentina comes from Italy, she has lived two years in Helsinki, and this is her first exhibition in Finland. Most of her works, now on view at our gallery, are from 2011-2012, and her show is named as E´IL TEMPO DEI COLORI BRILLANTI (Its time for brilliant colors). During the 1990s and 2000s, Valentina had exhibitions all around the world, including in New York, in Hong Kong, in Mexico City, as well as in numerous European cities. Her paintings are combining pop surrealism with neo-realism. These paintings are very strong and powerful. The colors are strong, and her technique is very detailed and expressively disciplined. Valentina is a graduate from the Florence Academy of Art.

    Galleria Saima is open during the exhibitions: Wednesday-Friday 11 am –5 pm, Saturday-Sunday12-4 pm.Adress: Neitsytpolku 9,00140 Helsinki. (Valentina Toma’s exhibition in on view until 10.2.2013.)

    www.galleriasaima.fi

    Artist Valentina Toma’s webpage on Artbreak/Greenpoison.

    Artist Mari Vuolanto’s webpage.