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Even though we haven’t covered IVANAhelsinki for quite a long time and Paola Suhonen may be studying film making in USA, IVANAhelsinki is still doing great, coming up with new collections and expanding their availability all over the world.
We have received some nice pictures from the very freshly announce spring/summer 2011 collection called “Where the Fuck is My Sailor?”
First, the name sounds very provocative, but looking at the collection and thinking about the modern thinking – it kind of makes sense?
Just enjoy and start adjusting your mind into next summer…
     
Last week, I visited my friends’ exhibition opening entitled “Love – been there, done that”. I was so impressed by the novel approach to this overly used topic that I decided to share my experience about these new works of heart.
In the middle of a semi-lighted room of the gallery, I see this humongous white balloon hanging from a thin cord attached between the floor and the ceiling. “Hug it,” said Mina, one of the artists. So, I did. I felt that it had a steady pulse, like a heartbeat. “It’s the pulse of Helsinki,” Mina continued.
The installation, literally speaking, recorded the heartbeat of Helsinki. The project was initiated by graphic design student Mina Arko, together with media lab student Ben Dromey and fashion design student Tine Kozjak. An interdisciplinary collaboration between students with different backgrounds resulted in a tactile, huggable, information installation – The CityBeat.
“We recorded the Helsinki train station (the main hall, trains, metros and trams) and combined the sounds together,” said Mina. “Later we translated the sounds into a heartbeat-like pulse that is beating on the balloon you can hug. Hugging the balloon is hugging the heart of Helsinki, the Rautatieasema, that is daily visited by over 200,000 people.”
The CityBeat was the most unique part of the show although I thought that the illustrations by Jukka Peltosaari and Minna Mäkipää were great too. And, I especially enjoyed reading the love notes by Tirza Ben-Pora. She knows every love song there is. I picked my favorite quote and took it home with me.
Place? Myymala2, Uudenmaankatu 23 00100, Helsinki.
When looking at your latest collection, I want to take a journey. I want to go to places like India, Morocco and also stop by Holland to visit the tulip plantations. You have such an incredible eye with color.
My work is a lot about positive energy. I want to communicate hope with my art and to address the positive things in life. Create good places for emotions.
What inspires your work?
It is a long list. The inspiration comes from experiencing different cultures and meeting with people from different cultures. I am also extremely interested in what other artists are doing right now and the art history but it doesn’t have to always be art. It can be anything related to color and form.
Do you travel a lot?
I do travel often for inspiration and experience. I usually go to places that interest me because of my work. I always travel for work. So, if I choose a more exotic place like, India or Thailand, I am more interested in colors and culture. But, if I am in a city, I am more interested in architecture. Most often, my work is related to such as music and books. I am interested in the visual culture, not so much in nature.
Are you a city person?
I am an urban person. I like urban life. I like New York, London and Paris. I don’t want to live in a desert, or countryside with only one exception – my house in the Finnish countryside where I spent my summers.
Would you like to share with us something about the creative process of your work?
I am a logical painter. I always work with a concept and with series of paintings that are connected to each other. I usually do small drawings at first and then I work with the idea from different points of view. I always have 4 – 10 different paintings from the same theme. For example, in the beginning of 2000, I started working with the “subway maps”. I decided to choose subway maps from the cities I have lived in or have visited. I had 8 different maps than included those of New York, Berlin, Paris, Mexico city, and St. Petersburg. I started drawing these maps which then become a portrait of the whole city. I wanted to visualize the urban living. When people saw the paintings, they knew there was something very familiar without realizing that they were actually looking, for example, at Stockholm’s subway map.
Tell us something about the new exhibition, “Both sides of the argument”.
The idea for the paintings started when I was visiting Istanbul 2 years ago with my daughter. I love the art, ceramic and ornaments in Istanbul. When we were there, we went to topkaki and harem and I was taking a lot of pictures of all the objects and architecture. Through the camera lens, I also saw my daughter’s face which I thought was like an oval form, hidden behind all the golden fences. I wanted to paint the beauty of the architecture and ornaments but also being imprisoned with the beauty. I also combined in the paintings things I saw in Paris a few months later. There is always a specific idea behind each series of works but the painting process itself is very flexible and I change lots of things while working. Painting is problem solving.
You live in Stockholm. What do you love about the city?
I was living in New York between 1986 and 1995. I moved to Stockholm in 1996 to work as a professor at The Royal Collage of Fine Arts. Being with the young artists has been a great experience. They have given a lot to me. I love the interaction with young people because they know things of their own generation that I most probably don’t. It is the same thing when meeting people that are 10-15 years older.
What’s your favorite season?
Summer. I live out of color and light and summer is really my season. I love the warmth. I love sitting outside and eating outside. I don’t like autumn. Spring is nice and winter, I could live without.
What are you really excited about right now?
My show at Korjaamo and going to Paris for the next three months. I am exited to have the spring in Paris, start painting again and have the exhibition there. My show will be at the Finnish Institute.
Something else that excites me right now, is my daughter’s, Leena-Maaretta’s graduation from high school. She is going to university and it is a very important thing. Architecture is very important in my travels but I feel that it is always most fun to travel with my daughter.
Mervi Kurvinen and Hans Eiskosen are combining jewelry design with poster design in a show they call ‘Past Is Prologue’. They refer to the reunification of two types of work and a symbolic new beginning. The exhibition consists of objects and installations, in which objects encounter graphics and photography. The posters create the story and give life to the jewelry that are made out of pieces from the past or, objects that before were something else.
Click to see more pictures of Mervi Kurvinen’s jewelry.
Past is Prologue is taking place at Galleria Norsu still for one more week.
* All pictures courtesy of Galleria Norsu.
I saw your work for the first time at Young Artists 2009 show here in Helsinki. I was immediately drawn into that particular photograph for several reasons, but the prime reason being its vivid colors. However, after seeing the rest of your collection at the Finnish Museum of Photography, I was left almost breathless. And, it wasn’t only because of the presence of water in all of the photographs. They are so powerful, so mystical.
Where did the inspiration come from and, are you really the Water Researcher’s daughter as in the title of your new collection?
My inspiration comes from the lyrics, for example, from P.J Harvey, Coco Rosie and Björk. I’ve also grown up with books and I recognize myself from Vigdis Grimsdottir´s books. My favorite one is Ég heiti Ísbjörg, ég er ljón.
Yes, I am the Water Researcher’s daughter. I’ve learned the meaning of water.
Why water?
I have started to follow water with the presumption that there is something turquoise in it. Or, something for my melancholic heart.
There is an old photo I took back in 2002 called Sunset River. It was taken in an empty swimming pool. That was my first water photo. But, I’m also interested in colors and how people are attracted to places and places are attracted to people.
Very interesting.
I want to think that things are also somehow living. It is a poetic way of thinking. At the same time it was about combining colors. And, I don’t want to be too fashion empty.
Sometimes, fashion magazines ask me to make photographs for them but I don’t like their rules. I don’t like photo manipulation. It makes young girls want to be skinny and buy all the makeup & clothes to look perfect and fashionable. There is all this emptiness in fashion that makes me feel sick somehow. For example, In this magazine, they told me I don’t need to worry neither about the clothes, nor about the make up or the model. But, I do. It is the part of the story. I’m grateful because I can do my own things.
Would you like to share something about the creative process of your work?
My process needs longing to solve something or longing to show something to others. I’ll get inspired by places, colors and people and I’ll combine these. I’ll combine these with some sentences that roll around in my head. For example P.J Harvey sings: “There’s a monster in a forest, looking very much like me.” That challenges my thinking and I will try to tell it to everyone, how does it feel when you have evil version of yourself inside of you, who tries to destroy everything beautiful.
Tell us something about Helsinki School.
I did my Master’s at Helsinki School during 2004-2007. I came from another art school from Turku and I remember that I wanted to fit in, become part of the group. So, I was thinking that somehow I should look like a suffering artist.
Was there a lot of pressure?
It was a different atmosphere but I am happy to be able to study art because art schools are more open. Earlier people asked me about the clothes I wear. I was making my own clothes or wore something somewhat different. So, they were asking: “Do you think you are a photo model for a second-hand store?” or, “ Do you want to be Björk?” Yes, I still do want to be Björk. It was important for me to have a raw model as I grew up.
When did you start photographing?
I took some photo lessons in high school and it was challenging my thinking about how to tell stories with the visuals.
Do you have big suitcases with equipment when you go on a shoot?
Not with equipment, but I do have them with clothes. Of course, I have to have enough light and all that’s necessary.
Your current camera?
I have a Canon OS 5D Mark II.
What’s next in your plans?
We are opening an exhibition in London at Gallery Purdy Hicks on the 28th of April and after that, one at Rogaland Museum of Fine Arts in Stavanger, Norway.
Right now, Susanna’s work is being presented in the following shows:
Bryce Wolkowitz Gallery, New York
The 2010 International Photo Festival, Knokke-Heist
Kiasma, Helsinki
Art Museum Meilahti, Helsinki
Museum of Photography, Helsinki
Ville Andersson is another promising young Finnish photographer whose mysterious artistic shoots play with fire or, to my eyes, rather with what’s left of it. His work can take you to an unlogical and surreal dreamland. Ville’s debut exhibition is now ongoing at My o My in Helsinki Design District.
 Photography by Ville Andersson
This spring, I have a good reason to visit Tampere. Industrial designer Hannu Kahonen who received the prestigious Kaj Franck Design Prize in 2009 is opening an exhibition of his work starting on 27th of March.
As I’m no expert in industrial design, I simply enjoy the esthetics in functional products, I’ll praise him in the words of Kaj Franck Design jury: “Hannu Kähönen’s oeuvre reflects in a beautiful manner the industrial aesthetic, and its core ideas are knowledge of materials, the usability of products, their accessibility and recyclability.”
The exhibition takes place in TR1 – Kunsthalle, Väinö Linnan Square 13, Tampere, Finland.
 Photography by Creadesign Oy
 Photography by Creadesign Oy  Photography by Creadesign Oy
Lapponia Jewelry, a traditional Finnish jewelry manufacturer with wide international visibility, announced today the winner of their The next episode design competition. Lapponia is celebrating their 50th anniversary this in 2010, and this competition is part of their anniversary project.
The first prize was awarded to Mari Isopahkala. Her Pisara (drop) collection show how delicate and simplistic silver can bring up the emotions.
Mari is Helsinki-based freelancer designer. She works widely between product, furniture, light, exhibition and interior design. Her design can be found both domestically and internationally production.
On top of the freelancer work Mari belongs to the groups of New Dining Luxury, 30ForSale and Imu Design. Recently her works has been seen with the group called Design Migration all over the Europe.
Mari’s experience and inspiration is to work with a number of materials for different reasons. Design is kind of storytelling for her. “There always need to be a reason to do – though the reason is functional or just a beauty.” With her design she is always aiming to generate a reaction into the people.
Other prizes were given to Lenka Trubaèová from Czech Republic with Lake Inari day and night and Jenni Karttunen from Finland with Adagio. Honorary mentions went to Milena Linden for Reflection and Japanese Megumi Kasai for Caterpillar.
IVANAhelsinki, a Finnish top fashion brand, will open a pop up store in New York. The store will be located on 238 Mulberry street (between Price and Spring) from Friday February 19th until March 17th.
We have a problem at www.designfinland.fi – none of us is located in New York, and we would so much like to see what the store looks like.
So, we are asking all New York fashionistas to check-in at the store, take a photo and post it on our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/designfinland) for everyone to admire.
If we get some nice pictures from you, we will publish them on our actual site and send you some nice design goodies from Finland. Something totally unique in New York and US.
And please, spread the word. We want the coolest pics from that store (and those peeps, especially if you see Paola Suhonen there)!
View in Google StreetView
IVANAhelsinki, one of the fashion spearheads of new Finnish fashion, has been showing their Fall/Winter 2010/2011 collection at Copenhagen Fashion Week. If you missed it, and can’t attend the other catwalk events (London Fashion Week, Paris Fashion Week, New York Fashion Week, Stockholm & Tokyo showrooms), here are the pics from Copenhagen show this week!
The collection is called Copper Chain. It shows the more glamorous side of Paola Suhonen, still maintaining her strong style of fennofolk prints and odd luxury. I’ve always loved the story behind their collections, so let’s hear the one for Copper Chain.
I guess it was late last spring
—maybe it was May.
I was convinced that the love
I believed in, had disappeared,
Vanished in the bitter winds.
The kind of love, I loved.
The kind of eternal spark,
magical light,
No more stories
about two ships in the dark.
True soul mate bond,
unrusted chain of love to tight up the forever ones.
It was late last spring
—it was May.
An older couple, sitting on the Brooklyn Bridge bench.
I could easily tell
back in the days—
they´ve been the ones,
lovers of flowers and the sun.
Now in their 60´s
beautiful queen type of worn-out woman,
life ragged, used to be long haired man.
Sun still ahead them.
Everything to come
what they want to believe in.
I can´t stop staring.
They hold hands.
And I see
They both are wearing
the most beautiful bold chain tattoo
around one´s wrist.
Tight together,
Still always free to leave.
Braces with the One.
Or bracelets of the one they´ve loved.
Now the once golden chains
a bit aged,
days turned them soft shimmer copper
getting old
chained together forever.
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