PUNAINEN -Wearable art and highlights of Finnish living Galleria GAo ShAn 23. 11. – 23. 12. 2022

Punainen means red in Finnish. It’s not a typical Finnish colour. Yet in the Finnish history, there are a lot of art and design pieces created in this colour by artists and designers.

In this exhibition, the Finnish past and present are interwoven. Creations of jewelry, ceramics, glass and textiles from famous Finnish names are mixed together with works from lesser known names. Some selected works from the current day creators are included in the exhibition. For example, you can see Arabia red, sparkling brass and handwoven linen here.

The idea for this exhibition is based on Finnish vintage design pieces getting popular in the international market. But can we introduce a pure Finnish aesthetic with the skill and quality if we remove those famous labels? And can we still identify they are from Finland and appreciate them? The essence here is not the highest sales price but the quality and craftsmanship on display.

In the Finnish culture history, there is no clear boundary between artists and designers. A great architect can design jewelry, a jewelry designer can also make a nice rye rug while a glass artist can design a lamp. Famous Finnish names still stand out with their achievements despite forays into other fields they were curious and passionate about. This is in contrast with the homogeneity widely seen today which in turn raises the question how artists and designers could go about their careers and help to revive Finnish art and design. Hopefully this exhibition can trigger some fresh 1thoughts on the topic.

Punainen, red, is a colour as well an attitude!

Our current exhibition idea got its spark when I for the first time saw Finnish textile artist Eeva Renvall's big art tapestry. Textiles carry a major role in Finnish design history but likewise to jewelry still remains a sleeping lion. We are experimenting too little, said Eeva Renvall in the 1960s, speaking at her loom while getting carried away with her mental images and impulses, interpreting them into textile form.

In Finland, we have few chances to see what is being created abroad. This is very regrettable as it also affects the will create something new. Renvall knows what she is talking about as she is keen to experiment, see and also exhibit her works. Her works had at the time been on display in Sweden, Norway, West Germany, Poland and USA. She had toured 12 exhibitions with other four Finnish textile artists in Nordic countries with the same works later shown in several museum in Finland in 1981. Eeva Renvall’s pieces were all made to be exhibited. You can get a close touch with this big art tapastry in Gallery GAo ShAn.

Trying to define Finnish design is nowadays quite tricky as homogeneity has become a daily encpunteted phenomenon in design field. A lot of products look very similar. Minimalism is at risk of becoming a word describing lazy. Around 70 years ago, the Finnish design industry was pure with handmade craft in all the details. The designs stood out and were recognizable. Similar attitude to design would be welcome today.

Birger Kaipiainen made his name in the Arabia art department where he worked for around half a Century. There he could do creative work independent of the factory's mass production and productivity requirements. Called the prince of ceramics by another Finnish legend, Kaj Franck, Kaipiainen avoided designing other than unique pieces. Stylistically, Kaipiainen's decoration style is rich and overflows with romantic motifs, such as flowers and birds. Often the themes come from music and nature.

His art pieces were given as official state presents to the Shah of Persia and to India, Belgium, Sweden and Denmark.

Kaipiainen's signature style was to fix mirrors to his furniture sculptures and glass and ceramic beads to his birds. The pictured Kaipiainen's unique art relief was made in the 1966.