60 minutes of pure joy

Monsieur Murecé (Simo Heiskanen) wants 

to make chicken soup of Max (Jyrki Kasper).

Photos @ Ilpo Vainionpää
 

Do you sometimes miss those early days of life when the world was full of magic, colours and surprises?

If yes, hurry to Espoon Kulttuurikeskus and find them there.

The dance company Glims & Gloms takes you to the fairyland country in it´s new dance-music-fun performance Viktor, hänen kukkonsa Max ja soittorasian arvoitus (Victor, his rooster Max and the Secret of the Music Box).

After the play I asked my seven year old companion if he liked it.

- No, he said.

Then he smiled.

- Ha-ha, I was just joking! Of course I did like it. When can I see it again?

Onion farmer Victor (Jouni Majaniemi), 

Vera the girl next door (Jonna Aaltonen) and Max (Jyrki Kasper) 

admiring the magical music box.

 

The multi-talented fellow Simo Heiskanen, 

one of the founders of Glims & Gloms, wrote the story, 

made the choreography, designed the sound world and dances and 
plays many roles, here as the big boss Hermolov.

 
Viktor, hänen kukkonsa Max ja soittorasian arvoitus is to be enjoyed until September 8th 2012 and then again after Christmas in Louhisali at Espoon Kulttuurikeskus, Tapiola. Check the details here: www.glimsgloms.com

You can enjoy a taste of it even via internet!!! See the lovely Jyrki Kasper as a Max the rooster: www.glimsgloms.com/viktor.html

 

A fresh attitude to fashion photography

 

Photos@Juha Nenonen

 

Now you can see in the basement of Designmuseo in Helsinki a cross-section of designer Hanna Sarén´s whimsical fashion ideas flavored with a collection of Helsinki School photographer Juha Nenonen´s first fashion pictures.

It is lovely to see fashion photographs with a hint of reality without the feeling that the models have a headache, upset tummy or are on the edge of falling asleep.

Hanna Sarén & Juha Nenonen Daydreaming is a part of World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 programme and is open until September 2nd.

At noon tomorrow, Tuesday 28th August, you have the possibility to take part in the discussion on contemporary ideas in fashion and photography there in the exhibition.

www.designmuseum.fi

www.hannasaren.net

www.juhanenonen.fi

Steinunn, the cool fashion volcano

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Yes, really. The Icelandic Steinunn Sigurðardóttir, the dark queen of fashion, keeps you wondering how many amazing things you can make from fabric and yarn. But not only from fabric and yarn - her clothes are not only material, they are pure poetry in-between reality and dreams, memory and future.

After working many years abroad for world´s most famous fashion houses (her CV is an impressive list of names like Prada, Gucci, La Perla, Calvin Klein, just to name a few) Steinunn returned to her roots twelve years ago and started her own company in Reykjavik. And it shows: so much of her inspiration comes from the nature of her homeland.

Now you can admire Steinunn´s work at the exhibition Nordic Design Today 2012 at EMMA, Espoo Museum of Modern Art, together with four other Scandinavian Torsten and Wanja Söderberg Prize winners. The exhibition is open until September 16th 2012.

www.emma.museum

www.steinunn.com

 

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The designer at EMMA Museum. Ruffles do always the trick! Note her lab coat-jeans-T-shirt outfit accessorized with stylish tulle collar.

Photos © Paula Hietaranta

Perfect time for new summer dresses!

And now you can make them by yourself with the help of Yoshiko Tsukiori and her book Kauniit puserot ja mekot (Otava). There you find a really lovely selection of dresses and blouses with a pattern sheet and illustrated instructions. Of course some basic sewing skills are needed as well... 

Only note that the sizes are Japanese: if your Scandinavian size is M, you should choose the pattern for the size L.

Some of the Yoshiko Tsukiori dresses have the simple ”Marimekko” style.

No wonder that the exchange of ideas is welcome in both directions: Mari Savio´s and Kati Rapia´s  Marimekko DIY book Surrur (WSOY) I wrote about in my blog in April last year will be translated into Japanese in the nearest future.

Helsinki Fresh takes Berlin

Month of Sundays clothing and accessories are designed by the sister-duo Milla and Iina Kettunen.

 

Katri Niskanen, the winner of  the first Finnish Project Runway reality TV show, has now her own fashion label.

Jenni Ahtiainen and her gTie give a new meaning to the word accessory.

Photos@Heidi Uutela

Where do the Finnish young designers get their ”sisu” and creative force?

Does it come from walking in a deep snow?

Swimming in the ”avanto” (a hole in the ice covering the lake in the winter)?

Drinking huge amounts of coffee?

You might find the answer in the Direktorenhaus in Berlin where the Helsinki FRESH exhibition presenting 25 fashion designers, illustrators and photographers living in Helsinki is open to July 8th, until the end of Fashion Week Berlin.

* Direktorenhaus Gallery, Am Krögel 2, 10179 Berlin. Open Tue-Sun from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Free entry.

 

There is also the book Helsinki FRESH: 25 Young Creatives which is well worth of buying. The texts are in English and German, the photos by Heidi Uutela.You can order the book also by mail from

www.helsinkifresh.com/helsinki_fresh_book/

and get more info about the Helsinki FRESH agency there:

www.helsinkifresh.com/contact/

and about the designers here:

www.helsinkifresh.com/designers/

New wood architecture in Helsinki

One building is temporary, the another one is here to stay. Both are a part of the World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 program.

Photos © Paula Hietaranta

 

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It looks like a huge wooden bowl in front of Kamppi bus station/shopping centre, still surrounded by a construction site. 
It is the new Kamppi Chapel of Silence, opened in the beginning of June and open daily, meant to offer some moments of peace to the busy shoppers and passers-by.

 

The atmosphere inside of the chapel is calming, and the light comes in beautifully. But why do the benches have to look like the coffins?

The Chapel is open Mon-Fri 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sat-Sun 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The official address in Simonkatu 7.

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A totally different atmosphere meets you in Paviljonki that was built to a summer living room and meeting place between Design Museum and Museum of Finnish Architecture, Ullanlinnankatu 2.

It is an inviting, lively place to meet friends...

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...to work...

 

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...to shop some tempting design pieces ...

 

 ...to have a mug of coffee or a piece of a plum-goat cheese-basil-pie, 5 euros.

 

The furniture made for Paviljonki is a heavy-weight stuff and a nice reminder of the Finnish summer and all the DIY activities so much loved by the townies on their ”kesämökki” vacations...

Paviljonki is open until 16th September and open Tue-Sun 11 a.m. to 21 p.m.

www.wdchelsinki2012.fi

Attention! The Pavillion is closed during Midsummer, though, when the whole Helsinki is more or less closed and you can find some activities only in Seurasaari Open Air-Museum.  

www.nba.fi/en/museums/seurasaari_openairmuseum

The amazing art of Ken Mai

The opening night of Cris af Enehielm´s exhibition Geisha! was highlighted by two performances of the Japanese, Helsinki-based butoh artist Ken Mai.

I saw the second one, and it was an experience beyond understanding : impressive, energizing, deeply touching.

The artist himself was so touched by the attention of the audience that he started to cry...

 

At the moment Ken is in Paris where he has his two  ”Poem of Phenomenon” solo performances and a workshop. In July he will be in Russia and in Italy.

The schedule of Ken Mai´s performances and butoh workshops you find here:

www.kenmaibutoh.com/en/infomation.html

And do not miss the Cris af Enehielm´s wonderful exhibition Geisha! which is open until August 12th, 2012, at Galerie Forsblom, Lönnrotinkatu 5, 00120 Helsinki.

www.galerieforsblom.com

Photos © Paula Hietaranta