FINLAND IN POSTER ART - 28 September 2003 (Part I) BACK
What does Finland remind you when people mention it? The next thing I can associate with it will be Hakkinen, Raikkonen, Litmanen and Nokia. Notice that all the names above ended with 'NEN'. Well, I failed to go to the guest lecture about 'A Century of Finnish Architecture' because rushing to finish my urban design site analysis presentation. In the end, I tried to make it to the final day of their poster art exhibition. I learnt a lot about Finland in 1 hour! I asked some questions about Finland as I read something about the country on one of the panels displayed.
Finland is called Suomi in Finnish language. Cool eh? Well, the country has around 5.1 million people only. Which is a shock to me because I always thought there are many people living there. It is a great shame that such a small country can produce 2 great Formula 1 drivers and we have NONE in Malaysia when our population is so much more than theirs. The capital city, Helsinki is situated at the edge of the south of Finland, thus I think it should be a port city. Anyway, the most amazing thing about Finland is that there are over 200,000 lakes there!!!! Incredible! According to the Finnish lady in charge of the exhibition, as long as there is no lake, there will be jungles. Birch trees all over the country! She shared that she came from the eastern side of Finland in a city near lakes so the scenery is very beautiful. According to her description too, it is about 10 times the size Singapore. The Finnish are also popular in the sport of ice hockey. Basically, their favourite past times have to have something to do with ice and water since they have plenty of them all over the country. The country's north generally is very empty of any human beings because most of the major cities and towns are at the south. Thus, she told me that the government is trying very hard to persuade people moving north. It has nothing to do with the coldness up north as I had suggested.
While going into the exhibition hall, they are also promoting the 13th European Union Film Festival. I am very interested to watch them all, but it is too costly to watch them all. There is at least a film each for all the members of EU, namely Respiro and Facing Window from Italy, On the Other Side of the Bridge (Austria), Elementary School (Czech Republic), Film 1, Thomas is in Love (Belgium), One-way Ticket to Mombasa and Cyclomania (Finland)), Tanguy and Time Regained (France), Do Fish Do it? and Ghettokids (Germany), Peppermint (Greece), Minor Mishaps (Denmanrk), Chico and Bank Ban (Hungary), When Brendan Met Trudy (Ireland), Nynke (Netherlands), The Junction and The Book of Great Wishes (Poland), The Grandfather (Spain), Jalla! Jalla! (Sweden) and finally, The Heart of Me (UK).
The start of the exhibition showcases Finland with her natural beauty. It reminds me of the posters I tend to see in front of traveling agency shops. It did convince me that Finland is very beautiful. She is indeed worth visiting, just that we have problem of communication over there. I read about how difficult the Finnish language is, so difficult that I think I will take forever to learn it myself. Now, I understand why I become so blur every time Hakkinen is interviewed in Finnish language after his podium finish interviews. I was looking helplessly with my eyes open wondering what is he talking, trying hard to catch a word but fail miserably.
I am not so sure, but I remember there is birch flowers and seeds of birch. Then, there is this microscopic view of the raw material they use to make paper. I think it is called Paper Begins In the Wools.
The 1st poster is the Finnish willow. Those red grapes are actually mountain ash berries. They look so beautiful! Wonder how they taste like. The blackcurrant look-alike are called Juniper berries. Again, very curious of the taste.
Helsinki on the Horizon! at the extreme right, painted by Oscar Kleineh in 1885.
I think this is the one that is called A Pleasant Route through the Archipelago to Helsinki and St Petersborough by the Finnish Steamship Co in 1910s.
The XV Olympic Games, Helsinki 1952. Malaysia had not even achieved independence then, and I wonder what is the population in Finland at that time. Nevertheless, the ability to host an Olympic Games must be their utmost pride. We only managed the Commonwealth Games, and many many years later. There are two posters against doping in sports in 2002. Namely PURE SOLVENCY REWARDS and DOPING.
Respect the miracle of life, Erik Bruun, a piece from the new millennium posters commissioned by The Libris Printing House to express the ideas on the new millennium.
Culturally integrated business as usual, Piotr Tormazevski, new millennium series. 2000 = 6.1 billion, 2050 = 9.6 billion, 2100 - 11 billion by Esa Ojala, new millennium series. Who is who in the year 2100, from the same series too.
Goal? by Keijo Vuorinen, new millennium series. 2000 by Kai Kujasalo, same series. It's under your feet and in your hands, Take care of it, Jukka Veistola, same series.
Stop, Water Production Office, Tapani Aartomaa 1998, new millennium series. On the Silk Road, Exhibition 1985, Museum of Applied Arts, Helsinki by Martti Lauraeus. I love the FATHER CHRISTMAS, WHITE CHRISTMAS GUARANTEED piece. It is so white and yet it is able to capture the whole message across.
Kalevala-the whole world Kalevala by The Jubilee of the National Epic 1835-1999. I am not sure about the extreme right, but I think it is called Finland got the Euro 2001, Mika Launis.
Pori Jazz, 17th International Jazz Festival, Kyosti Varis 1982 (Libris). What Paper Can Do? Stora Enso Fine Paper, Jaackko Vanto, Keijo Vuorinen/Incognito Design Oy, photo by Sami Luukkanen 2001 (Stora Enso Oyj).
With only a population of 5.1 million, they produced the biggest selling cell phone brand in the world right now. They should be proud. I wonder how much will Nokia phones cost in Finland. Very cheap? Nokia mobile phone 3330 (1998). Nokia mobile phone Zippo 8810, designed by Franck Nuovo, 1998.
Artek is founded in 1935, a local reasonably-priced home furnishings n the spirit of modern aesthetics showcasing Alvar Aalto's furniture.
Chair 'Trice' designed by Hannu Kahonen (1982), Amer Group Ltd, Martti Lauraeus.
Findesgin now 02, the designers, artisans and artists of Fiskars Co-operative ONOMA 2002 - Herbie Kastemaa, photo Mikko Knuutila, image editing Mikko Ojaniemi, Exhibition Design Forum Finland.
Kaj Franck, designer Exhibition 2002, Museum of Applied Arts, Helsinki.
Lapponia Collection, jewelry by Bjorn Weckstrom. Bertel Gardberg, Silversmith, Academician Exhibition 1986, Martti Lauraeus.
275 Years Glass in Finland Exhibition 1986, Museum of Applied Arts, Helsinki, Martti Lauraeus. Karhula-Iittala Glass Work by Timo Sarpaneva 1950, Iittala.
The Arabia China Factory, Helsinki by Tapio Wirkkala, 1948. The Scandinavian Air Express, The Helsinki Cathedral by Jorma Suhonen, 1935 (Libris).
The Symphony Orchestra of the City of Lahti, Programme Autumn, 1998, Ilmo Valtonen, Mikko Nilsson, Tuomas Kinberg (Evia Helsinki Oy). Savolinna Opera Festival by Erik Bruun (1991). The extreme right is Finlandia Hall, Helsinki, Concert and Conference Centre, designed by Alvar Aalto, a famoust world renowned architect. The poster is by Seppo Korkeila and Hannu Brask.
Finlande, Erik Bruun.