11 September 2011
by Raquel Sereno
I was invited to Unwrapped’s private view last night. The exhibition takes place at the Rag Factory, down a hidden alley off Brick Lane, Shoreditch. Suprisingly, the contrast of the surrounding environment and the exhibition space, against the bussle of Brick Lane complimented the atmosphere and language of the collection.
Once arrived, you were first directed to the bar, a white bath tub filled with ice, where for obvious reasons the drinks available were either vodka in its various forms or wine. The Finnish Ambassador, who inaugurated the exhibition, had only complaint - that the Vodka was not Finnish, but that it could be worse!
The exhibition showcases the work of 19 leading Finnish contemporary designers and makers, alongside the Photographs of Jani Kalia, which portray selected pieces of those designers and their portraits. By exhibiting the photographs as well as the objects, one can perceive a unique insight into the current Finnish design language. They take you to the abstract and the origins of the concepts of those pieces. A whole new character of life is added to the objects.
‘I aimed to get an understanding of how designers work, what their inspirations are and how they relax. The portraits I took were photographed at the surroundings that each designer picked, it was very important to keep it authentic as I wanted to show the public how each designer relates to their environment. By getting to know each designer, it was easier for me to bring their products alive in the product shoots.’ Jani Kaila.
Unwrapped is part of the international programme of World Design Capital Helsinki 2012, and it will be travelling to Helsinki next year. Amongst the designers showcasing are Stefan Lindfors, Harri Koskinen, Ilkka Suppanen, Tapio Anttila, Miko Paakkanen, Rane Vaskivuori, Jonas Hakaniemi, Markku Salo, Anu CHoklat, Julia Lundsten, Maria Jauhiainen, Lotta Veromaa, Mika Tolvanen, Nathalie Lahdenmaki, Jatta Lavi, Veera Kulju, Paivi Raivio and Tuomas Ervamaa.
Open to the public 16-25 September
10am-8pm