Works by 18 Finnish Jewellery Artists and Designers on display at Design Shanghai

Artist list

Tarja Ahola, Melitina Balabin, Nikolai Balabin, Kirsti Doukas, Aino Favén, Juhani Heikkilä, Tuija Hietanen, Elina Honkanen, Jaana Junkkaala, Heli Kauhanen, Matti Mattsson, Wiebke Pandikow, Inni Pärnänen, Kristian Saarikorpi, Harri Syrjänen, Janna Syvänoja, Terhi Tolvanen, Tarja Tuupanen

In Shanghai, on display there are both Finnish jewellery history and the special characteristics of current, from highly talented Finnish jewellery artists and designers. Most of them are well known either in Finland, while some are, surprisingly enough, even better known internationally.

The theme for the Finnish display is Natural. Aesthetic and Timeless, focusing on the essence of contemporary Finnish jewellery. In the global world, it is difficult to find any conspicuous national characters in jewellery, but what perhaps makes Finnish contemporary jewellery creations special is the combination of artistry and craft skills they encapsulate and also the certain straightforwardness in the works. Many makers have a strong craft-based relationship to certain material which is a central content of the work. It is also rather common to show the content of artwork openly, sometimes even brutally. The Finns are not good at hidden meanings. But this doesn't always mean that the answer is easy, you still need the patience to look at the work. The Finns respect their forests and nature and this is also often reflected in some way in Finnish contemporary jewellery.

The purpose of the participation in Design Shanghai is to attract professionals and the public to the qualities of Finnish contemporary jewellery - while promoting the visibility of Finnish jewellery and the international success of Finnish jewelry artists - in China. Since 2005, the Finnish Jewellery Art Association has acted as a representative for the Finnish contemporary jewellery field and its artists and created a common ground to promote Finnish jewellery. The gallery Gao Shan offers now a special new channel for Finnish contemporary jewellery to go forward, this time to Asia.

This participation was set to happen at Design Shanghai 2020 but I am happy it is possible to bring this project into completion in these extraordinary circumstances. Thankfully we have managed to get this far despite some unexpected obstacles on the way. At least there has been more time to refine the concept for this physical event participation, says curator and the owner of GAo ShAn gallery Ding Yi, in Shanghai to complete the project that has been more than two years in the making.

Hopefully the Chinese visitors can benefit from the close-up view and form some ideas about Finnish life philosophy, Yi adds.

The location of the Finnish stand in Shanghai is World Expo Exhibition & Convention Center, Objects & Accessories Design Hall, Stand: T202.
The project is funded by SKR (Finnish Cultural Foundation), Frame Art Finland, Korutaideyhdistys ry and Gallery GAo ShAn.

>> Catalogue of work on show by Gallery GAo ShAn (Chinese version).