After all, architects Alvar Aalto and Aulis Blomstedt designed jewelry as well as sculptor Kain Tapper and designer Tapio Wirkkala. Current day artists have since the opening exhibition been in our focus, drawing inspiration from interesting occurrences from the past of Finnish art and design while nature contributes in various ways to our exhibitions. Passion for expression, strong own method and significant skills are some of the things we are looking for in their works to curate exhibitions that inspire feelings in our visitors.

We loved our previous gallery space and location where the walls saw a lot over the five years but in the end we outgrew its possibilities for exhibitions in terms of variety, scope and ambition. Our new space in the heart of the historic Kruununhaka area makes it possible to display decorative art and exhibit international artists in Finland in addition to our forte of contemporary jewelry.

Opening our doors on 11 May 2023, we welcomed a mix of esteemed invitees, artists and friends of the gallery to experience a curated exhibition of the private art collection of Jörn Donner, a prominent figure in Finnish culture and the only Finn who has picked an Oscar statue at the ceremony. This felt like a fitting introduction to the community, considering that Donner called Kruununhaka area home all his life. Ahti Lavonen's paintings, Stefan Lindfors' sculptures and Jorma Vennola's glass art were among the crowd pullers in Donner’s collection featuring significant works by Finnish artists, many of them his friends or contemporaries.

Strength from the past

Jewelry as our gallery’s starting point was built on the strength of international recognition of Finnish glass, ceramics, textiles and architecture in the Mid-Century Modern era. It is not well-known that Finnish jewelry was at a similar level.

Good signals, now, and ahead

Many first time visitors in our new location have said without prompting on how pleasantly they have been surprised by the quality of our curated exhibitions. However, equally many have mentioned they did not previously know there is such a gallery in Helsinki and have wondered for how long have we been here? This encourages us to think that there seems to be a real need for a place like ours. Yet, spreading the word of our existence would benefit more art lovers we have not had the chance to meet yet.

The current exhibition, "Together: Poetic Asian Hands", features works by eleven talented Asian artists and many a visitor has said it is rare to be able to see contemporary Asian art in Helsinki. The exhibition that still runs until May 16 blends art forms such as jewelry, textile, and paper art as well as music and photos in creating a narrative that explores the synthesis of Asian and Nordic artistic traditions.

We believe in linking diverse cultural expressions and artistic practices under one roof to produce novel exhibitions that do not repeat themselves over and over again. As our exhibitions so far may indicate, we are keen to embrace contemporary creativity through a variety of exhibitions and community events. Moving into our second year, we have some plans we are excited about. We are keen to attract more people to experience our standout approach to curated gallery exhibitions.We invite visitors to explore the exhibits and discover pieces that resonate with their tastes, remembering that it is possible to acquire art that adds to one’s personal or professional collections at our gallery. When an artwork finds a good home, it is a signal of encouragement for the artist to continue on their chosen path.

Bitten by summer

Last summer, following the Donner exhibition, our "Bitten by Finland – Three International Takes on Our Nature" exhibition offered perspectives on Finnish natural beauty through the eyes of international artists with connections to Finland. The renowned Dutch artist Ralph Bakker possesses a love of Finnish summers that has lasted for decades. Terhi Tolvanen (V&A London and Musée des Arts Décoratif, Paris) we had the pleasure to solo exhibit in Finland for the first time in 15 years at our previous location. Monika Brugger completed the set of artists enriching the dialogue between local heritage and global artistic views. It was touching that Ralph could discuss with the Dutch ambassador to Helsinki in the sunny opening, while Monika delivered a lecture at our gallery on Helsinki Night of Arts, also streamed live on Instagram.