News

  1. QUIET NORTH

     

    KASA shelves from recycled materials made in 2005, 2015 and 2025

    The creation of most contemporary products is driven by trends; durability of form, structural strength, and the longevity of wearable objects interest neither manufacturers or users. The outlook embeds within the object the very factors that pollute our environment. Thus, I prefer the user instead the consumer. A designer’s universe is necessarily finite. Each designer should claim a small slice of the larger whole and make it their own. Progress comes small, deliberate steps, supported by a reliable of skilled craftspeople.

    More about the exhibition concept: 

    https://fiskarsvillage.fi/en/see-and-do/events-and-exhibitions/quiet-north-nayttely

  2. Mietitty, suunniteltu, tehty exhibition

      

    Exhibition together with a colleaque, artis Pentti Hakala and a student of industrial design Aatu Mäkinen in Ahku Gallery, Saarijärvi until 7.7.2024.

    Simo's input is a project with artesan students from Gradia, Jyväskylä, resulting two sofas, three chairs and a cabinet. Beside those some new items like a food lamp 'Paiste', made of symbal, copper and brass and the door handles of curly birch.

     

  3. Ulla Virta - Full on

          

    Left: Children in evil, 1988;  Right:  Jewellery box, 1992

    U L L A   V I R T A - F U L L   O N

    Curated by Teija Isohauta

    Two years project in working with artist Ulla Virta has been a kind of refresments after working on in researching Alvar Aalto. The retrospective exhibition is held in A2, in art hall designed by Aalto in 1959. Internationally known wood prints by the artist are now shown only as a context. 

    The exhibition highlights Virta’s expressionistic paintings. Regardless of her chosen technique, the same subjects keep recurring in her oeuvre: Animals, personal relationships and life as a woman. She paints animals with great tenderness, and she is candid about the uglier side of intimate relationships. Her sensual women are portrayed with warm humour, even in contexts of grief or tragedy. Her paintings are feminist without an emphasis on the ‘ism’.  

       

  4. 5 ROOMS 12.8.-3.9.2023

    Simo's "80" years exhibition 5 ROOMS in Höyrygalleri, Korpilahti

    A furniture without a function is useless - furniture is always in relation to its space. And vice versa a space without an object is incomplete. Even empty space gets the meaning when it is seen in relationship to an object. These thoughts by Heikkilä are behind this exhibition 5 ROOMS, divided by transparent curtains and covered rag rugs, are filled with furnitures designed by Heikkilä. There are some vintage items as well as some classics and a lot of new unique items: tables, lamps and various seatings.

    As vintage there is for ex Visio chair from 1979 designed together with Y.Wiherheimo. As classics there are pieces from Arzan collection form 1984 and some canvas chairs including the metal version from 2003. Heikkilä is known by his interests on benches and divans. Together with a bench made of wasted splinters of wood from 1999 and the Cain divan produced by Lensvelt furniture there is a brand new metal divan. Heikkilä made his first lamp in 1988 for Yamagiwa but after moving to Korpilahti he has been interested on lightning.

    A space becomes a room after it is filled with some personal beauty and for Heikkilä that kind of beauty is crystallized in visual arts. That is the reason why Heikkilä has invited 5 artist friends to participate to the exhibition. They are conceptual artistJussi Heikkilä, graphic designer and sculptor Aimo Katajamäki, artist Raimo Reinikainen, anti-modernist ceramicist Teemu Salonen and painter Ulla Virta.

    All the items are for sale.

              

     

     

  7. A book about Simo

    The book by Anna Wisnicka is her dissertation work from 2019. It covers Simo's furniture and spatial design.

  8. Kootut teokset 5.6.-4.7.2021

      Assembled Works, exhibition held in Höyry gallery

    Höyry gallery was opened 10 years ago with Simo's exhibition. Gallery owners invited him to celebrate the anniversary with a new exhibition.

    The new Viola lamps were installed the day after opening!