PUHDETYÖ is a group exhibition by six well known designers living and working in Helsinki. The Finnish word puhdetyö refers to the handicraft work that was made after dark when the field chores were done. In this scenario, puhdetyö has become a collection of objects made free from the constraints of briefs. The designers have used this possibility to explore and experiment and to plunge into their respective interests and passions. The 2022 edition started as a workshop in the forest. Both wood as a material and the woods as an environment are present in the resulting works.
Designers: Aalto + Aalto, Studio Tolvanen, Maija Puoskari & Tuukka Tujula
The project has been supported by The Finnish Cultural Foundation and Arts Promotion Centre Finland
WILLOW BARK LIGHT
Elina Aalto
The project is an exploration into the use of an undervalued material. Willow is perhaps the most undervalued tree and bark is a part of the tree which is usually discarded. Learning to work with a new material and letting the material teach me how it wants to be used has been a rewarding process.
Materials: willow bark, steel
CHAINSAW EXPERIMENT
Klaus Aalto
The object is motivated by the desire to explore rougher tooling of wood and it was inspired by a traditional northern Finnish outdoor fire, jätkänkynttilä. The top of the roughly textured pine totem is pierced with a chainsaw to reveal a light within it.
Materials: pine