Finnish Design Takes Over Madrid
Helsinki Madrid FinDesign, on view at the Contemporary Art Center in Matadero, is the main exhibition of the current Finnish Design Month in Madrid. This exhibition displays hundreds of products from Finnish companies and designers.
The exhibition has been produced by Helsinki Design Week and the Association of Designers in Madrid DIMAD. It is supported by the Ministry of Education of Finland and forms a major cultural export project for the Ministry.
The inspiration of the exhibition is Helsinki, which is evident both in the exhibits and in side events. Design is an integral part of lifestyle in Helsinki, embedded into the lives of the citizens of the entire capital city region. Design has even been adopted as a central strategy in Helsinki, as large former port sites are being re-developed for new uses.
Finnish design is experiencing a new boom. The background to the boom is a solid core of values and goals, which are inherent in the celebrated concept of “Finnish Design” formed in the 1950s and 1960s. At the same time, the new well-educated generation of Finnish designers is more international and more urban. In addition to their timeless values, their products are diverse and display an environmental awareness – without forgetting humour.
The exhibition shows the broad variety of contemporary Finnish design. On display is architecture, interior design, furniture, interior design objects, industrial design, graphic design, fashion and advertising. Displayed are a large number of companies, designers, design and architectural collectives, and professional design organizations.
Interaction is one of the key themes of Helsinki Madrid FinDesign. The exhibition is about an encounter of two cities. Its offers a platform to bring together government representatives, enterprises, design entities and private individuals to exchange ideas.
The curators of the exhibition are Kari Korkman of the Helsinki Design Week, Laura Sarvilinna of Huippu Design Management, and Madrid architect Pedro Feduchi. The exhibition is part of the Mes del Diseño Finlandés design month, a joint effort by the Finnish Institute in Madrid, the Embassy of Finland and the City of Madrid.
Helsinki Madrid FinDesign will be on view at the Contemporary Art Center in Matadero until January 10th, 2010.
