This panel discussion explores the influence of Karelia and Karelian designers on the design scene in Finland. Many of the designers who rose to prominence, especially during the Golden Age of Finnish Design (1940s–1960s), were resettled Karelians, and many Finnish artists have also been inspired by Karelian themes.

What was everyday life and design like in Karelia in the old days? How did designers from Karelia forge their careers, and how does their work seem today, in the culturally diverse context of contemporary Finnish design? This subject remains unexplored territory, but we don’t hesitate to pose the question of what Karelian design is.

The participants in the discussion are art historian and writer Anna Kortelainen (PhD), visual artist, researcher and non-fiction writer Harri Kalha (PhD), and researcher and designer Justus Kantokoski (MFA). The discussion will be opened with a greeting from Martti Talja, Chairman of the Board of the Karelian Association. The language of the event is Finnish.

Context for the discussion is offered by the Collection Kakkonen exhibition at EMMA, which features work by Karelian and Karelian-influenced artists.

Included in the museum entrance fee (20/10€, free entry for under 18-year-olds).

We accept the Museum Card.