Tiedotearkisto

Finnish Craft and Design opens: Restaurointi Mikael Holma wins the Taito-Finlandia award

The first hours of the crafts and design cornucopia at the Tampere Exhibition and Sports Centre already attracted thousands of visitors in search of inspirational experiences in the weekend-long shopper’s paradise. True virtuosos of crafts and design were awarded during the opening ceremony, including restorer Mikael Holma, who was selected as the winner of the Taito-Finlandia crafts and design award by Jukka Kurttila of Finlayson Oy. The Finnish Craft and Design fair extends through Sunday in Tampere and offers a wide variety of activities and opportunities for meeting other like-minded enthusiasts and making unique finds. The Finnish Craft and Design event and the Doll’s House Fair, together with the XXXV Railway Modelling Event running from Saturday through Sunday, feature a total of 750 exhibitors. The latest combined Finnish Craft and Design and Antique Autumn event attracted 44,419 visitors.

The Taito-Finlandia award, now being given for the sixth time, went to Restaurointi Mikael Holma, based in Hämeenlinna, who has restored all 200 desks and seats of the Plenary Hall and 38 unique solid-wood doors and frames in the Parliament House. This year, the award of 5,000 euros was donated by the Finnish tea producer Forsman Tee, and the winner was selected from among the four finalists by Finlayson Oy’s CEO Jukka Kurttila.

“Mikael Holma’s work demonstrates respect for the old and the aesthetic, a profound desire to understand these characteristics. Without understanding the materials, creating beauty and perfection is not possible. In my opinion, Holma pursues perfection without taking shortcuts and making compromises, which is a tremendously important trait whenever one’s work approaches perfection. I know that future generations will enjoy Holma’s winning craftsmanship for decades to come”, Kurttila says.

Antti Korpi, Artesan of the Year: “I want to contribute to developing Finnish products”

According to the award jury, the 3D knife handles crafted by Antti Korpi, based in Tampere, who won the Artesan of the Year award, are professional and unique and skillfully utilise 3D technology, which is still relatively new in the industry.

“The possibilities offered by technology inspire me, and I enjoy combining new techniques to traditional methods. In addition to selling my own products at the fair, I would like to meet companies and individuals who are interested in developing their products or methods. I would like to contribute to developing Finnish products”, Korpi says.

Photos and videos of the winners will be added to the material bank on 17 November: www.tampereenmessut.fi/en/ (For the Media)

The New Product of the Year award winner 2017 is ClayMari. To honour Finland’s 100th anniversary, the Rural Women’s Advisory Organisation announced the winner of the first Agricultural Enterprise of the Year award at the fair. In connection with the Finnish Craft and Design fair, several other contests were organised during the year. The winning pieces of these contests will be showcased at the event throughout the weekend.

Event info (opening hours, ticket prices, directions): www.kadentaidot.fi/en (Event info)
Material bank (photos, videos, press releases): www.tampereenmessut.fi/ (For the Media)

The Finnish Craft & Design Fair is the largest handicrafts and applied arts fair in Europe with almost 700 exhibitors and over 40,000 visitors every year. The Finnish Craft & Design Fair is organised by Tampere Trade Fairs and Taito Pirkanmaa. Tampere Trade Fairs is responsible for organising the Dolls' House Fair together with the Finnish Doll's House Association and the Railway Modelling Event together with Pirake (Pirkanmaa Railway Enthusiasts' Club).

FURTHER INFORMATION: www.kadentaidot.fi/en, www.nukkekotitampere.fi, www.pienoisrautatie.fi (in Finnish)
Social media: Facebook: facebook.com/Kadentaidot, Twitter: @TampereenMessut, Instagram: @suomenkadentaidot, #Kädentaidot, #Nukkekotimessut, #Pienoisrautatie
Tampere Trade Fairs, www.tampereenmessut.fi, firstname.lastname@tampereenmessut.fiJasmin Saadetdin-Rikkinen, Project Manager, tel. +358 40 135 0110, @JSaadetdinR
Jenna Antila, Communications Officer, tel. +358 40 172 1188, @Jenna_messuaa
Tanja Järvensivu, Event and Communications Manager, tel. +358 50 536 8133, @TanjaJarvensivu