Atte Kilpinen has chosen the winner of the Taito-Finlandia Prize: Ceramic and textile artist Marianne Huotari. The 2024 Craftsman Recognition Award went to Joonas Malvisto, a carpentry student from Tampere. The National Ballet's Atte Kilpinen announced the winner of the Taito-Finlandia Prize at the opening of the Finnish Craft Fair (Suomen Kädentaidot) organized at Tampere Fair and Sports Center on Friday, November 15, 2024. In addition to the award sponsored by Forsman Tea, the 2024 winner of Artesaaniosaaja was announced at the fair.
"The winner of the 2024 Taito Finlandia Award combines traditional art forms in a unique way so that the end result is interesting, fresh, and the works always have a recognizable hand. The winner stands out strongly with their original work and brings joy to the viewer and experiencer with their design — colors, shapes and surfaces. Because apart from seeing, these works can also really be experienced. This human experience, in my opinion, is exactly what high design is fundamentally about," states Atte Kilpinen.
The 2024 Taito Finlandia winner, Marianne Huotari, is a ceramic and textile artist who is known as a designer who boldly combines different shapes and materials. Huotari's work emphasizes the appreciation of sustainable design, natural materials, and respect for traditions — always presented in a fresh, new way. Especially known for her ceramics, Huotari makes her ceramic works as an artist at the Arabia Art Department Association.
"I vividly remember the moment when I got the idea to replace the wool pile of the traditional textile rug (rya) with ceramic beads. At that moment, I knew I had found my own voice and my colorful inner world began to be visible to others as well. I am very pleased with the Taito-Finlandia recognition. It means that my thousands of hours in front of the works have been seen and the thoughts tied to them have been heard. The award continues to encourage creating beauty in the environment using ceramics, art, and life as tools," says Huotari.
The 2024 Craftsman is Joonas Malvisto, who studies carpentry at Tredu Vocational College. Malvisto participated in the competition with unique handmade furniture, part of his brand Puustudio Uurte, which includes the Karnevali dining table and the Uurre armchair.
"A carnival is a table around which a whole group of friends and family can fit. The table is made to withstand everything that is shared around it. Joys and sorrows — the whole spectrum of life. The starting point for the design of the Uurre armchair was to combine the durability and strength of oak with self-supporting leather in a light way," says Malvisto about his work.
The selection board justified its selection of Artisan expert as follows: "Joonas Malvisto has exceptionally skillful finishes, which guarantee the high quality of his products. Innovativeness in design is his strength. The products are timeless, adaptable, and multi-purpose to meet a wide range of customer needs."
This year, there were more than 700 exhibitors at the craft and design event, which has become the largest in Europe. At the trade fair organized in the Tampere Fair Sports Center, craft supplies as well as ready-made handicrafts and designs are available. In addition, the fair has a wide selection of different programs.
Read the full announcement from the Tampere Fair here