Chao-Hsien Kuo ja Eero Hintsanen
This exhibition SEASONS presents works from a Finnish Master Goldsmith couple, Chao-Hsien Kuo and Eero Hintsanen. Working in their studio in Lahti, both artists create pieces with precious materials and traditional techniques. Their works convey the beauty and stories of Finland.
The exhibited works can be seen as the diverse sides of Finland—cheerful and romantic summers contrasted with tough and enduring winters. Chao’s works are delicate and feminine. Never ceasing to be amazed by the nature around her, she enjoys and sees beauty in every season. Through her jewellery, Chao wants to express the simple happiness in life. On the other hand, Eero’s works are bold and with a tough Finnish dimension. Growing up in the countryside, with forests and lakes as his playground, Eero’s take on nature is often raw and primitive, inspired by the mystique of old stories.
Both artists’ works reflect the closeness between humans and nature, but through very different approaches and interpretations. Chao and Eero’s creations may tempt the viewers to ponder the inspirations and messages in them, but above all, they can be appreciated as studies of form and the simple beauty of nature. Their uncompromising dedication to their craft is evident in the quality of their work.
Chao-Hsien Kuo (b.1973) and Eero Hintsanen (b.1972) are a Finnish Master Goldsmith couple who have worked side by side since 2005 and exhibited internationally since the late 1990s. Both trained at the School of Goldsmithing at the Institute of Design in Lahti and, among other institutions, hold MA degrees from Aalto University in Helsinki. Their artistry has been recognized with the prestigious title of Goldsmith of the Year, awarded to Eero in 2019 and Chao in 2022 by the Finnish Goldsmiths’ Association.
Elias Sormanen
When reason is swallowed by the black cave of the arctic night, the hidden beings come out. These are the lurkers in the marginalia, the periphery and the subconscious, the creatures that thrive in the border zones. When cataclysm strikes and reason is left to perish in the darkness, what wondrous growths will bloom out of the soil it leaves behind? At such a time old truths might turn out to be beliefs, and old beliefs the new truths.
The works in this exhibition owe their genesis to the novel Lomonosovin moottori by Antti Salminen, which envisions such circumstances and the sprouting of a new culture on the remote islands of Novaya Zemlya.
Elias Sormanen (b. 1986) is a Finnish metalsmith and artist, focusing primarily on sculptural forms and pictorial relief work in hammered sheet metal. Recurring motifs in his work include the uncanny, the absurd, and the grotesque. He holds a bachelor’s degree in jewelry design and is currently pursuing his master’s at the Estonian Academy of Arts. His work has been exhibited in group and solo exhibitions in Finland, Germany, and Estonia.
Heigo Jelle
The window exhibition SANDBOX showcases three iron sculptures by blacksmith Heigo Jelle.
Heigo Jelle writes: “The most important role in the creation of my works is play. I play with shapes, ideas, and iron. Life is not just an adventure but even more a game, and most of the time, it depends on the protagonist what games they play—whether it’s tic-tac-toe, checkers, football, poker, or betrayal. Or all of it mixed together. Every time a work is completed and it resonates with someone, even a little, it’s like a small game has been won. The forge is my sandbox and my playground.”
Heigo Jelle (b. 1963) is an Estonian metal artist. Jelle graduated from the Estonian SSR State Art Institute with a diploma as a metal artist in 1986. From 1991 to 2014, Jelle worked at the Estonian Academy of Arts, teaching specialized subjects, and for 18 of those years, he served as an associate professor in the Jewelry and Blacksmithing Department, overseeing the blacksmithing curriculum. Since graduating from ERKI (now EKA) and alongside his teaching career, Jelle has consistently pursued his creative work. Over the past ten years, sculptures have formed a significant part of his creations, though he states: “I have not started to see myself as a sculptor. I am happy to remain a blacksmith; after all, everything I’ve made is from iron.”
