Full description from the venue
COMPANY, a Helsinki-based design studio, has spent the past two decades traveling the world in search of unique manufacturing traditions and the local artisans who sustain them. Their journeys are a process of deeply engaging with different cultures and people—an experience of falling in love with the world itself, a true “World Affair.”
From the deep forests of Finland to the vibrant markets of Pakistan, COMPANY seeks out small communities that have managed to preserve their distinct identities in a world increasingly standardized by mass production and global distribution. Working with locally sourced materials—wood, clay, metal, and textiles—they honor techniques passed down through generations, while reinterpreting the spirituality and wisdom embedded within them through a contemporary lens.
Spanning four floors, the exhibition presents the duo’s collaborative journey and close dialogues with makers around the world. Visitors are invited to trace the long journey of an object—from its inception to its encounter with the world—and to reflect on the values of respect and care embedded within it.
COMPANY is a design studio founded in 2000 by Korean-born Aamu Song and Finnish designer Johan Olin. Moving fluidly across disciplines, they work simultaneously as artists, performers, and makers, establishing a distinctive position within the Finnish design scene.
Their practice is rooted in an investigative, field-based approach. Rather than originating in the studio, ideas gradually take shape through direct engagement and communication at places of making. Built on mutual respect and trust between designers and artisans, these works are distributed through their secret shop, “Salakauppa.”
They see their role within a continuous cycle: objects move from production to market, from market to everyday life, and from daily life back into new ideas.
COMPANY’s secret projects have been exhibited internationally, including at Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art (2007), Design Museum Helsinki (2019), and Aomori Museum of Art (2015), as well as in major museums and galleries across the United States, Russia, Belgium, and Japan. They have received numerous accolades, including the Helsinki Design Award (2018), the Finnish State Prize for Design (2010), and a Special Mention at the Milan Furniture Fair (2008). COMPANY have also collaborated with globally renowned brands such as Artek, Marimekko, and Hermès.
Their secret project continues to this day. When their travels come to an end, they return to Helsinki, where they return to a quiet everyday life—gathering mushrooms in the forest with their dog, Yaya.