Habitare’s themed exhibition, Together, to highlight different ways of being together and things to brighten up everyday life
Habitare’s new themed exhibition will highlight the event theme, Together, from different perspectives, including those related to people’s ways of being together and to objects. The exhibition, designed by Studio Plenty, brings monumentality and the small details of everyday life into the dialogue. The exhibition includes a section that changes daily, in which objects that brighten up everyday life but often go unnoticed are foregrounded and change hands. Habitare will be held at the Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre in Helsinki from 13 to 17 September 2023.
Imagine an exhibition space and an even smaller space inside where you go to sit with a stranger. How does that make you feel? “You can engage with something new and unknown, and notice that it’s not so terrible to encounter something new or to be close to someone you don’t know”, says Anna Pirkola of Studio Plenty.
The themed exhibition to be shown at Habitare in September will explore and highlight the event theme, Together, from various angles, including those related to people, different ways of being together, and objects. The exhibition, designed by Studio Plenty, which is led by Anna Pirkola and Kirsikka Simberg, will be shown at Habitare instead of a trend exhibition. Unlike a trend exhibition, special attention will be paid to small everyday elements.
“We have set out from the idea that the Habitare theme of Together becomes concrete in small things. When the theme was announced, I thought it meant certain things, but discussions with people have brought out the fact that the theme may appear quite different to different people. It evokes a whole host of different thoughts”, says Pirkola. “Of course, we hope that the exhibition resonates with people in some way.”
She continues: “Instead of an aesthetic extravaganza, we wanted to keep the whole simple and provide room for thought. The exhibition gives visitors breathing space, as it reflects on the many different possible definitions of being together.”
The monumental space invites you in and offers experiences for the various senses. The colour scheme uses light tones combined with a bold and even provocative red, the colour of activism. The soundscape provides a counterbalance to life outside the exhibition. There are also a few surprising elements in store.
“These include attaching high value to small and humble everyday things. Not everything surprising has to be big and spectacular to start with, but small everyday things can be surprising. These are often the things that brighten up everyday life. The exhibition brings the big lines and the small everyday details into the dialogue.”
The theme of the circular economy comes up in the changing section of the exhibition, which can feature, for example, old starched kitchen towels on one day and twenty different watering cans on another. Visitors to the fair can mark an object that they want to reserve with a sticker, in the same way as in art galleries.
The partners of the themed exhibition are Bolon, Cover Story, Essis by Lasilinkki, Grado, and Lapuan Kankurit.
More information:
Laura Sarvilinna, Creative Director, Habitare, laura.sarvilinna@messukeskus.com
Pia Sievinen, Communications Specialist, Messukeskus, pia.sievinen@messukeskus.com
Habitare, the largest furniture, design and interior decoration event in Finland, will be held at Messukeskus in Helsinki, from 13 to 17 September 2023. Habitare offers experiences and ideas on interior decoration, and on the functioning and look of homes and other spaces. Habitare highlights the ideas and works by a new generation of designers, and sparks discussion. | habitare.fi | @habitarefair | facebook.com/habitare | #habitare2023
