Irina Pått

For over twenty years, Irina Pått has been known and recognized for her handmade and ecological design lighting and 3-D paperworks. Her new material is sustainable birch veneer. She has shown these new works in three successful exhibitions during the last two years.

Since her childhood, Pått has been dancing classical ballet and it is dance itself that has given inspiration for these new pieces. She has worked with lighting during much of her career, and now she is using LED lights to create a line of light as an effective detail. There is a certain nostalgia she feels in these light effects, as she recalls the first neon lights she saw on the Lasipalatsi building roof in the 1950’s, and remembers the huge impact they made on her.

These lightworks are designed for both public and private venues. The pieces are both functional products and pure works of art, which challenge and blur the categorization between functional objects and visual arts. They honour the history of reliefs, while being very much her own expression. The works are reliefs with sunken hollow lighting. The stripes of different layers resemble “Giants’ Kettles” from the Ice Age. The environmentally friendly veneer is finished with wax. Using wood in buildings and interiors meets the criteria of sustainability. As well, wood has a positive effect on health and well-being and provides solutions to indoor air problems and noise reduction, while reducing our carbon footprint.

Pått received her B.A. from the Institute of Industrial Arts, Helsinki in 1969. From 1986 to 1990 she studied in Canada and received her Master’s degree from the University of Arts and Design/Aalto University, Helsinki in 1990.

Her works of art have been exhibited around the world: Kunsthalle in Helsinki, American Craft Museum in New York, Mingei Museum in San Diego, Harbourfront Gallery in Toronto, Louvre Musee des Arts Decoratififs in Paris, Rohsska Museet in Gothenburg, Rundetarn in Copenhagen and Imadate Exhibition of Paper Art in Japan.

Important public and private collections: Serlachius Art Sauna at Mantta, Finnish State Collection, Bank of Finland, City of Helsinki, G18, Foundation Pro Artibus, City Hall of Raseborg.