StudioXAG Team Profiles: Meet Kevin

LIKES:
Architectural history, Negronis, languages, seafood paella

DISLIKES:
Large spiders, liquorice, beaches

Kevin, what’s inspired you recently?

Having just returned from Helsinki Design Week, I’m feeling inspired by the Finnish design process and their solution-focused approach. A common theme across a lot of the installations was utilising local materials to reduce global transportation emissions… this is something that really resonates with our values here at XAG.

The most fascinating exhibition was Kustaa Saksi, inspired by the visions he would experience during severe migraines and sleep paralysis. Colours, patterns and mythology are fused into these beautiful woven textile collections, all created using the Jacquard technique. Saksi used AI software within his latest work, asking AI to create a dream like paradise, an archetype of nature. Saksi’s inner struggles have been transformed into such beautiful art, it’s so poetic.

The exhibition that really stopped me in my tracks was Jenny Nordberg’s Strategies for Moving Freely. The exhibition, beautifully curated by Nordberg, questions the conditions and the process of industrial design, actively finding solutions and responsibly resourced materials. Jenny explores creating her art pieces through the transportation of the materials, using the kinetic energy created during transportation to become an active function of the artwork, rather than the logistic playing a passive role. I really enjoy how she uses controlled methods but yet random components to create her art pieces, making art through a design process – the best of both worlds!

A super fun pop-up was created for Finnish cartoon brand Moomin, who launched a new collection of homeware textiles, in collaboration with Arabia. The collection of patterns in tonal pastel shades were designed to help escape the hectic rhythm of modern life. A duvet-wearing conga line ran through the space, having pillow fights within the installation, bringing some animated interaction. It was really unexpected and brought smiles to the crowd!