Last fall Ask Scandinavia hosted a couple of pop-up shops around Helsinki. One of them was hosted in Studio Siru, Siru Tuomisto’s laboratory. Siru is a Finnish Artist and Designer. ”Second Chance”, her art project, focuses on giving discarded objects a new, beautiful life. It challenges us to re-imagine life in a new and unexpected, clever way. We had a chat with Siru, and here’s how it went.
Could you introduce yourself?
I am a Finnish Artist-Designer. I’ve lived 17 years in New York, Los Angeles, and London. I have completed an interior architect degree in UCLA, California and worked for the Hollywood movie industry in set design for years, during which time I became convinced everything is possible to get build, unbuild and rebuild. Only your imagination sets the limit.
I am a curator of beautiful things. After coming back to Finland, I have appeared on a TV-show and worked as an interior architect and a designer. I have always been very creative in my work and life. I even have the habit of tailoring everything I contact, even people ;) I want to help everything and everybody around me to reach their full potential and become the best versions of themselves.
What's the story behind Studio Siru?
One has a creative nature and having my own studio is an outlet to give back to the world. One needs a Studio space/ Laboratory to test and play. Having variety and range in creative projects nurtures my soul and seems that it has taken me to design mobile games, restaurants, movie sets to create new product lines to save small factories in the countryside. One thing is for sure, I always take time to make everything I am dealing with just a tiny bit better than it was.
How would you describe your aesthetic?
Aesthetics, I would not put myself in a box in that category. Really one needs to keep developing their understanding and appreciation on how things are made and why. Every project one needs to see the whole picture in order to create the right aesthetics to that environment and people. If my aesthetic would be described, I would say traditional design as seen through my lens – it’s tailored and unique, glamorous and relaxed, bold and subtle, hippie and high-end.
Your project, Second Chance, has repurposed materials as its focus. What inspired you in its development?
In the world we already have so much and it seems that we just need to shift our point of view. To be aware of how we look at life and things in it. I started using my imagination and found so much joy creating the potential to ‘forgotten pieces' that were not at their best anymore. There was a need to ‘give them a second chance’ to be their full potential. The concept is fascinating and wonderful in repurposed materials. Just seeing the beauty and potential and the thought of lifting them up is exciting.I do hope to bring optimism and joy around me with this project. What world would be if we all woke up to our true potential. We all deserve a Second Chance! I want my work to make people smile and create moments of joy. But beyond that, I want to inspire people to see beauty in the battered and to extend that same kindness to themselves.”
