EMMA Talks: Karelia-inspired Finnish design

This panel discussion explores the influence of Karelia and Karelian designers on the design scene in Finland. Many of the designers who rose to prominence, especially during the Golden Age of Finnish Design (1940s–1960s), were resettled Karelians, and many Finnish artists have also been inspired by Karelian themes. What was everyday life and design like in Karelia in the old days? How did designers from Karelia forge their careers, and how does their work seem today, in the culturally diverse context of contemporary Finnish design? This subject remains unexplored territory, but we don’t hesitate to pose the question of what Karelian design is.