BRAND NEW RYA RUGS ALKU AND ILMA

Our brand new rya rugs Alku and Ilma, designed by Ilkka Kärkkäinen, are now available at our web store.

Here is some thoughts of the designers about the work:

I have been inspired by the Finnish nature, just like so many other Finnish designers through the ages. Although now the theme is even more important than ever before because of the climate change.

I gave my rya rugs the names Alku (the Beginning) and Ilma (the Air, the Ether). Alku rya rug draws from the mystic world of Kalevala: the beginning of the world and the Duck Egg the world was born from. I have made my own simple and graphic version of the theme.

Ilma is a pair to Alku rya rug, but it works as an independent piece of art as well. The motifs refer to shapes of nature: stones, forest, grain, and clouds, and the colours are shades of the Finnish autumn. Ilma rya rug is designed to remind us of the meaning and the importance of pure nature for us and our descendants.

As a graphic designer, I really like the small size of the rya rugs, because the 50 cm × 70 cm size is a familiar format to me as I have designed several posters during my career. It was a great opportunity to be able to design these graphic motifs, executed with the centuries old weaving technique, that will be displayed on people’s home.

The design process brought to my mind also the beginning of the information age with all its pixels, because the designing grid reminded me of the first simple desktop publishing programs from the 80’s. Without the cooperation with the top professionals and the weaver, this work wouldn’t have been finished.

So, once again, I thank you for the great opportunity to be a part of all this!”

We also want to thank Ilkka for the great cooperation and the beautiful designs!