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Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture organised a stakeholder event on creativity and sustainability on 16 February 2023 in the School's Väre building. The Väre Night Out event unveiled also one of the School's new donor artwork.

The Väre Night Out event featured speeches from the School’s supporters Matti Alahuhta, PhD, long-time CEO of Kone, and Marjo Miettinen, business leader, owner of the family-owned company Ensto and board professional. The research community was represented by Professor Kirsi Niinimäki, who specialises in sustainable fashion industry.

"Twelve years ago, we set very ambitious goals in the Aalto University Board. Now I can say that these goals have been clearly exceeded," said Matti Alahuhta in his speech. "An excellent example is the School of Arts, Design and Architecture, which is now ranked sixth in the world by QS. It has also contributed to the ability of the whole University to think in new ways. This is an important aspect in this day and age for businesses and society as a whole."

"Whether it's art or technology, it appeals to the unrecognised and even unconscious thinking of the mind, allowing us to connect things to something completely new. So you can only imagine what happens when art and technology are combined," said Marjo Miettinen. "Can there be art without technology anymore, or vice versa?"

Tuomas Auvinen, Dean of the School, pointed out the role of creative professionals in building a sustainable future: "Creative professionals such as designers, architects and artists are masters in facing the complexities of modernity. Creative professionals master non-linear ways of working, seek to get to the root of problems, take a holistic view and create inspiring visions for the future. Could these skills be the missing piece our society needs to accelerate the necessary sustainability change and bring it to a successful conclusion?"

The School of Arts, Design and Architecture's donor artwork

Donors ������ University's School of Arts, Design and Architecture can be recognized at the donor artworks in the main lobby of the School.

Bread for the Coming, a major donor artwork unveiled at Väre Night Out, was inspired by the traditional Finnish method of drying and storing bread on poles. The glass loaves "bring bread to the table", symbolising money and resources to train future creative professionals. One loaf symbolizes one large donation. The loaves come in three colours: black, green and white. The black loaf is blown using an opaque metallic glow paint. The green bread is transparent but also shiny. The white bread is sandblasted, which gives the object a matt finish. The work was designed by Liv Telivuo, a Master's student at the School of Arts, Design and Architecture.

The small donor artwork "Huhta" will be completed in spring 2023 and consists of about 800 hanging glass objects cast in clear glass. The work will hang in the ceiling recess above the staircase in the main lobby of Väre. The work was designed by Sesilia Pirttimaa, a Master's student at the School of Arts, Design and Architecture.

The names of small donors (those who donated at least €250) and large donors (those who donated at least €10 000) will be engraved on metal plates. The material is dark patinated rust. The work was designed jointly by Liv Telivuo and Sesilia Pirttimaa.

The major donor artwork includes a blown glass loaf in a smaller size to be given to the donor. The donor's bread is surrounded by a linen 'breadcloth'. In addition, the donor's bread is packaged in a box designed by Markus Joutsela, a lecturer in packaging design at the School of Arts, Design and Architecture.

With the exception of the donors' bread box, all parts of the donors' artworks are made in Aalto ARTS' own workshops.

Contact:

Pirita Posti, Corporate Relations Manager
pirita.posti@aalto.fi, +358 50 3646 381

Raila Tapio, Fundraising
raila.tapio@aalto.fi, +358 50 475 9978