Exhibition: Nathalie Ladanmaki Exhibition "POLKU" Held | ELEPHANT

ELEPHANT

An Autumn Reflection of Finnish Landscapes in Omotesando

Acclaimed Ceramicist and Designer Unveils Unique New Pieces

Nathalie Lahdenmaki, a ceramicist and designer based in Finland, carries on the legacy of Nordic modern design and craft that flourished in the 1950s. Her designs, produced by companies like Arabia and Iittala, have garnered significant acclaim. This weekend marks the opening of her third exhibition in Japan at Elephant in Omotesando. She is also scheduled to visit Japan, a highly anticipated event.

Text by Satsuki Wakabayashi

POLKU Means "Small Path"

Born in 1974, Nathalie Lahdenmaki is a ceramicist and designer of Finnish and French heritage. She majored in Ceramics and Glass at the University of Art and Design Helsinki (now Aalto University) and began her career as a freelance designer while still a student. In 2004, she established her own studio, "STUDIO NATHALIE LAHDENMAKI," in Helsinki, where she continues to work as a freelance designer.

Her accolades are numerous, including the International Ceramics Festival Mino, the Design Plus Award, and Finland's Young Designer of the Year. Notably, she was selected for Iittala's "ART WORKS" project in 2013, an annual initiative where the company chooses one designer to create art pieces, underscoring her high level of recognition.

Her third exhibition in Japan, "POLKU," opens on October 22nd. POLKU, meaning "small path" in Finnish, features vessels adorned with small, hand-painted dots that evoke footprints, applied seemingly at random across the surface. Alongside new works, the exhibition will showcase tableware in pastel shades of pink and blue, as well as combinations of varying grays reminiscent of Finnish winter landscapes. Both collections will be available for purchase during the exhibition. Amidst the autumn design week, why not immerse yourself in these pieces, brimming with warmth and understated elegance?