Marimekko plans major events for Unikko print anniversary year

Expect to see a lot more of Marimekko this year as the Finnish company celebrates the 60th anniversary of its Unikko print. It has kicked off the celebrations for its most globally recognised print with Unikko at La Louviére – a unique artwork of light projected onto the façade of Ateneum Art Museum in Finland’s capital Helsinki.

The company said the artwork is “a tribute to colours, the joy of life, and Finnish design and visual arts”.

The presentation is in conjunction with Lux Helsinki – an annual light festival in the city that presents a diverse range of light installations during the darkest period of the year (Helsinki gets only around six hours of daylight at this time of year).

Unikko was designed by Maija Isola in 1964, and given that Isola studied at the University of Art and Design of Helsinki that was housed in the museum’s building at the time, there’s a clear connection between Marimekko and the location for the new artwork.

Running until the weekend, it’s the first Unikko-inspired community activation in a series of many across the globe during the year. 

Unikko at La Louviére was created by Helsinki-based artist and visual designer Katri Tikkanen and Finnish composer, sound designer, music producer, and artist Matti Ahopelto. The installation features the anniversary colourway of the print and was partly inspired by the current Color & Light – The Legacy of Impressionism exhibition at Ateneum.