Sari has a store in Paris called Koti (meaning Home). In this store, she somehow wanted to acknowledge an event going on in Paris in March-April, namely 100% Finlande. She thought about having a little art exhibition, inviting Finnish artisans, crafters, photographers etc. to participate. The idea was to take empty boxes that she sent from Paris, and turn them into whatever everyone found inspiring.

I tagged along - and here are my two boxes:

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Kesä ja koivut - Birches in summertime

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Kuusi pakkasella - Spruces in wintertime

When I received the boxes the concept was immediately clear to me. When I lived abroad the one thing I always missed the most was the Finnish nature. The wilderness, the unpretentious nature of the Finnish countryside. Nothing manicured, maintained or planned. Clean and natural.

Besides making it visual, which as a photographer is the easiest thing for me, I wanted to make it physical as well. I wanted to add texture, something that people could touch and also feel Finland through my boxes.

I've taken the photographs in my own yard. The piece of birch bark and the cones are from the woods in our lot in Oulu. My children helped me pick the cones - it was a happy family art project!

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