Collaboration is the foundation of all Kieppi’s activities. We co-operate with, for example, the Geological Survey of Finland, the Finnish Museum of Natural History and local operators, experts and enthusiasts. The local artists bring an important dimension to the delicate nature experience.
Thanks to collaboration, we can organize changing exhibitions alongside the permanent ones. These allow us to explore topical themes and interesting natural phenomena more thoroughly. The last exhibition before the fire was the Brilliant! -exhibition by the Kokkola Art School for Children and Youth, which was related to the workshop on amulets and gems organised by Kieppi. In the workshop, we learned how rocks are grinded, sanded and used in jewellery and amulets, and explored the many gems in Viljo Nissinen’s mineral collection.
“People have been fascinated by different amulets since the dawn of time. Amulets brought good fortune to those who wore them, protected them, or even reminded them of something important. The works of the Art School students also reflect the mystical nature of amulets, as well as their grandeur and the related hopefulness. The students used drawing, painting, sculpting and different graphic techniques in bringing their amulets into life.
The students have also been inspired by the splendid colours of the gems and the geometric shapes of the cut stones. We have discussed, for example, how these tiny stone chips can make people travel thousands of kilometres, pay ridiculous amounts of money and even fight to gain the ownership of the rocks. Moreover, a person wearing gems and valuable jewellery is also sending a sign to their environment: for example, the sizable jewels worn by royalty demonstrate their status and prestige. A person giving someone a gift including a valuable gem is also telling them how special and loved they are.”
