At the intersection of art, science and design, Finnish multidisciplinary artist and designer Kusta Saksi stands as a visionary storyteller. Based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, his work transcends traditional boundaries, weaving complex narratives through patterns, textiles, his art, and installations. His creative journey is an exploration of the edges of abstracted perception, where concepts of nature take on surreal and mesmerizing forms.
Born in Kouvola, Finland in 1975, Sakshi has spent years meticulously crafting a playful, paradoxical, and thought-provoking world. His work emerges from the everyday and the extraordinary, fusing organic qualities with meticulous textures, rich color palettes, and experimental materials.Even if it’s like a dream Hypnosis A tapestry series inspired by the transition between dreams and waking life. first symptoms In a collection based on the experience of migraine, Sakshi’s work delves into the depths of human sensory experience.
Sakshi’s fascination with dream states and visual delusions is expressed in his art, which is often characterized by mesmerizing patterns and structures. Reminiscent of the visual aura experienced by migraine sufferers, these patterns cover his canvases like an intricate tapestry, evoking a sense of surprise and intrigue.
Sakshi’s artistic journey centers on a seven-year exploration at the TextielLab at the Dutch Textile Museum in Tilburg, Netherlands. Here he has honed his craft, experimenting with weaving techniques, materials and his unique approach, which he describes as “action painting with warp and weft.” This innovative process combines natural fibers with rubber, metal, acrylic and luminescent threads, pushing the boundaries of traditional jacquard weaving.
Sakshi’s work has graced the halls of prestigious institutions such as the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Cooper Hewitt Museum, and the San Jose Museum of Art. He has held solo exhibitions in major cities around the world, captivating audiences with his surreal and out-of-place designs. His work is beloved by museums and private collectors around the world, and he collaborates with famous brands such as Hermès and Issey Miyake, as well as commercial brands such as Nike.
In her latest exhibition at the Design Museum in Helsinki, Sakshi presents a decade of hypnotic jacquard fabrics. This immersive experience explores themes of dreams, hallucinations, and mythological stories, offering viewers a glimpse into the artist’s fascination with the human brain’s unique processing of sensory information.
Sakshi’s foray into furniture design, exhibited by Gallery Fumi at Salon NYC 2023, features a series of unique pieces made from Japanese paper, oak, applewood, and brass. These functional artworks continue the exploration of the enduring patterns that weave mythological stories and human culture.
Below are edited excerpts from our conversation with the artist…
Zeynep Rekkali Jensen: Your work is often inspired, especially from the intersection of art and science. first symptoms A collection inspired by migraines. Can you tell us more about how you translate scientific phenomena into works of art and what fascinates you about this fusion of disciplines?
Kustha Sakshi: My work often deals with the transitional space that appears between imagination and reality, sleep and wakefulness, madness and sanity. Themes such as my personal experience with migraines, the universal experience of dreams and hallucinations, and mythological stories seem to recur in my work. I am interested in the human brain, especially the brain’s ability to process sensory information in different and unexpected ways. My work is often superimposed with various pictorial motifs, such as animal and botanical illustrations, migraine-induced optical illusions, geometric shapes, woven drawings, and psychedelic imagery.
Zeynep: You have described your weaving technique as “action painting with warp and weft”. Can you explain the process behind this technique and how it allows you to achieve the intricate textures and patterns of jacquard weaving?
Kusta: I started experimenting with jacquard fabrics 12 years ago. I love the endless possibilities of working with yarn. Of course, that comes with its challenges. My tapestries are complex combinations of bonded layers, mixing interfaces between the virtual and the physical. Tapestries are woven from natural and synthetic materials such as mohair, wool, cotton, silk, viscose, rubber, copper, and polyester fibers. Combining these materials creates rich, multidimensional surfaces and textures.
Zeynep: You have exhibited your work in various famous museums and collaborated with famous brands. Could you share some insight into how your art bridges the gap between traditional craftsmanship and contemporary design, and why your work resonates with such a wide audience? Do you have it?
Kusta: Fortunately, I found a hole between art and design and that’s where I work. I have always tried not to belong to any particular group so much that I feel I have more freedom to create. All my shapes are inspired in some way by organic, natural forms found in nature. They can be fractal-like, ranging from the cosmic to the microscopic scale, or they can be literally based on tree branches found on the street. My style combines organic shapes found in nature with repeating structures found in the world, so familiar shapes may resonate with the audience.
Zeynep: A recent exhibition at the Design Museum in Helsinki explores themes of dreams, hallucinations and mythological stories. How do these themes influence your creative process, and what message or emotion do you hope viewers receive from your work?
Kusta: I am interested in repeating patterns and their variations that appear in the world. According to the structuralist idea expressed in my work, everything that exists has some common structural origin, giving rise to the myriad forms that appear in the world around us. For me, that’s how I try to make sense of everything. I give hints to the audience, but I encourage them to use their own imagination to fill in the gaps, depending on their experience.
Zeynep: Gallery Fumi furniture design pitka kotka The series is unique and attractive. Can you elaborate on the inspiration and creative process behind these functional artworks and how they relate to your broader artistic vision?
Kusta: This is an ongoing series of cabinets that combine woven Japanese paper fabric with outstanding woodworking techniques. This project is inspired by cabinets of curiosities. Wunderkammer—Hide the story Ictorso, a mythical sea monster best known for appearing in Finland’s national epic. It follows my ongoing interest in world mythology and the eternally recurring myths in our society.
