Gert Wingårdh and Kustaa Saksi interpret communication

This will be the third year in a row that Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair stages its combined exhibition and talk show Hello! The project is an initiative by the fair to inspire and start a conversation about contemporary and future workplaces. This year’s theme is ‘Communication’ and, just as in previous years, a prominent designer has been tasked with interpreting the main thematic design of the exhibition. In 2013, the task will be shared by Swedish architect Gert Wingårdh and Finnish illustrator Kustaa Saksi.

“As communication is all about sharing things and thoughts, an unexpected collaboration sharing the design task felt completely right,” explains Hello! Producer Sanna Gebeyehu. “I’m still not sure what this creative pair will come up with together, but I have no doubt at all it will be epic,” she continues.

Gert Wingårdh is one of our most reputable prize-winning architects; his characteristic and artistically assured buildings have become some of Sweden’s most iconic landmarks.

“Success in everything we do has its origins somewhere in good communication. It’s an exciting theme for an installation, especially as we will need to communicate our way to a shared vision,” comments Gert Wingårdh.

Kustaa Saksi is a graphic designer known for his imagination-stimulating and organic illustrations, who has worked for publications such as Wallpaper, The New York Times and Swedish fashion magazine Bon, as well as brands such as Nike, Nissan and Issey Miyake.

“It will be particularly interesting to collaborate with an architect, as at one time I seriously considered this as a career choice. We both work with communication, only with different forms of expression and on different scales,” remarks Kustaa Saksi.

 The seminar part of The Hello Show will look at issues surrounding the subject of communication. The Show runs twice a day and will be hosted by Stefan Nilsson and Mark Isitt. The “Show 'n Tell” feature is new for 2013 – invited guests, as well as exhibitors from the Hello!-exhibition, get a five-minute slot to present an idea or product. This feature will follow immediately after each main show.

 There’s been a lot of buzz around Hello! both at home and abroad.

“We’re so thrilled over the positive feedback we’ve had from both exhibitors and visitors. We’ve blazed a bold trail with our themes centering on meeting spaces of the future and we’ve brought key issues for the furniture and lighting industry out into the open. New technology, new materials, furniture and lighting are important components in creating innovative and successful workplaces in the future,” says Cecilia Nyberg, Event Manager of Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair.

Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair will take place at Stockholmsmässan 5-9 February 2013.

To find out more, please visit www.stockholmfurniturefair.com or contact:

Sanna Gebeyehu, Hello! Producer, tel +46 733 844 603

Cecilia Nyberg, Event Manager for Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair, tel +46 8 749 4386, cecilia.nyberg@stockholmsmassan.se