LUX - Lighting by Juha Kajaniemi 30.9.-3.12.2023

Lighting and lamps are a fascinating combination of design aesthetics and the use of electricity to produce light. The visual solutions of the LUX exhibition are dictated by the material and the purpose: functional minimalism. When you combine LED with interesting design, the result is something you can spend a long life with. 

The lighting exhibition presents unique luminaires made by Juha Kajaniemi from Jyväskylä, which not only aim at a careful technical realization, but also at a versatile use of materials. The main materials used are wood, metal, plastic, and resin. In addition, recycled materials have been used in many of the luminaires. For example, a copper boiler that became unusable in the home due to the purchase of induction stove has provided parts for two lamps, and several other have been created from membranes found behind the screen of an old blackboard. Different materials reflect, conduct, transmit and direct light.

Kajaniemi has a background in electrical engineering but has worked mainly in maintenance in the food industry and in youth advocacy groups. In his working life, Kajaniemi designed and implemented improvements to machinery and developed brand new production equipment.

-    I made my first lamp 30 years ago, but for the last six years I have been actively making luminaires since I retired. I have been particularly interested in making things by hand and finding new solutions. I was fascinated by different kinds of machines and equipment. I have lived surrounded by art; my wife and daughter are artists.

When designing lamps, the study of light is essential. Object, ambient and general lighting require different solutions. In most of Kajaniemi's lamps, the light is realized with LEDs, whose proliferation and ever-expanding range have opened up new possibilities. Led strip can be used to create solutions that would otherwise not be possible. Some of the bulbs use 12 volts, which is lower in voltage, so electrical safety is not an issue. The advent of led technology in fluorescent tubes has also made it easier to use them in lighting fixtures. The spread of LEDs has also improved the ecological performance of luminaires - electricity consumption is lower and the life of the lamp is longer. 

-    When I move around in the built environment in Finland and abroad, my attention is drawn to how the structures and technology look. How it is done and whether it could be done better. The waste of humanity's resources is the scourge of our time. A small fault can lead to a large and expensive piece of equipment ending up in a landfill. Everything we need should last for decades, not individual years, and then be recyclable.

The LUX exhibition in the Lobby Gallery of the Craft Museum of Finland presents table, wall, ceiling and floor lamps.