Kari Piippo

Posted by Fabio 22 January 2010

We caught up with legendary Finnish poster designer Kari Piippo to see what he is up to these cold days of February – especially in Finland, currently -15 degrees. Kari Piippo was born in Finland in 1945 where he pursued a career as a poster designer by studying at The School of Industrial Art, then worked a few years in the advertising industry before setting up his own studio.
Kari Piippo’s has designed posters for museums, theatres, environmental organisations and sport events as well as given poster workshops and lectures across the globe where his work also has been widely exhibited.

Where do you live?
In my own house in a small city Mikkeli in Finland.
N 61°42.012´, E 027°17.625´.

Does your surroundings influence your type of work?
Designer´s work is always in dialogue with his own cultural environment.
To be a good communicator, the designer needs to understand what happens in the world around him.
Therefore we must be observers: everyday life gives us the best ideas.
Form and function have always been well balanced in Finnish popular art.
I try to keep this principle always in my mind.

How would you describe your work in 3 words?
Simple, strong, sharp

What general emotions do you call on when you create your work?
I want to combine individuality, artistry and the message.

What do you do to switch off?
The best way to relax is a weekend with friends by the Lake Saimaa.
Sauna, good food and wine are perfect combination.

Who would your ultimate collaboration be with,
from any field you choose, and why?
I have always been interested in architecture and furniture design.
Alvar Aalto´s architecture and design taught me to love natural forms,
from Gerrit Rietveld´s furniture I learned to understand the importance of
construction in composition.

Tell us something no-one else knows about you?
Fine art is my secret garden. Perhaps this is not any surprise.

What did you struggle with the most when you were starting up?
When I was young designer, conflicts happened and I lost some customers. Now I have such a position that I can carry out my vision. The customers trust my decisions since they have seen that I can give them more than they expect.

Do you think its possible to retain your artistic integrity and
be commercially successful?
It´s possible, but not easy. Finland is a small marketing area.
My clients are mostly from cultural sector. They have always low level budgets. But I knew this all in the beginning of my career.

Do you ever get stuck for inspiration?
Because I work alone, I can’t avoid routine works. Only this is frustrating.

What are some of your goals for 2010?
I travel a lot with my wife. The next long trip will be to Australia. I also hope that my poster exhibition in Tunis comes true.

Can you talk about any current or future projects that you are
particularly excited about.
I am planning a book about my design philosophy, graphics and photos.

What is your favorite time of the day?
Morning!

www.piippo.com/kari