Interview with Sini Majuri

Sini Majuri ("SM") interviewed on Monday, 16 May.

Could you please tell us about your experience as a designer, artist, architect or creator?

SM : I have been awarded with multiple A’Design Award as well as been invited three times as the Grand Jury member. My glass sculptures have appeared in over 70 exhibitions in New York, Tokyo, New Mexico, Toronto, Venice and Hong Kong and featured in various international publications, for example in magazines such as Designboom, Elle and Urban Glass.

What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?

SM : In this twisted era of War and insecurity, artists have a responsibility in capturing the nature of the time. I believe that Art is programmed deep into human heredity. As a glass artist I see craftsmanship; creating by hands, as a vital part of my art. The profound importance of craftsmanship sparks in our primitive instincts. It’s clicking in the Stone Age tools, step by step towards civilization. We have originally shaped our security, construction, innovation and creation with our hands. Therefore art has always been connected deeply in humanity. Art opens when it interacts. It is a form of communication that has retained the character of mystery throughout time. It’s a universal language. The language of beauty and spirituality. Even dangerous language. And it must be dangerous, because it always reveals our true essence.

Which emotions do you feel when designing?

SM : I believe that my designing ritual is quite universal; singing terrible eighties ballads while making objects. This brings me the emotion of freedom. I work in Glass Studio Hytti, located in the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Suomenlinna island. The ferry ride from Helsinki’s noisy soundscape across the sea is meditative: like a transition to a state of creation. In winter, the island is very quiet. Therefore no audience for the creative rituals. I believe that glass blowing has a sense of ritual at its core. It’s a sensitive process with an elemental matter that behaves like hot lava. The movements of the process flow from the spinal cord. It’s a startling, sweaty and stained by smoke ritual. The moment when a mouth blown object is eventually used, has ritualistic aspects of respect and calmness. I feel deeply grateful to be able to use studio made glass as my medium because slass is an expressive material that reaches the invisible layers of existence. As a contrast to its sensuality, glass is one of the key technologies that have shaped the modern World. It allowed us to discover the microscopic World as well as the distance of Space. It has magic and primordiality. History. Unknown.

What are your advices to designers who are at the beginning of their career?

SM : Being an artist has always had its challenges. Pandemics had a major impact on the creative sector. However it forced artists to think fresh and also find new ways to cooperate and interact. Finding one’s own professional family is important. In the artist’s work, it is rare, but especially significant, to receive genuine feedback in a safe environment.

How do you know if a product or project is well designed? How do you define good design?

SM : The World is so full of items that there must be something good in the design, if it’s spotted from the cascade of design. I believe that only the great design becomes iconic and sets new standards in its field. Good design also endures time, as it’s still awesome despite the passing of the years.