Finnish design takes center stage at Saima Park

FITCHBURG — From the clean lines of Alvar Aalto to the bold patterns of Marimekko, Finnish design has developed a distinctive style rooted in simplicity, nature and function.

Those influences will be explored when graphics and textile designer Ben Beaudoin presents “Finnish Design: From Independence to the Modern Day” at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 18, at the Finnish Center at Saima Park, 67 Scott Road. The program is free and open to the public.

Beaudoin’s presentation will examine Finnish architecture, product design and textiles from Finland’s independence in 1917 through the present day. He will discuss how Finland’s emergence as an independent nation helped shape its design identity and how its relationship with international modernism influenced that development.

The program also will explore the role of nature in Finnish design and how Finnish designers, in turn, influenced designers around the world.

The presentation will begin with Aalto, considered a pioneer of modern Finnish design, and continue through Marimekko and some contemporary designers whose work reflects Finland’s post-independence design and culture.

Beaudoin has a personal connection to Saima Park and Finnish culture. His mother is of Finnish heritage, and he spent time at Saima Park as a child. His interest in graphics and textiles eventually led him to explore Finnish and Scandinavian design.

He recently established his own business, Mukava, a Finnish word meaning comfortable, pleasant or cozy. The name reflects his line of blankets, pillows and other home furnishings.

The program follows the Finnish Center’s annual meeting, which begins at 1 p.m. with a business meeting and election of board members and officers. Light refreshments will follow.

Members and those interested in becoming members are invited to attend the meeting. Paid members are eligible to vote, and new members may join that day. Annual membership is $30 for individuals age 18 and older; minor children and grandchildren are included. Membership is open to everyone; Finnish heritage is not required.

For more information about the Finnish Center at Saima Park, visit saima-park.org or Friends of Saima Park on Facebook. More information about Mukava is available at mukava.store.