Researching into Finnish Design, I got particularly interested in Ryijys and their storytelling feature. They communicate through textile art, representing Finnish authenticity with a simple and almost isotype-like style.
But if these depicted images are supposed to represent Finland, is our imaginary typical or stereotypical? How can Finland be truly represented nowadays? Does Finland feel truly represented by this?
In November, Finnish government presented a new initiative to promote and stimulate tourism: a set of Finnish National emojis to be released during the weeks before Christmas. It's the first time a country created its own, and this is their preview: a couple in a sauna, a Nokia 3310 phone and a metalhead.
The Oxford Dictionary revealed 2015 Word of the Year is 😂. Emojis are said to be our new way of communicating and that reminded me immediately of the visual tradition present in ryijys.
What if the two things would merge and Ryijys would continue representing Finnish culture? Would they end up representing emojis nowadays?
I decided to produce a poster which mimics the aesthetic of a Ryijy, but represents Finnish emojis. The aim is to bring back an old and effective medium, challenging the effectiveness of modern visual communication.
VISUAL REFERENCE
Finnish wooden houses Vappu day in Helsinki
Moomin Jaffa soft drinks
