KARI HUHTAMO ART FOUNDATION

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DOCTOR OF ARTS REIJA HIRVIKOSKI

Reija Hirvikoski - kuva - Juha Reunanen.
Reija Hirvikoski - photographer Juha Reunanen

Doctor of Arts Reija Hirvikoski has been a professional freelance set and costume designer for the Finnish theatres since 1979. She has designed stages, costumes and sets for movies, TV and theatre and mounted over one hundred productions, including classics, musicals, dance, circus, children and new drama (many world premieres). Hirvikoski has also designed brochures, posters, exhibitions, furniture and interior designs for editorial and broadcasting offices including MTV3 news house and news studio in 2001.

Reija Hirvikoski has actively worked towards improving the visibility and status of scenic design as a writer, editor and publisher. She has been a quest lecturer in many Finnish universities and vocational schools.

Hirvikoski is also the president of Finnish OISTAT (International Organization of Scenographers, Theatre Architects and Technicians) Centre, Chair Elect (2009) of the Scenography Commission of OISTAT, member of IFTR/FIRT and Finnish Theatre Researchers Association. In 1987, she was the first female scenographer to win the Jussi-award (Finnish Oscar), which she got for the visual design of the movie The Snow Queen. In 2006 Reija Hirvikoski was awarded with the state's artist-grant for the whole year. She was named Honorary Professor of Arts for 2009-14 by the Arts Council of Finland.

Out of range, Rovaniemi Theatre, 2010. Direction Atro Kahiluoto. Sets Reija Hirvikoski. Costumes Ina Jakobsson. Photographer Reija Hirvikoski
Out of range, Rovaniemi Theatre, 2010. Direction Atro Kahiluoto. Sets Reija Hirvikoski. Costumes Ina Jakobsson. Photographer Reija Hirvikoski

Moments in the Lighting Design. Relatio Artis -seminar 26.5.2011

In her speech Moments in the Lighting Design Reija Hirvikoski described the emergence of Finnish lighting design as an independent art form through personal experience and the works of sixteen designers.

In Finnish theatre the field of lighting design was dominated by electricians. The chance was brought about by the esthetics and methods of dance theatre according to Hirvikoski. In dance productions lighting has traditionally had more prominent role. Choreographers also tend to give light designers more freedom to realize their visions than theater directors. As performers dancers are also more humble and submissive than the ever questioning actors.

Out of range, Rovaniemi Theatre, 2010. Direction Atro Kahiluoto. Sets Reija Hirvikoski. Costumes Ina Jakobsson. Photographer Reija Hirvikoski
Out of range, Rovaniemi Theatre, 2010. Direction Atro Kahiluoto. Sets Reija Hirvikoski. Costumes Ina Jakobsson. Photographer Reija Hirvikoski

Reija Hirvikoski regards Claude Neville as the lighting design pioneer. A new era in Finnish theatre lighting began with his staging of the play Endless Enigma (1982). Neville removed and redirected the ceiling lights and thus instantly transformed a fixed and given stage element into a tool of interpretation.

Hirvikoski’s relationship with the emergence and development of this era is personal. She was involved in the famed Endless Enigma production as a stage assistant, worked as an independent artist in the groundbreaking Jorma Uotinen’s Kalevala (1985), and testified how this development culminated in 1986 when her alma mater School of Art and Design (Aalto University) finally got its own lighting and sound design department. It is worth mentioning that this department is currently the only place in Europe where you can get master and doctoral level training in the field.

Katariina Lipsanen


Relatio Artis page
Kalevi Aho
Reija Hirvikoski
Juhani Pallasmaa
Catarina Ryöppy
Jussi Tiainen
Timo Valjakka