The Master Cabinetmaker Antrei Hartikainen (born in Finland in 1991) is DESIGN FORUM FINLAND’s Young Designer of the Year 2018. He is an original and skilful carpenter who moves smoothly at the boundary of art and batch production. He has developed his own strong design idiom, which makes his works clear and distinctive. Hartikainen has excellent knowledge of materials and he utilises the properties of wood inventively, often challenging and searching for boundaries. Antrei Hartikainen has cooperated smoothly with both professionals of various fields and furniture manufacturers. His wooden furniture and household items have already received a lot of attention even outside of Finland.“I spot interesting shapes and subjects in everything, from nature to architecture and our everyday environment. My style can vary from discreetly minimalistic to delicately poetic. However, I want all my products and pieces to draw the eye and the hand for closer examination.” states Antrei Hartikainen.DESIGN FORUM FINLAND’s Young Designer of the Year prize was established in 2000. It can be given to one or several individuals or a team exhibiting new, creative concepts and skills in design. The purpose of the prize is to encourage young designers to carry on uncompromising and original work in design. The non-profit organization DESIGN FORUM FINLAND promotes the use of design in Finnish companies, especially as a tool for leadership on the strategic level, thus enhancing the international competitiveness of companies.
