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NEWS 2026

Follow the Blooms
The Finnish Glass Museum


October 3–December 31, 2026

Tehtaankatu 23
11910 Riihimäki
Finland

In October, my solo exhibition Follow the Blooms opens at the Finnish Glass Museum in Riihimäki. The exhibition features many new works in which the forms of a garden grow into oversized glass sculptures.

The exhibition is connected to the new flourishing of Finnish art, craft and glass art, and it has been a great joy and honour to be part of this movement.

A thousand thanks to everyone who has made this exhibition possible:

Alfred Kordelinin säätiö
Taiteen edistämiskeskus

glassblowers Samuli Parkkinen, Otto Koivuranta and Paula Pääkkönen, Jasmiina Lehtomaa, Sanni Lappalainen, Markus Roponen, Senni Virransola and many others

Cold working Studio Heikki Viinikainen
Tommi Tikkinen

Studio assistants Eveliina Saarentaus, @lauragronlund, Anais Godal and Kirsi Kokkonen

Exhibition architect Hanna Anonen

Photo Julia Töyrylä


Kuje  
Näsi




Näsin kartano, Näsinmäentie 1, Porvoo

KUJE brings together works by ten artists that emerge from everyday gestures, delicate materials, and events that often go unnoticed. The exhibition is curated by visual artist and choreographer Anne Naukkarinen.

Performances

29 August, 2 pm — Olga Spyropoulou & Jenna Broas

Exhibition is open 14.-30.8.2026 Wed–Sun, 12–6 pm.

Näyttelyn taitelijat / Artist:

Broas & Nyberg 
Venla Helenius Venla Helenius 
Pie Kär Pie Kär 
Sebastian López-Lehto 
Emma Luukkala 
Anne Naukkarinen 
Olga Spyropoulou 
Jenni Tuominen 
Milla Vaahtera



3 Days of Design
A Prima Vista  




Photos Lokal & Julia Töyrylä

A Prima Vista 10.–12.6.2026 • Gammel Strand 48, Copenhagen • Lokal Gallery’s participation at 3 Days of Design, produced together with The Finnish Cultural Institute in Denmark

Lokal Finlands kulturinstitut i Danmark

Artists & Makers:
Ville Aakula
Paul Flanders
Saija Halko
Antrei Hartikainen
Hemmo Honkonen
Tatu Laakso
Nathalie Lautenbacher
Waltter Mahlberg
Santeri Mortti
Outi Martikainen
Rasmus Palmgren
Riikka Piippo
Carlo Raymann
Renata Schirm
Milla Vaahtera
Sini Villi
Didi NG Wing Yin

Curated by Lokal’s founder Katja Hagelstam
Exhibition architecture by Hanni Koroma
Tastes by artist and chef Sami Tallberg

With support from:
Embassy of Finland in Denmark
The Finnish-Danish Cultural Foundation
Asko Foundation
Huonekalusäätiö
Suomen Kulttuurirahasto
Gustaf Packalén Stiftelse

Thank you:
Ateljee Sami Tallberg
Genelec
Harri Koskinen
Shimber


National Museum
Atlas - Light




It has been a great pleasure and an honour to be part of new National Museum extension project as a member of the JKMM Architects team, designing the light for the Pavilion restaurant.

ATLAS

Muotoilijat / Designers 
Milla Vaahtera × JKMM Architects 

Suunnitteluassistentit / Design Assistants
Eveliina Saarentaus & Laura Grönlund

Muotin tekijä / Mould Maker
Mika Ihanus

Lasinpuhaltajat / Glassblowers
Otto Koivuranta, Samuli Parkkinen, Jasmiina Peltomaa, Markus Roponen, Paula Pääkkönen ja Sani Lappalainen

Kylmätyöstö / Coldworking
Tommi Tikkinen

Sähköosat / Electrical Components
Innolux

Metalliosat ja kokoonpano / Metal Components and Assembly
Milla Vaahtera, Eveliina Saarentaus, Laura Grönlund, Mirke Tilja, Miikka Pirinen & Julia Töyrylä

Videon ohjaus & leikkaus/ Video direction & editing 
Päivi Niemi

Kuvaus / Videography 
Päivi Niemi, Hanna-kaisa Pekkala & Milla Vaahtera

Kuvat / Photos
Hanna-Kaisa Pekkala & Julia Töyrylä

Erityiskiitokset / Special Thanks
JKMM Arkkitehdit, Kansallismuseo, Senaatti-kiinteistöt, SRV, A-Insinöörit, Ramboll, Airam, Suomen Kulttuurirahasto, Kordelinin säätiö, Kuopion Muotoiluakatemia Säätiö, Askon säätiö, Lasikomppania, Nuutajärven lasikylä, Lasikoulu Nuutajärvi, Elinstallation Per Juslin, Suomen Valaisintarvike, S&N, Sertifiointi, Laser Riimikko & Oona Kallio.



3 Days of Design
A Prima Vista  




Photos Lokal & Julia Töyrylä

A Prima Vista 10.–12.6.2026 • Gammel Strand 48, Copenhagen • Lokal Gallery’s participation at 3 Days of Design, produced together with The Finnish Cultural Institute in Denmark

Lokal Finlands kulturinstitut i Danmark

Artists & Makers:
Ville Aakula
Paul Flanders
Saija Halko
Antrei Hartikainen
Hemmo Honkonen
Tatu Laakso
Nathalie Lautenbacher
Waltter Mahlberg
Santeri Mortti
Outi Martikainen
Rasmus Palmgren
Riikka Piippo
Carlo Raymann
Renata Schirm
Milla Vaahtera
Sini Villi
Didi NG Wing Yin

Curated by Lokal’s founder Katja Hagelstam
Exhibition architecture by Hanni Koroma
Tastes by artist and chef Sami Tallberg

With support from:
Embassy of Finland in Denmark
The Finnish-Danish Cultural Foundation
Asko Foundation
Huonekalusäätiö
Suomen Kulttuurirahasto
Gustaf Packalén Stiftelse

Thank you:
Ateljee Sami Tallberg
Genelec
Harri Koskinen
Shimber


Lokal
At First Blush - Annankatu 




A Glimpse of Lokal’s Summer Exhibition

29.5.–16.8.2026

This summer, Lokal spreads its budding branches across a few different addresses. At First Blush, takes place in the Billnäs ironworks village at the peak of summer. Preceding it, we have a glimpse of it all at Lokal Gallery in Helsinki.

Our summer theme is a celebration of the feeling that wells up in one’s being at the sight of a new love, with the awakening of a new season, or as an artist discovers a new expression. The theme of the exhibitions is the blossoming of new life in late spring and early summer – that annual miracle. In typical Lokal fashion, the group exhibitions consist largely of worlds and work ensembles that combine the traditions of fine arts, refined craftsmanship and collectible design.

Artists at Lokal Gallery:

Arni Aromaa
Anni Eckermann
Paavo Halonen
Antrei Hartikainen
Sasha Huber
Matias Karsikas
Nathalie Lautenbacher
Jaakko Mattila
Tuula Pöyhönen
Aleksi Remsu
Jenni Rope
Petri Saarikko
Eemeli Sahimaa
Milla Vaahtera
Sini Villi


Custom work for
Didrichsen Art Museum Shop interior


When I was a kid my gramma, Laila Vaahtera, picked me up from school every Wednesday, and we would either go swimming at the swimming hall for war veterans in Kaskisaari or visit art exhibitions. My grandmother lived in Munkkivuori, and because of that, I must have seen every exhibition at the Didrichsen Art Museum as a child. She would often buy me a book from the museum shop about the artist or the exhibition we had just seen.I believe I became an artist precisely because my grandmother, who worked as a history teacher, took me to museums so often. My love for the Didrichsen Art Museum is deeply personal, which is why it was such a special honor to create a commissioned lamp for their newly renovated museum shop. Colors of the Sculptural Light are chosen from the architecture. 

Photo Anaïs Godel

Glassblowing by Samuli Parkkinen Jasmiina Lehhtomaa
Metalwork with Eve Saarentaus Laura Grönlund Anaïs Godel
Museum shop interior Bolder
https://www.didrichsenmuseum.fi/



Aalto University
Radical Creativity - Podcast 



Thank you for the interview. Creativity is my second passion!

Creativity is the opposite of cool. To be creative, you must endure nine rejections to earn one win. You find creativity by returning to who you’ve been since childhood. And shame loses its power when you tell everyone what you’re ashamed of.

This is the creativity philosophy of glass artist and designer Milla Vaahtera.



Consept Pauliina Seppala & Emilia Hernesniemi

Director & script writer Emilia Hernesniemi

Cinematographer Iiris Sjöblad

Lead produce Ilona Malinen

Creative producer & casting Nita Rehtonen

Executive producer & casting Milla Kokko

Executive producer Kimmo Syväri

Set decorators & props Ruut Mantila

Sound designer François Yazbeck

Composer Tapio Viitasaari

Hair & makeup  Jennifer Appleton


© MILLA VAAHTERA 2025