Helmi Remes on sensitivity, beauty and glass

Helmi Remes, a Finnish artist and designer based in Karkkila, Finland, creates unique pieces rooted in appreciation for beauty and sensitivity. During her two-month residency at FCINY for March and April, Helmi has immersed herself in New York's vibrant art scene, exploring new approaches to her craft. Recently, we had the privilege of visiting UrbanGlass, a Brooklyn-based studio and our partner for the residency, where we witnessed Helmi assisting Adam Holtzinger from Keep-Brooklyn in creating a unique art piece in the hotshop. We wanted to learn more about her inspirations, New York experiences, and artistic journey.

How would you describe your work as an artist and designer?

Others have described my work style as sensitive, emotional, and classic. I make abstract sculptures and works of art, the primary material being glass. I focus on complex techniques and try to create my painting-like effect on glass. I am a sensitive person, and it is evident in my work. I look for beauty everywhere, so in a way, my work is a reflection of how I see beauty.

What has made you gravitate towards glass as your primary medium?

I have been actively working with glass since 2010, and the material fascinates me endlessly. In my art and product design, I try to emphasize the best aspects of the material. I want the use of the material to be justified. It is a costly material to work with and often requires hiring a team, so I produce art and products slowly and carefully. Glass can be a sharp, shiny, and cold substance, yet it can also embody a soft, delicate, and sensitive nature that sends shivers down your spine. I have a love-and-hate relationship with the material. Often, I wish I could do larger objects, and there wouldn't be so many broken pieces during the process. However, I also love to push the limits and try complex techniques. I desire more insight into glass, and the best way to gain this is to step outside of my comfort zone with the material.

Your bio reveals that your approach to design is deeply rooted in experiences and emotions. Could you elaborate on how you translate such abstract elements into your work?

I want to avoid repeating what I see, and focus on what I feel. I am deeply sensitive and tend to feel emotions strongly. I am easily moved to tears and possess a high level of empathy. I channel these experiences, whether positive or negative, into my glassworks. The feeling can turn into a shape or surface texture. I often use muted tones instead of bright and bold colors. I hope people can stay with my work for a long time and find new levels depending on whether you look at it from afar or close. In my work, some elements are often round and angular, a soft satin surface juxtaposed with a shiny, hard surface. I appreciate contrasts because emotions are much the same—they encompass everything we experience. Joy and sadness can coexist simultaneously, just as tiredness and energy can. Contradictions are truly fascinating.

Do you have any highlights from your time in New York so far, and what do you hope to gain from your residency?

I expect the residency to clear my mind and allow me to explore things freely. I want to be inspired and draw ideas, but not by force. I believe that concrete ideas only start to come to work after the residency period itself. There is so much to see and experience here. Up to now, I have been visiting museums almost every day. I write down everything that piques my interest or causes emotional reactions. It can be music, food, trash on the street, a classic work of art, or a person I'm talking to.

My best moments are related to glass and design. Together with my husband, I got to meet several different glassblowers and glass artists in different glass studios. It is wonderful that the glass industry is alive and well here in America. I try to absorb lessons and ideas from their way of working. The industry could be stronger and more prosperous at the European level, and we can learn a lot from many different areas, from business to techniques and customer relations.

What awaits you after New York?

At the beginning of this year, I worked on an exhibition at the Museum of Ancient Glass in Zadar, Croatia. The exhibition, titled Narrative Reflections, Helmi Remes & Slate Grove, opens immediately after the residency. So, I will sleep a few nights in Finland and then travel directly to Croatia in May. After this, I will start working on a group exhibition at Chappe, a modern art museum in Tammisaari, Finland. I’m curating an exhibition there of works of six artists in which glass plays a central role.

I am also building a glass studio with my husband in Karkkila, where we live, so this construction project keeps us busy, along with other jobs. Hopefully, in the fall, we will be able to invite the first collaborators from New York to work in our studio. I am looking forward to the international cooperation that I have already started to build here!

Follow Helmi’s residency on Instagram!

Photos and questions: Sini-Ida Heiskanen

Published: April 12, 2024