Helena Perheentupa is Alumna of the Year of the School of Art and Design
11.01.2010
The School of Art and Design celebrated its traditional anniversary on 11 January, now as a part of Aalto University. During the event, the School appointed six new honorary members and announced the Alumnus of the Year for 2010. The guests were also treated to three Professors’ inaugural lectures: Simo Heikkilä (Furniture Design), Timo Heinänen (Cinematography) and Harri Laakso (Visual Culture).
Textile artist Helena Perheentupa has carried out her life’s work in India, training the country’s “first” generation of designers. India’s traditions and wealth in art and design are particularly visible in textiles, which was a natural field to adopt as the first step to developing the country’s attitude towards design. While teaching at the National Institute of Design, Perheentupa initiated schooling in textile production, as well as design entrepreneurship. She established relationships with local operators and built networks. The Indian textile industry is still handcraft-driven, taking place mostly in small village-based and urban workshops. The principle behind Perheentupa’s teaching and development work was to support initiative-taking, entrepreneurship and local methods. Education for girls is particularly close to her heart.
During the anniversary celebrations, the School also announced six new honorary members. Each year, the School invites persons who have done exceptional work on behalf of the School of Art and Design, of culture or of art and design to accept a honorary membership. This year’s honorary members are Marianne Aav, Director of Design Museum Helsinki, industrial designer Jorma Pitkonen, painter Helga Reinikainen-Somersalo, Professor Emerita Inkeri Sava, artist and designer Marja Suna, and producer Mikael Wahlfors.
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Honorary members of the previous years
