The Espoo Museum of Modern Art has received a long-term loan of art from Kyösti Kakkonen’s internationally significant collection of more than 10,000 works.
– A connection of fate!
The large-sized sculpture has ceramic beads on metal wires and dials on the front. All clocks have the same time of 12:15.
First, Kyösti Kakkonen fell in love with the sculpture. The \”connection of fate\” was born later, when he found out that he himself was born at exactly 12:15 p.m.
Birger Kaipiainen’s *Helmilintu* is one of the valuable works on display at EMMA, Espoo’s modern art museum.
The exhibition, which opens to the public on Thursday, presents domestic glass and ceramic objects collected by Kyösti Kakkonen.
The exhibition is named *Collection Kakkose* according to the trade council.
He has given over 10,000 works from his collection on long-term loan to EMMA, 1300 works. There are 600 of them on display at the exhibition.
It wasn’t easy for Espoo to get works. Kyösti Kakkonen reveals that the negotiations with him, EMMA and the city of Espoo lasted eight years.
Why are the works on display at EMMA and not in another museum?
– I think EMMA is one of the best museums in Finland. It is an evolving, modern and forward-looking museum. This is where Finnish design classics get a good exposure, Kakkonen praises.
For the art museum, the project is the largest in its history. A new exhibition space of one thousand square meters has been built at the Exhibition Center WeeGee for the presentation of the collection.
– This is the most significant collection of post-war design. It is a treasure trove of enormous heritage value.
In the exhibition, you can recognize familiar art objects from 40 famous Finnish artists and designers.
First it went small, then the whole thing
Kyösti Kakkonen has been collecting art for 35 years.
– Those bonfires are usually lit from a very young age, he describes the initial spark of the hobby.
– When a little rill was lost in the collection, the old story happened: the hand went with it and eventually the whole giant.
He reminds those interested in acquiring art that the hobby requires time and patience. It’s worth considering whether you want to buy works that interest you right now, or whether the hobby will last longer.
– Often first crushes are not necessarily the ones that last forever, even in everyday life. It’s the same with art.
Kakkonen is asked how much you paid
If you have a lot of money, Kakkonen recommends asking experts for advice.
He is used to people wanting to know how valuable his own collection is, and how much he paid for the works.
– Financial questions are a matter for auctioneers. Although I am a merchant, I have never sold the works in my collection.
Unique works, specialties and rarities can no longer be obtained from anywhere.
– The greatest value is the cultural value of the collection, Kyösti Kakkonen states.
Kakkonen is often asked to exhibit works from his collection abroad. They are currently on display in Japan.
EMMA’s exhibition has also already attracted a lot of international interest and has been visited by journalists from different parts of the world.
How is a long-term loan in Espoo?
– We have initially talked about five years, but you can think about it on the way and look at it depending on how our cooperation works. I believe it will work, says Kyösti Kakkonen.
*Collection Kakkonen is open from 10.11.2022 at Exhibition Center WeeGee in Espoo.*