ABOUT

 

 

 

Erwin Laiho is a Finnish artist working and studying in Gainesville, Florida. He has a deep affection for simple and geometric design.

As a designer, his aesthetic taste is a combination of classical Scandinavian linearity, shapes in nature and contemporary trends in fashion.

Erwin is a lover of deep house music, which is reflected in the often stripped-down, dark colour palette of his pieces and the steady 'beat'

that he establishes in symmetry. Regardless of whether it's representational or abstract, he considers composition to be the

most important visual element in his artistic expression.

 

Born into a crafty entrepreneur household in Turku, Western Finland, Erwin Laiho has always been encouraged to re-imagine his surroundings

and take action. Growing up Laiho was intrigued by art and the thorough education system taught him a variety of skills including carpentry, pottery,

linoleum, metalwork and even knitting. When he moved to Costa Rica, Central America, for high-school, he realized his calling and potential as an artist.

Isolated from his familiar environment and the influence of Nordic design, Laiho understood to discover the eye for elegance, that he had developed.

 

So far the themes in his work have addressed a wide variety or personal matters and phenomena in youth culture,

however Laiho is very thoughtful of environmental issues and wishes to communicate his ideas about the relationship we have - or could have - with nature.

His upcoming sculpture series "Domestic Abuse" takes him back to the homely material of wood that is abundant in his home country Finland.

Having made objects out of wood his whole life, he celebrates the versatility of it, but also wishes to expose its vulnerability and

unobtrusive yet visually elaborate quality.

 

Laiho considers some of his biggest influences in visual arts to be Piet Mondrian, Tinker Hatfield, Andy Gilmore, Iiro Ahokas and Serge Alain Nitegeka.