Juha Vehmaanperä: Craft Punk

Emerging artist Juha Vehmaanperä's first major solo exhibition at the Gallery of the Museum of Architecture and Design is a celebration of colour and material. Juha Vehmaanperä (b. 1993) creates garments by knitting and crocheting, in which traditional craft techniques combine through experimentation with contemporary themes and technologies. Vehmaanperä's unruly, overflowing garments do not merely satisfy practical clothing needs; they challenge gender norms, consumer culture and visual expectations. Craft Punk is not only the name of the exhibition but also a philosophy guiding the making. It shakes things up and encourages people to be themselves: to express themselves freely, regardless of ready-made boxes or the frameworks of fashion. Knitted and crocheted material does not force its user into a particular mould but lets the body guide the shape of the garment. "I aim for my outfits not to define their users. Instead, the user defines themselves through these outfits. I want to create space for creativity and experimentation in craft, fashion and art", Vehmaanperä says.