Inni Pärnänen

Jewellery maker

©Irene Sema

©Studio Metsä

©Ljubov Kedrina

©Inni Pärnänen

An experimental approach to jewellery

Inni's work is characterised by geometrical and 3D forms
She plays with scale, turning jewellery into wall hangings
She is inspired by contradictions, materials and experimental methods

In Inni Pärnänen’s creative vocabulary, arbitrary definitely has a positive connotation. She derives inspiration both from various materials and from the processes themselves. Intuition and epiphanies play a big part in everything she does, but they are rooted in experiments, a deep knowledge of tradition and the creative use of new technologies. Ultimately, what matters to her is the way the design serves the content. After studies at the Goldsmith College in Lahti (BA 1995) and then at the University of Industrial Arts in Helsinki (MA 1998), she created her own brand. Inni is best known for her silver jewellery, but her range of work also includes lamps and large works of art made from various materials.

Interview

©Inni Pärnänen

©Studio Work in Progress

What are your sources of inspiration?: I am interested in different materials and my work is in many ways material led. The materials I choose as my starting point are often selected randomly. They guide me through the process. I find contradictions intriguing - simplicity and complexity, sensitivity and hardness.
What does well made mean to you?: Well made is not only technical perfection. It is also aesthetic quality. My work often looks complex, but it is actually very simple in structure. My structures look organic yet they have a geometrical starting point.
Do you master any specific techniques?: I am both process and product driven. My processes are mixtures of old and new. For example, I use laser regularly together with traditional jewellery making techniques. Tradition is knowing the material profoundly, innovation is using material and techniques in new ways.
What is your advice to a young jeweller?: I am hopeful that craft will develop and find new approaches. Craft is in our nature. I would suggest for young people to work hard and stay open to new techniques. They will bring with them new opportunities.

Inni Pärnänen is an expert artisan: she began her career in 1998