In constant dialogue with wood
- Matti works with local, freshly felled trees
- He aims for his objects carry healing qualities
- The drying process he follows dictates his creations' final shapes
Matti Söderkultalahti's practice is focused on creating wooden forms that have not existed before. He makes use of knotty and wild pieces of greenwood that are often full of faults, overlooked and destined to be buried or burnt. Despite his carpenter and artisan studies, Matti considers himself self-taught in woodturning, a technique he specialises in today. This journey has helped him develop a deep understanding of the material and process, stretching from the skills of chain sawing to the drying of the final piece. "The process is a dialogue. A piece of wood asks for its final shape. It has a mind and soul of its own," Matti says. "The mutual respect between an artisan and the material always prevails."
Interview
- How would you describe your woodturning ?
- I produce simple and powerful forms out of carefully selected, fresh felled Finnish hardwoods, mainly oak. The place where I live is surrounded by large forests. My objects are only a few millimetres thick and take shape during drying, an integral part of the process.
- What message do you aim to convey through your work?
- Many collectors have told me that viewing or touching my pieces calms them, and that they have healing potential. I hope that people would see my pieces for their mental attributes rather than for their functionality, as I do not create my pieces to be functional.
- Do you feel a duty to perpetuate tradition?
- Traditions and their techniques are essential to me. Wood remains the material it has always been, the latest technology will not make it any different. My objects are impossible to produce with new machinery. Only traditional tools and techniques can bring them to life.
- What is the hardest part of practising your craft?
- No matter how good I am, wood retains a huge role in deciding where it wants to take the final piece. A finely turned masterpiece can crack during drying, regardless of how careful I am. Failures always happen, and I must simply proceed to the next one.
Matti Söderkultalahti is an expert artisan: he began his career in 2004
Where
Matti Söderkultalahti
