Finlandia: Cabinets of Wisdom

Bulgarian proverbs reimagined by Finnish artists

Task

To create an experiential marketing campaign in line with Finlandia’s latest platform “1000 Years of Less Ordinary Wisdom”, and to generate a lot of PR and word of mouth.

Insight

The Bulgarian audience reacts very passionately to topics concerning national identity and the way foreigners see our culture.

Thinking

Bulgaria already has its own wisdom — collected in numerous peculiar proverbs.

But how would a foreigner understand these proverbs without any local context?

Cabinets of Wisdom is an exhibition showcasing the physical interpretations of Bulgarian proverbs by Finnish artists.

With the help of Studio Komplekt we selected six Finnish creatives and gave them the task to interpret a popular Bulgarian proverb as a work of art.

Each artist had to display their interpretation as the contents of a Cabinet of Wisdom — exposition design, inspired by the Renaissance period Cabinets of Curiosities. The Cabinets were created by stage designer Eva Ventova, using vintage Bulgarian furniture.

The final works were displayed in a pop-up exhibition in the centre of Sofia.

You get to Constantinople by asking questions
by Kirsi Enkovaara

A hurried job is shame for the craftsman
by Saana ja Olli

Not every tree can a whistle make
by Marjukka Takala

Drop by drop — a pond forms
by Eero Lampinen

If you pretend to be a lamb, the wolf shall eat you
by Iina Vuorivirta

The tongue has no bones, but bones it can break
by Antti Kalevi

Website

The exhibition was recreated as an abstract online experience further encouraging the exploration of Bulgarian wisdoms and their artistic interpretations.