"In Finland, we are rich in nature, cities, architecture and furniture, but not so much in little memory pieces or ritual objects. Not many visitors can see and do what locals do, since much happens deep in the forest or at the lakeside." - Song & Olin of COMPANY

What gifts did the Finnish delegation bring to Japan in 1919 to inaugurate Finnish-Japanese diplomatic relations? With this question in mind, Finnish-Korean design-duo COMPANY created their contribution to the FIN/JPN Friendship Collection. The family of six ceramic objects are both decorative and functional; each celebrates a seasonal ritual belonging to the Finnish calendar.

This ceramic piggy-bank is inspired by an old Finnish tradition of placing a wooden statue of a pauper outside a church to collect money for the poor. The Pauper is reminiscent of Kaamos, or polar night, the darkest, coldest time of the year when the vulnerable are most in need.

Expressive and of disarming naiveté, the family of objects evokes the animist, pagan pasts of Finland. They are hand-made by Artek's ceramic partner in Portugal, based on a close collaborative development process with COMPANY founders Aamu Song and Johan Olin.