Column: Knowledge makes life meaningful
“Knowledge gives a new meaning to the objects and other things around us,” writes Hanna-Katariina Mononen. The 112B wall shelf is by Artek.
I LEARNED RECENTLY that the Finnish composer Oskar Merikanto, although beloved by the public, was constantly made the butt of jokes by his friends, who were downright bullies toward him. For instance, the painter Akseli Gallen-Kallela once joked that for his painting Symposium – a group portrait of leading Finnish artists and composers – he had to use a rutabaga as a model to help him visualize the shape of Merikanto’s head. After learning this, I haven’t been able to listen to Merikanto’s compositions the way I used to. Valse lente no longer sounds the same for me. I can only hope that Merikanto at least tried to stand up for himself.
My partner is a big fan of all things audio. He told me about a Japanese sound enthusiast who erected a 12 meter high electricity pylon in his garden, because he was not satisfied with the existing electricity supply. And I’ve heard of another enthusiast whose home audio equipment took up so much space that he had to move the sofa every time he needed to get to the fridge. This is certainly amusing, but I’m absolutely convinced that audio experiences will never be as enjoyable for me as they are for such people. The choices they’ve made are based on in-depth knowledge built up over the years.
“Contrary to what some say, knowledge about something does accentuate the sense of meaning it has for you.”
THAT’S WHAT LEARNING CAN DO – once you’ve braved the deep end of the pool, you lose all interest in paddling ever again. Others also maximize their enjoyment in their own ways, whether they’re aficionados of wine, cinema or science. Contrary to what some say, knowledge about something does accentuate the sense of meaning it has for you.
That’s why the more I learn about design, for example, the more I enjoy it. Without background information about things, they’re just empty, meaningless, and don’t really tell me anything at all. Knowledge of materials and the diversity of materials in general, manufacturing techniques and the challenges they present, the history of designers and companies: all this knowledge adds to the enjoyment.
Background research is not only fun, it also makes people more responsible and aware as consumers – almost without realizing it. Visits to the home museums of artists, designers and architects, studying different stylistic periods, reading biographies, and gaining a deeper understanding of a range of contexts gradually gives new meaning to the objects and other things around us.
The book “Rakastan sinussa ihmistä” is a fascinating and touching description of Alvar and Aino Aalto’s journey together.
My recommendation: The Story of Aino and Alvar Aalto
In his biography Rakastan sinussa ihmistä – Aino ja Alvar Aallon tarina (to be published in English as The Story of Aino and Alvar Aalto), Heikki Aalto-Alanen brings out everything that was special in the partnership between his grandparents Aino and Alvar Aalto, taking the reader on a fascinating journey to the heart of modern architecture and design. An English translation of the book will be published by Phaidon – hopefully soon!
The author, Hanna-Katariina Mononen, reflects on the issues of a beautiful and sustainable life in her monthly column for Design Stories. She thinks that just like in life, in the home, the most beautiful parts are unplanned – and often relatively ordinary as well.
Text and image: Hanna-Katariina Mononen
Published on 11 Jan, 2023
