Ari-Pekka Rantanen

Goldsmiths 1987 - 2015

Each goldsmith of the year has their own individual idiom and method of working. The jewellery and items were created using various methods: handcrafting, drilling, sawing, forging, casting. For many, modern 3D-technology has opened doors to unlimited possibilities for new design. Over the decades, goldsmiths and silversmiths have shaped many unique pieces of luxury jewellery, but have also worked with mass production.

Goldsmith of the Year 2016

The smiths are connected by their passion, quality and an uncompromising attitude towards their work. They don't cut corners; instead, they will labour over even the smallest detail. A journey through the Brilliant! exhibition will uncover experimentation, the search for novel ideas, respect for traditions and international success stories. The smiths' works have been given as gifts to members of royal families and to popular figures who have divided popular opinion, such as the Shah of Iran and Diana, Princess of Wales. Throughout the decades, the jewellery has featured in well-respected, international exhibitions and in private collections.

1980 1990 2000 2010

2015 Heikki Hartikainen 2013 Essi Pullinen 2012 Carina Blomqvist 2011 Pekka Kulmala 2010 Ari-Pekka Rantanen

Nature, its power and beauty form the inspiration behind goldsmith Ari-Pekka Rantanen’s work. He works with gold and diamonds, using his eyes and hands to create a classic idiom. His jewellery embodies honesty, naturalness and functionality. Shapes are not simply added; instead, they must be worked in to support the overall piece. The piece could be like a pine branch wrenched from the trunk in the wind, worn by sand, ice, waves and the sun. As is the case with the branch, the jewellery is left with a hard core, which hints of greater abundance.

As foreman at Kultakeskus, Rantanen has an extensive understanding of goldsmithing. He knows the different sides of the profession through and through, from small workshops to luxury stores manufacturing custom orders, having himself worked on both mass-produced pieces and on unique works, handcrafted from start to finish.

www.kultakeskus.fi