Designers We Love: Lincoln Kayiwa

WORDS Amelia Brown PORTRAIT Robert Seger

Described as having “a witty yet elegant disregard for convention”, Lincoln Kayiwa designs homeware works of art.

“I am passionate about fusing art with design to create functional solutions for everyday needs,” says Lincoln Kayiwa of the Helsinki-based studio KAYIWA. “The resulting objets d’art are genuine collector’s items that will continue to appreciate in value over time.”

This Finnish-Ugandan designer, who founded his studio in 2007 upon graduating with an MA from Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture, derives inspiration from his African roots and his Finnish home city. “I borrow principles and aesthetic elements from the rich cultures and traditions of African and Nordic art, craft and design to make bold, playful functional artefacts,” he adds.

Lincoln Kayiwa.

Lincoln favours granite as a material. “Granite is in many ways better than (the overrated, in my opinion) marble. Granite is one of the most durable naturally occurring stones. For this range I combined traditional handicraft with mechanisation to create a line of timeless products – from mortars and pestles to furniture – exclusively out of a selection of rare Finnish granite types. The collection commemorated the centenary of Finland’s independence in 2017, as granite is the national stone.”

The silhouettes in the collection are a play on geometry, proportion and precision, with contrasts of various shades and types of polished and honed granite. Lincoln creates three artist’s proofs, one prototype, and usually a run of only 12 pieces of each range for KAYIWA. The items are for sale online and are shipped internationally.

For more information, visit kayiwa.fi.