JARNO LEPPÄNEN
PERFORMANCE ARTIST / PHOTOGRAPHER /
FILMMAKER
JARNO IS A LONDON-BASED MULTIDISCIPLINARY ARTIST, PHOTOGRAPHER, AND FILMMAKER WITH FINNISH ROOTS. HIS ARTISTIC PRACTICE INTERSECTS BETWEEN ART AND ACADEMIA, INFORMED BY AN ACADEMIC BACKGROUND IN BA IN EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY AND TEACHING, MA IN PERFORMANCE AND THEATRE, AND MSC IN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT. JARNO’S WORK CONTINUALLY EXPLORES THE INTERSECTIONS OF PERFORMANCE, EDUCATION, AND SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES, CHALLENGING INDUSTRY NORMS.
WITH A FOUNDATION IN ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS, JARNO’S LOVE FOR MOVEMENT EVOLVED INTO A PASSION FOR DANCE AND ACTING, INCLUDING SOME EXPERIENCE IN FILM TELEVISION, AND STAGE PERFORMANCES AT VENUES LIKE STRATFORD CIRCUS, BARKING THEATRE, AND ETCETERA THEATRE IN LONDON. A SEVERE INCIDENT SEVERAL YEARS AGO AFFECTED HIS ABILITY TO MOVE, CAUSING JARNO TO RETHINK HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH MOVEMENT AND LIFE ITSELF. THIS PERSONAL EXPERIENCE HAS DEEPLY INFLUENCED HIS ART, LEADING HIM TO EXPLORE THE BEAUTY OF MOVEMENT IN EVERYDAY, PERSONAL, AND NON-PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS.
JARNO’S COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY GREW ALONGSIDE HIS INVOLVEMENT IN FASHION AND TEXTILES. RECOGNISING THE COMPLEXITIES OF SUSTAINABILITY, HE PURSUED FURTHER ACADEMIC STUDIES TO GAIN A CRITICAL PERSPECTIVE ON THE TOPIC, WHICH HE NOW INTEGRATES INTO HIS CREATIVE PRACTICE.
HIS ARTISTIC PRACTICE IS BASED ON HIS LIFE EXPERIENCES, EXPLORING PERFORMANCE, MOVEMENT, AND SUSTAINABILITY. THROUGH HIS WORK, JARNO SEEKS TO INSPIRE CHANGE AND FOSTER A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN ART, EDUCATION, AND THE ENVIRONMENT.
KA WA KEY CHOW
TEXTILE ARTIST /
FASHION DESIGNER
KA WA KEY CHOW (HE/ THEY) IS A FASHION AND TEXTILE ARTIST. BORN IN HONG KONG AND BASED IN LONDON, KEY’S ARTISTIC PRACTICE IS SHAPED BY HIS EXPERIENCES IN IN THE DISTINCT CULTURAL ENVIRONMENTS OF EUROPE AND ASIA. HOLDING A MASTER OF ARTS IN FASHION MENSWEAR (KNITWEAR) FROM THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF ART IN LONDON, KEY EXPLORES CULTURAL AND GENDER IDENTITIES THROUGH FASHION AND TEXTILES, FOCUSING ON THE DIALOGUE BETWEEN EASTERN AND WESTERN AESTHETICS.
KEY HAS RECEIVED NUMEROUS AWARDS AND HAS EXHIBITED HIS WORK AT PRESTIGIOUS VENUES SUCH AS PALAIS DE TOKYO IN PARIS, SOMERSET HOUSE, AND KENSINGTON PALACE.
INFLUENCED BY HIS FAMILY’S TAOIST BELIEFS, KEY PERCEIVES EACH YARN AND FABRIC AS POSSESSING ITS OWN STORY AND SOUL. AS AN ARTIST, HE LISTENS AND CONNECTS WITH THESE MATERIALS, ALLOWING THEIR INHERENT NARRATIVES TO UNFOLD THROUGH HIS HANDS. HIS WORK IS A DIALOGUE AND STORYTELLING PROCESS WHERE THE MATERIALS AND HE COLLABORATE TO CREATE PIECES THAT ARE DEEPLY ALIVE AND REFLECTIVE OF EVOLVING CULTURAL CONTEXTS.
FOR THE PAST EIGHT YEARS, KEY AND JARNO HAVE CREATED A UNIQUE ARTISTIC PARTNERSHIP THAT BLENDS THEIR DISTINCT CULTURAL BACKGROUNDS AND ARTISTIC VISIONS THAT BLURS THE BOUNDARIES BETWEEN FASHION, TEXTILES, PERFORMANCE, AND STORYTELLING. THEIR ARTISTIC PRACTICE IS DEEPLY CONNECTED WITH THEIR RESEARCH INTERESTS AND ALSO THEIR PERSONAL ARTISTIC PRACTICES, EXPLORING THEMES OF IDENTITY, CULTURAL HERITAGE, DIMENSIONS OF SUSTAINABILITY.
EACH PIECE IS A REFLECTION TO THEIR COLLABORATIVE PROCESS, WHERE KEY’S SENSITIVITY TO MATERIALS AND NARRATIVE INTERTWINES WITH JARNO’S CRITICAL APPROACH TO SUSTAINABILITY AND PERFORMANCE. THEIR COLLABORATION REPRESENTS A DIALOGUE BETWEEN TRADITION AND INNOVATION, EAST AND WEST, ART AND ACADEMIA, CREATING A HYBRID ARTISTIC LANGUAGE THAT SPEAKS TO THE COMPLEXITIES AND BEAUTY OF THE WORLD.
EXHIBITIONS
2024
“UNDER THE SAME SUN” VALD / NEW YORK
“DRAW ME LIKE ONE OF YOUR FRENCH GIRLS” WOMAN / PARIS
“DRAW ME LIKE ONE OF YOUR FRENCH GIRLS” WUT SHOWROOM / TOKYO
2023
“JUXTAPOSED” MIXC / SHENZHEN
“JUXTAPOSED” ICONSIAM / BANGKOK
“FROM TRADITION TO MODERNITY” GALERIE JOSEPH / PARIS
“FROM TRADITION TO MODERNITY” WORLD EXPO EXHIBITION & CONVENTION CENTER / SHANGHAI
“FROM TRADITION TO MODERNITY” THE OLD TRUMAN BREWERY / LONDON
“THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES” KALASATAMAN VAPAAKAUPUNKI GALLERY / HELSINKI
“THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES” VALD / NEW YORK & PARIS
“THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES” MAHNA MAHNA / TOKYO
“INTERVISION FASHION FLOW” HONG KONG DESIGN CENTER / HONG KONG
“UNFINISHED BUSINESS” MAHNA MAHNA, TOKYO
“UNFINISHED BUSINESS” VALD / NEW YORK & PARIS
2022
“MOMENTUM” SADLER’S WELLS / LONDON
“NO PLACE LIKE HOME” FASHION FILM FESTIVAL MILANO / MILAN
“INNOVATION RCA” ROYAL COLLEGE OF ART / LONDON
“TURBULENCES” SHANGHAI WORLD EXPO EXHIBITION & CONVENTION CENTRE / SHANGHAI
“TURBULENCES” HANGZHOU INTERNATIONAL EXPO CENTRE / HANGZHOU
“GIVE ME SOME PEACE” SAKURA OMOTESANDO / TOKYO
“GIVE ME SOME PEACE” VALD / NEW YORK & PARIS
“GIVE ME SOME PEACE” THE REVOLVER / COPENHAGEN
“SECRETS UNDER THE BED” MIYAMASUZAKA JIKKEN STUDIO / TOKYO
“SECRETS UNDER THE BED” VALD / NEW YORK & PARIS
2021
“BUTTERFLY LOVERS” FUKUI MINAMIAOYAMA / TOKYO
“BUTTERFLY LOVERS” VALD / NEW YORK
“THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS” CINQSPACE / TOKYO
“THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS” SHOWROOM ROMEO / PARIS
“FASHION DISTRICT FESTIVAL” WESTFIELD / LONDON
2020
“RUNE” TÊTE À TÊTE OPERA FESTIVAL, ROUND CHAPEL / LONDON
“HEART OF CYBERPUNK” DESIGN DISTRICT / HONG KONG
“JUXTAPOSED” LANDMARK / HONG KONG
“HELSINKI FASHION RESIDENCY” DIGITAL VILLAGE / HELSINKI
“FFFRIDAY” 822 LAI CHI KOK ROAD / HONG KONG
“THE TWINK PRINCE” LESLIE-LOHMAN GALLERY / NEW YORK
“THE TWINK PRINCE” LOCATION05 / NEW YORK
“THE TWINK PRINCE” LIBÉRATION / PARIS
“THE TWINK PRINCE” SHOWROOM ROMEO / PARIS
“NO PLACE LIKE HOME” LESLIE-LOHMAN GALLERY / NEW YORK
“NO PLACE LIKE HOME” SHOWROOM ROMEO / PARIS
2019
“ROPE” TÊTE À TÊTE OPERA FESTIVAL, THE PLACE / LONDON
“ELEVATION” CERULEAN TOWER NOH THEATRE, TOKYO
“DESIGN RENAISSANCE FOUNDATION” 9 MERCER STREET COVENT GARDEN / LONDON
“HELSINKI FASHION SHOWROOM” CLARION SKY HOTEL / HELSINKI
“WHAT HAPPENS IN GRANDMA’S CLOSET STAYS IN GRANDMA’S CLOSET“ RITARIHUONE / HELSINKI
“WHAT HAPPENS IN GRANDMA’S CLOSET STAYS IN GRANDMA’S CLOSET“ GARAGE AMELOT / PARIS
“WHAT HAPPENS IN GRANDPA’S CLOSET STAYS IN GRANDPA’S CLOSET“ THE ALPHABET / PARIS
“WHAT HAPPENS IN GRANDPA’S CLOSET STAYS IN GRANDPA’S CLOSET“ LOCATION05 / NEW YORK
“COWBOY WHO CRIED WASABI TEARS” LIBÉRATION / PARIS
“COWBOY WHO CRIED WASABI TEARS” THE ALPHABET / PARIS
“COWBOY WHO CRIED WASABI TEARS” CREATIVEDRIVE / NEW YORK
2018
“ASIAN FASHION COLLECTION SHOWCASE” SPRING STUDIO GALLERY / NEW YORK
“ASIAN FASHION COLLECTION EXHIBITION” IKEBUKURO PARCO / TOKYO
“FASHION X MUSIC” TAI KWUN / HONG KONG
“INTERNATIONAL WOOLMARK PRIZE” HONG KONG
“PICTURE OF A MONK” OTHER/WISE / PARIS
“PICTURE OF A MONK” 180 STUDIOS / LONDON
“PICTURE OF A MONK” LIBÉRATION / PARIS
“SCATTERED” SHOWROOM ROMEO / PARIS
“SCATTERED” 180 THE STRAND / LONDON
2017
ASIAN FASHION COLLECTION SHOWCASE” EBIS303 / TOKYO
“HONG KONG FASHION” K11 MUSEA / HONG KONG
“FASHION X MUSIC” TAMAR PARK / HONG KONG
“FRIED RICE IN THE CLOSET” LABELHOOD / SHANGHAI
“FRIED RICE IN THE CLOSET” HONG KONG CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION CENTRE / HONG KONG
“FRIED RICE IN THE CLOSET” 180 THE STRAND / LONDON
“FRIED RICE IN THE CLOSET” LONDON SHOW ROOMS / PARIS
“KEN” LABELHOOD / SHANGHAI
“KEN” LONDON SHOW ROOMS / PARIS
“KEN” HONG KONG CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION CENTRE / HONG KONG
“KEN” VICTORIA HOUSE, LONDON
2016
“NO ASIANS PLZ” SOMERSET HOUSE / LONDON
“THE MONET CAMOUFLAGE” ICETANK / LONDON
“FASHION ASIA 2016” PMQ / HONG KONG
2015
“DOUBLE JE” PALAIS DE TOKYO / PARIS
“H&M AWARD” KENSINGTON PALACE / LONDON
“NO ASIANS PLZ” FORTEZZA DA BASSO / FLORENCE
“BRITISH FASHION COUNCIL GRADUATE PREVIEW” SOMERSET HOUSE / LONDON
GRADUATION SHOW ROYAL COLLEGE OF ART / LONDON
“WORK-IN-PROGRESS” ROYAL COLLEGE OF ART / LONDON
2014
“WORK-IN-PROGRESS” ROYAL COLLEGE OF ART / LONDON
COLLABORATIONS
2024
20TH ANNIVERSARY CAPSULE COLLECTION DESTINATION TOKYO | H.P.FRANCE / TOKYO
FASHION CONSULTANT PROJECT UNIVERSITY OF THE ARTS LONDON / LONDON
“DRAW ME LIKE ONE OF YOUR FRENCH GIRLS” PERFORMANCE IN PARIS NEW YORK TOKYO / PARIS
2023
TEXTILE PRINT DESIGNS SOHO / JIANGSU
SUSTAINABLE KNITWEAR DESIGNS SPRINGAIR / ZHENGJIANG
2021
2019
2018
BAG CAPSULE COLLECTION FREQUENT FLYERS / HONG KONG
2016
UPCYCLING LACE CAPSULE COLLECTION SOPHIE HALLETTE / PARIS
2015
TEXTILES FOR UNDERGROUND LONDON UNDERGROUND / LONDON
AWARDS / NOMINATIONS
2023
DESIGN GRANT HONG KONG FASHION DESIGNERS ASSOCIATION / HONG KONG
2021
ARTIST GRANT ARTS PROMOTION CENTER (TAIKE) / FINLAND
MEMBER OF COUNCIL OF FASHION DESIGNERS OF AMERICA FASHION AWARD GUILD NEW YORK
ARTIST GRANT ARTS PROMOTION CENTER (TAIKE) / FINLAND
2020
SHOW GRANT FASHION FARM FOUNDATION / HONG KONG
SUSTAINABLE FASHION ACCELERATOR TRAMPERY LONDON / LONDON
2019
DESIGNER OF THE YEAR WOMENSWEAR HONG KONG FASHION COUNCIL / HONG KONG
ARTIST GRANT DESIGN DISTRICT / HONG KONG
SHOW GRANT FASHION FARM FOUNDATION / HONG KONG
CREATIVE BRAND ACCELERATOR ROYAL COLLEGE OF ART / LONDON
2018
DESIGNER OF THE YEAR MENSWEAR HONG KONG FASHION COUNCIL / HONG KONG
INTERNATIONAL WOOLMARK PRIZE, FINALIST HONG KONG
SHOW GRANT FASHION FARM FOUNDATION / HONG KONG
2016
COLLECTION OF THE YEAR MENSWEAR HONG KONG FASHION COUNCIL / HONG KONG
2015
H&M AWARD, FINALIST LONDON
LVMH PRIZE FOR GRADUATES, FINALIST PARIS
VOGUE TALENTS VOGUE ITALIA / MILAN
2012
HONG KONG YOUNG TALENT DESIGN AWARD, WINNER HONG KONG
HONG KONG FASHION DESIGNERS’ ASSOCIATION TALENT AWARD, WINNER HONG KONG
TRAINING EXPERIENCE AND DESIGN AWARD TOUCH THE FABRIC / MILAN
THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY LOCAL STUDENTS SCHOLARSHIP HONG KONG
POLYU GRADUATION SHOW, OVERALL GRAND AWARD - 2ND RUNNER-UP HONG KONG
POLYU GRADUATION SHOW, WOOLMARK STUDY SCHOLARSHIP HONG KONG
2011
HONG KONG YOUNG DESIGNERS’ CONTEST, FINALIST HONG KONG
2010
19TH JEANSWEST FASHION DESIGN AWARD, WINNER BEIJING
PRESENTATIONS & LECTURES
LONDON COLLEGE OF FASHION, UNIVERSITY OF THE ARTS LONDON LONDON
THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY HONG KONG
“FASHION AND POLITICS” HELSINKI FASHION WEEK / HELSINKI
“LEAD WITH VISION: STANDING OUT THROUGH STORYTELLING” COUNCIL OF FASHION DESIGNERS OF AMERICA
“INNOVATING WITHIN THE FASHION LANDSCAPE” HONG KONG DESIGN CENTER / HONG KONG
ALUMNI MENTOR, UNIVERSITY OF EAST LONDON LONDON
ARTIST’S FUTURE PERSPECTIVES TAMMERKOSKEN LUKIO / TAMPERE
"FASHION PROFESSIONALS’ PERCEPTIONS ON SUSTAINABILITY AND EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT" UNIVERSITY OF GOTHENBURG / GOTHENBURG
SUSTAINABILITY AND EDUCATION GU UNIVERSITY POD PODCAST GOTHENBURG
SELECTED PRESS
2024
2023
2021
“SPINNOVA COLLABORATION PRESENTS BREAKTHROUGH CIRCULAR FIBERS AT NYFW” FORBES
“MODA E TEATRO: KA WA KEY VESTE I PROTAGONISTI DI RUNE” VOGUE ITALIA
“THESE 6 DESIGNERS PROVE NEW YORK IS THE PLACE TO DISCOVER EMERGING TALENT” VOGUE
“EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH KA WA KEY” MMSCENE
"DESIGNER CAPSULE COLLECTION AT NEW YORK FASHION WEEK" TEXTILE TECHNOLOGY
"SPINNOVA FIBRE ON NEW YORK CATWALK" KNITTING INDUSTRY
“IT’S TIME TO DITCH YOUR NEUTRALS AND EMBRACE RAINBOW FASHION” WALL STREET JOURNAL
“TOKYO FASHION WEEK BRINGS ABOUT POSITIVE FEELINGS” SENKEN JAPAN
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
“H&M AWARD OPENS ITS DOOR FOR CHINESE DESIGNERS FOR THE FIRST TIME” BOF
“GETTING TO KNOW DESIGNER AND ONE TO WATCH: KA WA KEY CHOW” IDOL
"VOGUE TALENTS" VOGUE ITALIA 2015 SEPTEMBER ISSUE
2012
“YOUNG DESIGN TALENT AWARD WINNER - KA WA KEY CHOW” DESIGN FOR ASIA: DFA AWARDS 2012
CONTACT