In April 2026, architect and designer Seppo Koho presents Kinetic Reliefs at the Helsinki-based Galleria 68, a gallery specialising in constructivist art and architecture, a fitting context for Koho’s precise, structurally driven exploration of movement, light and form.
For those familiar with Secto Design, Koho needs little introduction. He has collaborated with the company since its very beginning and designed the majority of the luminaires in the Finnish lighting brand’s collection. His work has consistently reflected a deep respect for wood as a material, combined with a rigorous pursuit of proportion, clarity and lasting quality. With Kinetic Reliefs, that long-standing dialogue with wood continues in artistic form.
Seppo Koho reflects: “A passion for designing wooden luminaires has formed my life’s work. I cannot imagine a better profession than to dream of and fulfil aesthetic values in such a way that they can be industrially manufactured, high-quality and beautiful. Yet at times the desire to design outside the framework of a production process arises.”
This exhibition grows from that very impulse. For Koho, however, creative freedom does not mean fewer constraints. Quite the opposite: “While others may liberate themselves by exploring abundant colours and exuberant forms at a fast pace, I find myself dreaming of meticulousness, precision and intransigence.”
The works are primarily created from surplus or reclaimed wood, offcuts and pieces that may have rested in storage for decades, extending the life cycle of the material in a thoughtful and responsible way. The pieces presented now continue a first series introduced a year ago, deepening his investigation into perception and controlled geometry. As Koho describes:
“In the Kinetic Reliefs series, I have explored variations of the kinetic phenomenon within a carefully defined form. As one passes by, the works follow the viewer and the colours shift into their opposites. The phenomenon comes into its own through the sharpness and precision of the reliefs’ lines and forms. The triangularity creates changing shadows on the surface of the works as lighting conditions vary.”
Light and shadow take on an active role, transforming static reliefs into subtly shifting experiences. It is a natural extension of Koho’s lifelong engagement with light, this time approached through the language of art.
Kinetic Reliefs by Seppo Koho
Galleria 68
Hämeentie 68, 00550 Helsinki
Exhibition opening on Wednesday April 1st 2026 from 17:00 to 20:00
Opening hours from 2–26 April 2026
Wednesday-Thursday 12:00-18:00
Friday-Sunday 12:00-16:00
