Hanna-Katri Eskelinen

Eco; from the Greek ‘oikos’ (home or household)
Topia; from the Greek ‘topos’ (place)

How do we imagine sustainable future cities and homes? My degree project explores the concept of paradise in the utopian and specifically ecotopian tradition, focused on illustration. Dancing between fantasy and reality, my aim is to explore the theme of alternative sustainable futures through graphic design, installation and illustration.

The installation Hätä visualises a community garden in 2030, which aims to foster the collective imagination of sustainable futures amidst climate anxiety and political challenges, such as the rise of far-right politics and climate change denial. At a time when political polarization, care deficits and climate refugees are transforming society, we need spaces where we can collectively imagine an egalitarian and harmonic society. A place to connect. When a place is staged for dialogue, it develops into something performed and transformative. The place is transferred into a process and seed-to-action. By seeing this installation as a conversation starter for alternative futures, I view this installation as a portal to foster peace.

Hanna-Katri Eskelinen is a Finnish illustrator, animator and graphic designer. In their work, they often dance between fantasy and reality, aiming to express feelings of joy, nostalgia and hope. In their degree project, they explore alternative sustainable futures through illustration, animation and poetry.