The exhibition One Hundred and One opens the door to the secrets of a seasoned visual artists in Finnish contemporary theatre. It reveals the often unseen processes behind stage design and theatrical visual storytelling, opening a door to the work than remains hidden from audiences. Opening in February 2027, the exhibition presents Kati Lukka’s nearly forty-year career and her life’s work encompassing more than one hundred productions.

Kati Lukka is a set designer at the Finnish National Theatre and has also worked at the TTT-Theatre of Tampere, the Helsinki City Theatre, and numerous other theatres in Finland and abroad. The award-winning artist’s distinctive style combines pragmatic spatial design, powerful visual metaphors, and an uncompromising commitment to ecological sustainability.

The exhibition offers visitors an opportunity to discover how theatrical illusions are created and preserved, and how a text or theme is transformed into a three-dimensional physical world that supports the realization of a performance.

Visitors can explore scenographic sketches, scale models, and photographs from productions created for theatres across Finland – and even a couple in Germany – at close range. The exhibition architecture highlights Lukka’s passion for recycled materials and reuse. The exhibition also sheds light on Lukka’s long-standing and seamless collaboration with costume designer Tarja Simone. 

One Hundred and One – The Stage Designs of Kati Lukka opens to the public on 19 February 2027 and runs until 29 August 2027. 

Photo is from theatre performance Nummisuutarit, Finnish National Theatre 2015. Photographer: Stefan Bremer, image processing: Kati Lukka.