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There is a certain profound beauty in imperfection. Wabi-sabi is the Japanese concept that motions us to constantly search for beauty in imperfection. And in the far corner of Northern Europe, some people are emboldening this very notion. On a recent assignment, Henri Vogt was commissioned by the weekly business magazine Bloomberg Businessweek to shoot Hävikkikukkakauppa Kukkis (kukkakauppa means flower shop in Finnish), a Helsinki, Finland flower shop entirely supplied by the surplus of other retailers, giving flowers deemed wilted and worn-out a second lease on life.
Born in Strasbourg, Henri is now living and working between his hometown and Helsinki. Henri has cultivated quite a reputation in social documentary and still life photography, thanks to his style merging documentary photographs and contemplative images, which has always aided him in editorial work.
I have never worked with Bloomberg before. They wanted someone to convey a documentary approach to the project. They found my website and discovered my portfolio fits this style perfectly.
Hävikkikukkakauppa Kukkis is the first surplus flower shop in Finland (maybe in the whole world!). Who converts imperfect plants from other retailers into beautiful floral arrangements. Kukkis receive their plants and flowers from plant supermarkets and grocery stores, where the amount of waste can be up to 40%, mostly ending up in mixed waste bins. It’s a non-profit, volunteer-run store that empowers an unconventional yet humanitarian community that sees the beauty in everything and the power of sustainability.
The woman behind the charming shop is Helsinki native Armi Kunnaala. Her innovative and caring ideals of giving faded flowers a second chance deeply challenge how we view environmental mortality and fleeting beauty.
Armi runs Hävikkikukkakauppa Kukki on the land of a former Helsinki psychiatric hospital that is now a much-loved recreation area. Further evidence of Armi’s endless pursuit of instability. A heartfelt and fervent service, if there ever was one, she revitalizes the plants and delivers cut-flower bouquets, outdoor and indoor plants, and other stunning floral design services.
Her primary objective is to establish a long-lasting botanical revolution. The shop’s mission is summed up in a brochure that is on display, stating Armi and her team wish to mainstream the imperfect organic product that flowers are. Life is much better when we help others and the environment; for this, Armi is undoubtedly a heroine. And Henri captured this spirit perfectly.
Tasked with the difficult job of capturing a totally unique business, like the flowers themselves, Henri tried to do so in an organic manner. His imagery conveyed the shop’s riveting juxtaposition of something decaying, actually being bright and beautiful — supported by the dynamic color palette Henri brought to the imagery. Akin to Armi, handling her flowers with care and sagacity, Henri, in turn, does so with his imagery as well, making for a striking continuity between the subject and photographer.
I tried to emphasize the atmosphere of the flower shop. I worked with a remote flashlight to balance the strong summer sunlight without staging or cheating the reality.
When initially visiting the shop, Henri attempted to gauge the whole environment and lighting of the space. Every turn in the store is full of color, and every area signifies a different story. Handing Henri the dilemma of where to insert himself to get the right angle and composition. He handled these challenges thanks to his immaculate attention to detail and introspective style.
Furthermore, working with such a beautiful subject did not intimidate Henri at any stage of the project. His experience working with natural environments and his appreciation for this medium shone through in his work.
It was pretty fun because the environment was instantly engaging and full of vibrant colors. Connecting to the subject is always easy for me; I am inquisitive and always like to learn something new.
As two Helsinki residents collaborating and working to empower the city, it was an especially poignant project for Henri to work on. And having such an eye-opening experience makes him hope such worthy initiatives might expand not just in Helsinki but worldwide.
It’s interesting to visit a business whose initial purpose is not profitability. In our society, I think we should support more important initiatives in our communities. There is value in what some consider waste.
Hävikkikukkakauppa Kukkis represents an enchanting metaphor for life, and like Arni and her dedicated team, we should all try our best to see the beauty in the world, even in the most unlikely of places.
This project enabled Henri to showcase his editorial work. And he would love to continue this in future endeavors and bring more intriguing stories to life.
See more of Henri Vogt’s work on his website.