Design hotel Klaus K has transformed it's two areas, restaurant Ilmatar and  the most of former nightclub Ahjo, into one holistic space called The Livingroom (nightclub Ahjo still exists, it's just significantly smaller and is located behind the curtains, in the back). Due to the renovation most of the interior decor of the area was demolished and replaced. While I was walking around photographing the construction site to document the process a certain cushion-like covered pilar caught my eye. I asked hotel manager Marc Skvorc if the panels of the cover would be removed and thrown away - he said "yes". I thought it was such a shame! Too often materials are thrown away instead of reusing them. I told Marc I could make it into a headboard for my bed and asked if I could have it. I didn't want it to take too much time or effort from the construction workers that were already on a tight schedule. Marc promised to look into it, whether or not it could be removed without it getting torn. 
 A few months later, last Friday, I was excited to carry the piece into a taxi van and finally take it home. I have now adopted a piece of a pilar from a former nightclub - how cool is that?! A pretty pieceful retirement home for this lucky pilar panel turned headboard after 8 years of partying!

 This piece has cost me 15€ so far (transportation by taxi) - not bad! It still needs to be lifted off the floor and properly attached to the wall.  

 Hopefully other hotels and public spaces will follow the lead! 

 

A photo by Klaus K of former Ahjo. You can spot the pilar behind the bar counter. 

For about 50 cookies you'll need:

-  milk chocolate
-  Fazer gingerbread chocolate
-  some cinnamon
-  an assortment of nuts
-  4 eggs
-  450 g of butter (let it warm up in room temperature for a while)
-  0,5 dl of milk
-  13 dl of wheat flour
-  3 teaspoons of baking powder
-  3,5 dl of farine sugar
-  5 dl of brown sugar
-  3 teaspoons of baking soda

Dice the chocolate and if you want, the nuts too. I like my cookies with big chunks! 

Use a cake mixer to mix the soft butter and sugars together. Add the eggs one at a time and mix well. 

In a separate bowl combine the baking powder, baking soda and some cinnamon with wheat flour - then using a spoon add it into the butter-sugar mix. Use the cake mixer to add some milk. Make sure the dough is smooth and even. 

Roll small balls of dough onto a baking tray, then press them flat. Remember that they will turn out bigger in the oven. Press pieces of chocolate and nuts onto cookies. 

Bake in 175 C for about 15 minutes. Let them cool down on a grate. 

Ron Moret (on the right) with Klaus K hotel manager Marc Skvorc

I met Ron Moret's work before I had a chance to meet the artist himself. His work was previously on display in the lobby of design hotel Klaus K in Helsinki. I was blown away by his creations and the idea of using all kinds of industrial waste metal materials.

Moret likes to work with waste metal like oil barrels:"When I find a piece of trash on the ground, no one wants to have it. I take it home, work with it and transform it into something else, a piece of art. Suddenly everyone wants it! I like to make animals, fish especially are interesting."

I met Moret at a press event in Klaus K hotel's night club Ahjo where his latest art piece is on display until next summer: two real size sharks circling around a diver. 

"Ron didn't have any tools to measure the space in Ahjo, where he designed the sharks, yet it fit perfectly - like a glove", says Klaus K hotel manager Marc Skvorc. It took three hours and three men to hang the massive piece. The artist has his feet on the ground and he seems like a down to earth kind of a guy:"I like the idea of the sharks traveling around Europe, so that many people can see them. I don't care that much about my work selling. It's much more satisfying to know that people come to watch my work." At the press event Klaus K's director of operations, Mia Cederberg-Skvorc grinned: "Ron said he wanted to make a real size whale next, he just hasn't figured out where to hang it".

Ron teaches carpentry in Holland for local kids. He started to collect art at the age of 20. He now owns over 100 pieces of art:" I was 20 when I fell in love with art, but 45 when I had figured out how to make art of my own."

Please be sure to watch the video documentary of Ron by Berry van Gardingen, in order to get an even better picture of the artist.

photo by R.Moret

photo by: R.Moret

photo by: R.Moret

photo by: R.Moret

photo by: R.Moret

photo by: R.Moret

photo by: R.Moret

video by: Berry van Gardingen