Klaus Haapaniemi’s exhibition dives into the ocean depths

Two years in the making, Gothic Ocean is the most meticulously conceived collection to date from Klaus Haapaniemi, an artist and designer renowned for his intricate, imaginative textile prints. The collection presented at the hotel explores a visual world that dives far beneath the ocean’s surface. The new line includes garments, accessories, interior pieces, wallpapers, and fabrics.

Whales swim between mountains

The inspiration for Gothic Ocean emerged from unexpected sources: a vineyard in the Italian Alps, a seafood dish in London, and Haapaniemi’s long-standing fascination with the baroque and rococo visions of the world.

“Italian winemaker Alois Lageder told me that the jagged peaks of the Dolomites were once submerged beneath the sea. Fossils of extraordinary marine creatures are still found there today. That conversation made me imagine whales gliding through mountain valleys, alongside mythical deep-sea beings,” Haapaniemi recalls.

From plate to print

In Haapaniemi’s former home city of London, it was a plate of crab that sparked another key moment in the collection’s evolution.

“One of my favourite restaurants served crab, and I used to order it often. But I couldn’t stop thinking about how magnificent the creature was, with its claws, spikes and mountainous shell formed over decades. It felt unfair to shatter all that for just a few mouthfuls.”

Haapaniemi no longer eats crab, but the creature makes an appearance in Misto Mare, one of the Gothic Ocean prints featuring marine life.

“The collection challenges the idea of sea creatures as simply food. I wanted to awaken people to the strangeness and beauty of the underwater world,” he explains.

Mystery fuels the imagination

In developing the collection, Haapaniemi delved into early baroque and rococo-era depictions of marine life. Apart from free-diving, humanity only began to glimpse beneath the waves with the invention of diving bells in the late 1600s, and even then, no deeper than 10–15 metres. At the time, the ocean was as elusive and fascinating as outer space, where exploration was just beginning.

“Without real knowledge, their understanding of the sea relied on imagination. People dreamed up mythical beings, monsters, and sea gods inspired by Greek mythology,” Haapaniemi notes.

The creatures in Gothic Ocean are often imaginary, inhabiting surreal dreamscapes that are at times vibrantly abstract, at others shadowy and serene like the cosmos. Drawn to mythology and folklore, Haapaniemi embraces the symbolic power of historical imagery.

“Crustaceans, fish, sea horses, monsters, gods, these are often symbols of something else. I’m intrigued by how we interpret such symbols in our own way.”

A hotel makes a natural home

A hotel is a fitting setting for the Gothic Ocean collection, which Haapaniemi describes as designed for the conscious traveller. The garments and accessories are versatile companions for any journey, from city streets to evening events.

“These pieces work at the beach, in the city, at meetings, or out at night. I don’t believe in rigid categories. Moderation, to me, is a beautiful concept. We can acquire less, and favour what’s interesting over abundance,” Haapaniemi reflects.

Art and travel as healing forces

Gothic Ocean is Haapaniemi’s second collaboration with Hotel St. George. He previously created the custom-designed Lightnings in Tiger Woods wallpaper for the Wintergarden, a piece evoking the hush of a forest just before a summer thunderstorm.

“The wallpaper wraps around the space and invites you into another world. I deliberately leaned into fantasy, because a hotel stay always involves a touch of escapism.”

Haapaniemi believes deeply in the restorative power of both art and travel. “A new setting and art both offer genuine experiences. They make you think. But people shouldn’t be told what to think about art. It’s something to be seen and felt.”

The Gothic Ocean exhibition is on display in the Wintergarden’s Nooks space from 29 April 2025. From June onwards, the full collection will be available at the Klaus Haapaniemi & Co. store in Helsinki’s Kämp Galleria, and online at www.klaush.com.