Artwork from Ars Fennica 2003. Anu Tuominen (edited by Kirsti Karvonen and Sari Romppanen; LIKE, 2003). Introduction translated by Jüri Kokkonen

Anu Tuominen (born 1961), the winner of the 2003 Ars Fennica prize, is interested in organising forgotten things – worn-out pencils, old postcards, broken crockery and cutlery; she is also hooked on crocheting. In an extract from Ars Fennica 2003. Anu Tuominen Pessi Rautio explores transformations wrought on Tuominen's unlikely subject matter.

Anu Tuominen combines the theory of art with beauty found in unexpected places. She does this by collecting and sorting mittens, sugar cubes, or kettle-holders.

"I start from pure theories, geometry and mathematics, I think about structures, forms, but always keep aesthetics in mind. The work must be beautiful, good-looking, in order to open up and function properly."

"Beauty is the important word, although it sounds so light. For me, an ugly object is beautiful, and I think the 'beautiful' things they sell in shops are hideous. I look for small miracles in objects."