Anna Kontek – Enchanted Space

The exhibition brings together the freedom of imagination, visual exuberance, historical accuracy, and meticulous attention to detail that define Kontek’s work.

Born in Poland, Anna Kontek (b. 1953) studied architecture in Warsaw and set design at the University of Art and Design Helsinki. She worked as a set and costume designer for the Finnish National Opera and Ballet from 1982. Over the course of her career, she has designed sets and costumes for more than 160 opera, ballet, and theatre productions in Finland and abroad. Although she retired from the Finnish National Opera in 2020, she continues to work as a freelancer.

The retrospective exhibition Enchanted Space explores Kontek's design journey, beginning with her first work for the National Opera, The Little Prince (1982). This ballet, which also served as her final project at the University of Art and Design, opened the doors to the world of opera. The exhibition features around 20 scale models, 30 costumes and accessories, and nearly 200 costume sketches. Additionally, more than 2,000 sketches presented in video form provide further insight into her career, which spans over 40 years.

Anna Kontek's work is characterized by a holistic scenographic approach, in which set and costume design form an inseparable link with the direction of the performance and the on-stage action. At the start of the design process, Kontek develops her own overall vision of the world of the production, which she then presents to the director or choreographer. Close collaboration and dialogue with them continue throughout the production process.