Paimion parantola -säätiö Shapes of Happiness poster, 50 x 70 cm

In 2023, the Paimio Sanatorium and Grafia, the Association of Visual Communication Designers in Finland, celebrated their 90th anniversaries by organizing a poster competition where participants were invited to explore Aino and Alvar Aalto’s vision of the human relationship with the environment. The Paimio Sanatorium 90 – Human Perspective poster competition received hundreds of submissions from around the world, and the awarded entries are introduced in this collection. Printed on high-quality paper, the posters spread joy around them while conveying the message of well-being and care cherished by the Aaltos.

Jolanda Kerttuli’s Shapes of Happiness poster is a tribute to the playful and humorous side of the Aaltos’ work. The poster features a collection of endearing characters depicted in a naive style, embodying the power of a positive outlook on life and the healing spirit of the Paimio Sanatorium. The colors and shapes used in the poster can be found in the interiors of the sanatorium. As Alvar Aalto once put it, “Don’t forget to play.”

Jolanda Kerttuli’s Shapes of Happiness received an honorable mention in the Paimio Sanatorium 90 poster competition.

• Read the story: Meet the winners of the Paimio Sanatorium 90 poster competition! >