Finnforest has hit the national newspaper headlines and featured on TV and radio after supplying its sheds as “canvases” for a novel art exhibition at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.
The company provided 10 artists, including Turner Prize-winning Tracy Emin, with one of its Finnlife flatpack “log cabins” to create works of art for the V&A’s Other Flower Show exhibition.
The theme of gardens and flowers has been interpreted radically differently by each of the exhibitors. Ms Emin, a self-confessed fan of sheds, has painted the outside of hers bright red, decorating it inside with personal knick-knacks and a ouijah board with a carving knife in the middle. Apparently the creation conjures up childhood memories.
Dutch artist Todd Boontje, who called his exhibit “Summer Lovin” raised his shed eight feet above ground on a metal frame, and pop stars Vince Clarke and Martyn Ware put loud speakers in theirs to create a “soundscape” contrasting the noises of town and country.
Heather Barnett lined her Finnlife cabin with lint, which is kept constantly damp with an irrigation system, and created patterns on it with mustard and cress seeds which will continue to grow throughout the exhibition.
Finnforest communications director Peter Tong said the idea for the exhibition first came up last year when the company was started to market its shed range. But, it seems, it now hardly needs the publicity.
“Since then sales have just rocketed,” he said.
The Finnlife shed range starts at £790 for the simplest version. The biggest is two storeys high.
“We’re selling them mainly through B&Q, but also other merchants,” said Mr Tong.
The Other Flower Show is in the V&A garden and is open daily from 10am to 6.45pm until July 11.
