‘Empire – Kiven ja valon Helsinki’ earns honourable mention at national art book competition in Iittala
The best art books of 2025 were awarded prizes at the art book event Iittalan XXIX Valtakunnallinen Taidekirjapäivä on 6 June 2026. The ‘Empire – Kiven ja valon Helsinki’ book published by Parvs Publishing Company and Helsinki City Museum earned an honourable mention.
Each year, the Hämeenlinna City Library organises a competition for the best art book of the year. This year, 23 books published in 2025 were entered in the competition, of which the Eliel Aspelin Prize was exceptionally awarded to two works. In addition to the ‘Masters of Finnish Glass Art’ and ‘Masters of Finnish Ceramic Art’ showcasing the glass and ceramics collections of Collection Kakkonen, photographer Ulla-Maija Alanen’s work ‘Veden horisontit’ was also awarded.
Furthermore, two works earned an honourable mention: Mikko Lindqvist’s ‘Empire – Kiven ja Valon Helsinki’ (Parvs & Helsinki City Museum) and ‘Gallen-Kallela, Klimt & Wien’ (Ateneum Art Museum).
Architect Mikko Lindqvist works at the Helsinki City Museum as an expert in building conservation and the cultural environment. Photo: Yehia Eweis / Helsinki City Museum
The jury describes the work as follows: “The book showcases the architectural legacy of the Empire style in Helsinki from the perspectives of phenomena, architecture and the environment. The ample images in the work illustrate the rich expression of form of the Empire style. The book provides a fascinating account of the overall picture of Empire-style buildings, and the many beautiful original illustrations in the book make it particularly interesting.”
The photographs in the work were taken by Yehia Eweis. Photo: Helsinki City Museum
The 2026 jury of the national art book competition organised in Iittala comprised Amanuensis Riikka Kuittinen from Hämeenlinna Art Museum, Marketing Manager Elisa Göös and Artist Tarja Nurkkala as representative of the Hämeenlinnan taiteilijaseura artists’ association.
Photo: Empire – Kiven ja Valon Helsinki (Parvs & Helsinki City Museum, 2025)
