Réka Király
Réka Király: I walk everywhere
English
I first came to Helsinki for half a year on an Erasmus exchange to study graphic design. It was an especially cold winter, it was snowing horizontally and for the first time in my life I experienced my eyebrows freezing. At the same time, I felt an immense liberation.
The Hungarian illustrator and publisher Réka Király found her own path in Helsinki.
"My father was quite a well-known furniture designer in Hungary. Due to my name, I could not be sure whether someone truly likes my work and my art. In Helsinki, nobody knew my background and I could receive direct feedback. It was lovely to get to know people with whom I could discuss anything in the world. I developed my skills as a designer and graphic artist on a path of my own."
Encounters like fables
"There is a sort of magic that pulls me to Helsinki. Even the names of people I encounter are derived from fairytales. One night I was up until four in the morning working on some prints and a large rabbit followed me all the way home. Such a thing would not happen in Budapest.
When I was about to graduate in 2005, I received some of my first large-scale commissions from the Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art. I decided to stay in Finland for a few more weeks and see where that would take me. Now I call Helsinki home. There are familiar places and shop-keepers who know me and my child. I know that if something happens, they'll keep an eye on my child."
To the seafront in a flash
"Helsinki is just the right size for me – I can stay on the map here. In the mornings, I walk to our publishing office in Eira from Punavuori together with my dachshund. If I need to go through some thoughts with my colleague, the seaside is around the corner for a walk, as are many cafés to sit down for a meeting. I also love transportation in Helsinki: a tram or bus will take you anywhere, and you never have to spend hours in traffic. Compared to a major city, this is a much more human-centric place to live."
Ambiances change with the seasons
"I use my free time to draw, meditate, and exercise in a group of 25 to 85-year-olds. I love it! I've met the people closest to me through my studies and work. Five years ago I decided to start speaking Finnish, knowing well that my Finnish is full of mistakes. Even with everyone speaking English I notice that a certain wall comes down when I speak Finnish.
The ambiance of the city is completely different in winter and in summer. In the summertime people might start up conversations on the tram in a very different way than in winter. And now that I have a dog, people have started to talk to me and tell stories of their childhood, for instance."
The most inspiring places in Helsinki:
Your local guides
Select any filter and click on Apply to see results
"Inspiration can strike anywhere, it can be triggered by a leaf that I observe, a branch I step on, or a person I run into. I love long walks, they relax me. I often do a tour of the Seurasaari museum island, or walk along the sea from Hernesaari to the Market Square. That stretch includes both solitude and buzzing crowds."
"The Kaisaniemi Botanic Garden is an absolute favourite. I need to stop by there every month. It is such a calming place – all that humidity, vegetation and warmth. I might work there sometimes. Sometimes I make sketches, and sometimes I just sit or walk around."
"There are some beautiful smooth rocks on the little island of Sirpalesaari, behind the restaurant Skifferi. I love sitting down to think there. These rocks are also very suitable for writing. My child sails so I spend a lot of time by the sea in any case."
"I greatly enjoy classical music and jazz. I like to go to G Livelab to hear jazz whenever something interesting pops up. I like that it is frequented by all kinds of people. There is a staircase in the space which somehow resembles piano keys. When I sit on the steps, I'm playing music in my mind."
"If I want to treat myself, I head to the restaurant BasBas. The feeling is nice and homely, the food is tasty and the service is always lovely: the staff really bring out their love for food and people. Even if the place is full, you can always find a seat at the bar. Sometimes I head there at the end of a tricky week and all it takes is one risotto and I can jot down the thoughts circulating in my head."
"When I want to be at peace and take a moment for myself, I head to Thêhuone on Eerikinkatu. Tea equals slowing down for me. The place is like a paradise. You can smell different tea varieties and hear stories about them. My favourite tea is an organic Chinese green jasmine tea. I drink it in the mornings, it gives me a good start for the day."
"I like to browse through antiques shops and second-hand book stores. Antiquarian shops are good for finding materials like an interesting art book, books with special maps, or a nature book. The old Hagelstam antiquarian on Fredrikinkatu is nice to visit. It is so full with its serpentine shelves, I like the feeling there."