Open 24/7
For the summer 2025 commission, Amos Rex has invited Yinka Ilori MBE to create an intervention in one of Helsinki’s busiest public square transforming it into a site for interaction, play, and togetherness, which are key themes across Ilori’s work. British-Nigerian artist and designer Ilori (b. 1987) is known for his multidisciplinary practice with expertise spanning architecture, sculpture, furniture and interior design and fashion.
With Transparent Happiness, Ilori creates a joyful, inclusive environment designed for play and community. You’re invited to enjoy the vibrant installation with a winding trail for walking, running, or skateboarding, along with seating areas, a ping pong table, and a basketball court adorned with Ilori’s signature Ododo pattern, Yoruba for “flower.” Set against white-washed backdrop of the Modernist Glass Palace, the installation offers a bold contrast and invites conversation about the value of public space and who gets to enjoy it.
Ilori’s work often explores community, shaped by his Nigerian heritage and upbringing in a North London housing estate. Early influences—joyful expressions through fashion, art and music—inspired his interest in creating inclusive public spaces.
Amos Rex’s mission is to work with its unique urban setting and invite artists from many disciplines to activate its public spaces. The project is part of a new, annual summer season of commissions, events and interventions.
The Artist
Yinka Ilori MBE
British-Nigerian artist and designer Yinka Ilori MBE (b. 1987) is globally renowned for his bold visual language and use of vibrant colours, often drawing inspiration from his dual heritage to tell compelling stories. Believing art should be accessible to all, he is recognised for transforming urban environments – from billboards to playgrounds and parks, into immersive artworks. His mission is to spark joy, inspire playfulness and foster a sense of community among those who interact with these reimagined spaces. Yinka Ilori lives and works in London.
Yinka Ilori’s work has been widely exhibited in both solo and group exhibitions across the UK and internationally. Recent public commissions include Good Things Come to Those Who Wait (Piccadilly Circus, London, 2024), which transformed this bustling intersection into an open-air gallery; Reflection in Numbers (Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin, 2024), a pavilion exploring racism in sport; and Slices of Peace (Kent, 2022), a community project featuring bright apple sculptures and a soundscape composed by Peter Adjaye, inspired by West African “call and response” traditions.
Ilori has also collaborated with a wide range of partners and clients, including Apple, Somerset House, LEGO Group, Dulwich Picture Gallery, Adidas, Creative Courts, Universal Museum, the Ethnographic Museum in Stockholm, and Superblue Miami.
Find out more in the Gallery Guide
For Transparent Happiness, he turned his attention to Finland’s reputation as the world’s happiest country. Ranked number one for eight consecutive years [World Happiness Report, 2025], Finland is praised for safety, social support, universal healthcare and education, and high levels of trust. Yet, Ilori highlights a contrast between this image and the lived experiences of many. Research shows happiness is not equally shared, some residents do not feel safe, seen, or free to express joy in public. This contradiction became central to his creation, prompting the question: “What does happiness truly mean, and for whom is it for, in today’s society?”
“True, unbridled expressions of joy are more often experienced or displayed in the comfort of one’s own home, in churches or in safe, privatised places, rather than in public where we may be more conscious of potential judgment and ridicule, or societal conventions. My idea for this courtyard installation was to put these expressions on display, rather than keep them in hiding. The happiness of certain communities oftentimes remains invisible—I want to see more people come together in public spaces to spark conversation, share stories, and create lasting, joyful memories,” says Ilori.
Throw some hoops, or have a game of table tennis? We got you covered.
Come play ping pong or shoot hoops in the installation – right on top of Amos Rex, on the iconic mounds at Lasipalatsi Square! You can bring your own equipment or borrow it from us. Ping pong paddles and basketballs are available from the Amos Rex museum shop during its opening hours. Lending works with a deposit: leave your contact details and a 20-euro deposit.