YINKA ILORI: TRANSPARENT HAPPINESS  
24 May - 12 October 2025  

 
British-Nigerian artist and designer Yinka Ilori MBE (b. 1987) is known for his multidisciplinary practice with expertise spanning architecture, sculpture, furniture and interior design and fashion. For its summer 2025 courtyard commission, Amos Rex has invited Ilori to create an intervention in one of Helsinki’s busiest public squares - transforming the space into a site for interaction, play, and togetherness, which are key themes across Ilori’s work.   

His work frequently explores the concept of community, drawing on his Nigerian heritage and his experiences growing up in a North London housing estate. His early influences—characterized by vibrant expressions of joy through fashion, art, and music - informed his interest in creating inclusive, joyful public spaces. For this commission, Ilori turned his attention to Finland’s internationally celebrated reputation for happiness, and with his installation poses the question: “what does happiness truly mean - and for whom is it for - in today’s society?”  

For eight consecutive years, Finland has been ranked the happiest country in the world [World Happiness Report, 2025]. This ranking highlights the country’s safety, strong social support systems including universally available healthcare and education, high levels of institutional trust, and strong social cohesion. However, Ilori points to a contrast between this global image and the less-visible experiences of racism in Finland [Being Black in the EU Report, 2023]. Research suggests that happiness is not equally shared, and not all residents feel safe, seen, or free to express joy in public. This contradiction became central to Ilori’s creation, as he reflected on how marginalized communities are often both hyper visible and invisible in public space and national discourse - rarely included in narratives of happiness.  

“True, unbridled expressions of joy are more often experienced or displayed in the comfort of one’s own home, in churches or in safe, privatized places, rather than in public where we maybe 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.  

With Transparent Happiness (2025), Ilori creates a joyful, inclusive environment designed for play and community. The vibrant installation includes 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 the minimalist, 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.  
 

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.   

Yinka Ilori 

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 MBE lives and works in London.  

His work has been widely exhibited in solo and group exhibitions across the UK and internationally. Notable solo shows include If Chairs Could Talk (The Shop at Bluebird, London, 2015), This is Where It Started (The Whitespace Gallery, Lagos, 2014), Just Africa (Stockholm, 2014), and It Started with a Parable (Jaguar Shoes, London Design Week, 2013). Group exhibitions include KNIT! (Kvadrat, Copenhagen, 2020), Home Affairs (Now Gallery, London, 2015), Making Africa (Vitra Design Museum, Basel, 2015, touring to Guggenheim Museum Bilbao), and Africa Calling (Africa Utopia, Southbank Centre, London, 2014).  

Recent public commissions include Good Things Come to Those Who Wait (Piccadilly Circus, London, 2024), which transformed this famously bustling  London intersection into an open-air gallery; Reflection in Numbers (Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin, 2024), a pavilion exploring themes of racism in sport; and Slices of Peace (Kent, 2022), a community project featuring brightly coloured apple sculptures and a soundscape (composed by Peter Adjaye) inspired by West African "call and response" traditions.  

Ilori has collaborated with a wide range of clients including Apple, Cubitts, Somerset House, LEGO Group, Dulwich Picture Gallery, Adidas, Wandsworth Council, Creative Courts, Universal Museum, Ethnographic Museum in Stockholm, and Superblue Miami.  

https://yinkailori.com/work  

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.

You can purchase a selection of Yinka Ilori products at Amos Rex Shop during the Summer Courtyard Exhibition.

Shop here, or stop by!