Finnish Glass Art:
Sparkle and Color in Modern Design

Finnish products—furniture, ceramics, and glass—are famed for their functionality and refined beauty. These products from Northern Europe have been extensively incorporated in twenty-first century Japanese lifestyles, giving our lives gracious harmony and charm.

 

Finland became independent of Russia in 1917. Amidst rising nationalism, modernism, in many fields, was encouraged as the Finns sought to build a new nation state and recover their national identity. Glass was no exception. In the 1930s, competitions were held in Finland in anticipation of the Milan Triennale, international expos, and other international expositions. In the drive for national recovery after World War II, such opportunities for international displays of designs and industrial products increased, and young designers competed fiercely to earn their tickets to the international state. In the 1950s, glass art that reflected the essence of Finland earned international renown and established its presence in the world of design.

 

This exhibition traces the lineage of Finnish glass art, from the 1930s to the present, through about 140 works by eight designers and artists. In Finland, among the glass products designers have worked on,  those with high artistic qualities are called “art glass.” This exhibition focuses on works that the designers themselves designed as “art glass” and produced in collaboration with the artisans. How did each of these designers address their material, glass, explore it, and expand its creative activities? Please enjoy this opportunity to glimpse the principles, challenges, and personal thinking addressed in each period and by each artist.

 

 

Artists

Alvar & Aino Aalto, Gunnel Nyman, Kaj Franck, Tapio Wirkkala, Timo Sarpaneva, Oiva Toikka,

Markku Salo, Joonas Laakso

 

 

Organized by the Toyama Glass Art Museum

Co-organized by S2 Corporation

Special cooperation: Collection Kakkonen

Sponsored by Finnair, Finnair Cargo, Iittala

Supported by Embassy of Finland, Tokyo, Finnish Institute in Japan, THE KITANIPPON SHIMBUN, THE TOYAMA SHIMBUN, Kitanihon Broadcasting Co., Ltd., TOYAMA TELEVISION BROADCASTING CO., LTD., TULIP-TV INC.

 

 

Click here to download the Press Release.

Special Lecture

Date: Saturday 12 November 2022 at 11:00-

Venue: Toyama Glass Art Museum 2F Lobby

Lecturer: Anna-Maria WILJANEN (Director, The Finnish Institute in Japan)

Theme: Life and modern design in Finland, the happiest country around the world

Language: English (with consecutive interpretation into Japanese)

*Free of charge

 

Workshop: Himmeli Experience with Glass (tent.)

Date: 3 December, ①10：30-12：00、②13：30-15：00　each at 14:00-

Venue: Toyama Glass Art Museum 2F room 1-2

Lecturer：TSUCHIDA Ruriko (Director, Toyama Glass Museum), NISHIDA Shin(Curator, Toyama Glass Museum)

Language: Japanese

Charge: 2500

*Advance reservation required

*For information on how to apply, visit the website.

 

Director’s Talk

Dates: 20 November, 17 December 2022, 9 January, 21 January 2023　each at 14:00-

Venue: Toyama Glass Art Museum

Language: Japanese

*Free of charge

*No reservation required

 

 

*Ticket for this exhibition is required for admission to the exhibition rooms.

*Details events will be announced on the museum’s website and official SNS sites, etc.

*There events are subject to cancellation or change by convenience.

*Please check the museum website for the latest information.

Contact

Toyama Glass Art Museum
bijutsukan-01@city.toyama.lg.jp