Recent Finnish Glass

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I just received in the mail an exhibition catalogue 'Finnish Glass Lives 6', 

published by The Finnish Glass Museum in Riihimäki, Finland, from my sister, 

who's written an article about the exhibition (thank you Ulla for the book).

The publication gives the reader an overview of the development of Finnish glass 

in terms of contemporary glassworks over the years 2005-2009.

There's been a long tradition of Finnish Glass, with the golden age with ensuing 

remarkable international attention happening in the 1950's and 60's.

I tend to think that the 50's-60's period in Finland was indeed quite exceptional in 

terms of design; there was something very special in the air at the time. 

Marimekko in fabrics, Kaj Frack and Tapio Wirkkala et al. in glass, Alvar Aalto in 

architecture, and many other companies and designers too numerous to mention, 

are examples of the golden age of Finnish design.

I think the 70's and 80's, and onto the 90's, was a wasted time though, when 

external influences flooded to Finland discouraging designers, turning them into 

shallow followers of international trends, effectively dumbing down their 

sensitivities about who they were, and where they've come from. In an attempt 

of reproducing the iconic achievements of the past, they tried to combine the 

'needs' of the new time with what got the attention before, thus compromising 

themselves: the results were almost embarrassing, I'd say.

Well, has it changed since the 90's? I'd say, yes. However, it is a change with a 

caveat. The functional arts are up there again, but it seems to me the 

development has more to do with the ever increasing wealth and educational 

standards in Finland. For me, Finnish arts and crafts are more intelligent and 

refined nowadays, but almost calculated at it; producing some exceptional works, 

in terms of newness (I'm having problems with deciding which word to use: I'm 

looking for something describing something very creative, on a global scale, 

hugely intelligent, drooled by the hip people, etc.). But then again, have the 

makers (I hesitate to use the word artist in this context) forgotten the heart, the 

sentiment that once was the cause for the phenomenal historic Finnish design 

success of the past (which, by the way, has nothing to do with the endorsement 

of the international community, but more to do with being a human, I'd say)?

Having said all that, at the bottom of the post there's an image from my 

collection of an Anu Penttinen glasswork - she was quite heavily featured in the 

catalogue...

These are my favourites from the catalogue:

Miia Virtasalmi

Mansikkaa ja vaniljaa (Strawberries and Vanilla), 2008

Blown and fused glass

Marjut Kalin-Eloaho

Muisto (A Memory), 2009

Pate de verre

Riikka Latva-Sompi

Content Spilling, 2008

Mixed media

Joonas Laakso
Chemicalhead, 2009

Blown glass, sandblasted

Marja Suna

Värileikki (Colourplay), 2009

Blown Glass

Merja Virta

Rakastunut lumihevoseen (In Love with a Snow Horse)

Pate de verre

Maria Jutila

Breaking Tunes, 2009

Blown glass, ravenna

Oiva Toikka

Valkoista mustalla (White on black), 2005

Cast glass, partly cut, partly chair work

Pertti Metsälampi

Helianthus, 2009

Blown glass

Kirsti Taivioila

Aarre-valaisin (Aarre Lamp), 2009

Blown glass, turned wooden bowl

Anu Penttinen

Cartoon Chicks, 2007

Fused glass

Katriina Nuutinen

Hely-koruvalaisin, Hely accessory lamp, 2008

Turned mould and blown glass

Anu Penttinen

Balance, 2000

Handblown glass, wheelcut,

engraved , height 35 cm

Esa Jaske Collection