Björn Weckström (b. 1935) - The Recipient of Kaj Franck Design Prize 2013

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I think it was around 1984 or 85 when I was lucky, and so thrilled, to become 

involved with Lapponia Jewellery Company (www.lapponia.com) in Helsinki 

Finland, at their premises there (doing IT work) and thus getting to know the 

company quite well. At the time I was very very tempted to purchase a limited 

edition sculpture of a futuristic horse by one of their four artists at the time, 

Björn Weckström (the sculpture, by the way, wasn't a Lapponia product, but 

was available for purchase at Weckström's own design/art shop in Helsinki, very 

close to were I lived). I should have gone for it, I guess, but at the time I had 

this uncomfortable feeling shared by the 'arts elite' in Finland that his work was 

too much on the wrong side of art, namely decorative design...

Weckström has now been formally recognised in Finland as a major force

in the history of Finnish Design, coupled with calls for some of his works to be included 

in the national Kiasma collection of contemporary art...

Back to the eighties and my memories of him. When I was working for 

Lapponia Jewellery they had four designers working for them (three of them 

are still there, namely Weckström, Poul Havgaard and Zoltan Popovits - 

the name of the forth one escapes me now). Unfortunately I never 

managed to sneak into Weckström's 'office', which sounded so fascinating: a 

sparsely decorated room lined with steel or aluminium (I can't remember which 

one of the two): a perfect place for Star Wars jewellery, I guess...

A Press Release from Design Forum Finland:

The Kaj Franck Design Prize of 2013 awarded by Design Forum Finland has been given to professor,

jewellery artist and sculptor Björn Weckström. The prize is one of the most eminent design prizes in 

Finland and was now awarded for the 22nd time.

Björn Weckström is a reformer of Finnish jewellery art, whose unique style has aroused
both national and international attention since the 1960s. He was among the first designers to
combine new materials such as acrylic with traditional precious metals. He created jewellery,
among other work the renowned Space Silver collection, that was both miniature sculpture and
miniature landscapes. In addition to his extensive output, mostly for the Lapponia Jewelry
company, Weckström has also created impressive works in sculpture, many of them inspired by
the mythology of Antiquity.

The prize jury stated that Björn Weckström’s identity as an artist is of a markedly classical
orientation. It is based on a thorough knowledge of culture, crafts skills, his vision as an artist,
and ethical standpoints. Weckström has explicitly sought to provoke and pose questions in both
his jewellery and sculptures and he has been attuned to his times in an uncompromising and
astute manner.

The Kaj Franck Design Prize is awarded annually to a designer or team innovatively creating
both high-quality industrial design and unique, one-off works. The winners of the prize represent
comprehensively top Finnish design.

Kaj Franck Design Prize 2013 – Björn Weckström

15 November–14 December 2013

Design Forum Showroom, Helsinki

Kaj Franck award

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Princess Leia, wearing Planetaariset Laaksot necklace by Björn Weckström, 1969
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From http://kay-dee.net/costumes/leia_cermonial/necklace/index.htm:

The necklace worn by Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia) at the end of Star Wars Episode IV - A New 

Hope was made by Lapponia of Helsinki, a leading jewelry manufacturer in Finland. The necklace 

design is titled "Planetaariset Laaksot" ("Planetary Valleys"). According to Obi-Ann "There also exists a 

documentary about the making process of these jewelry revealing that George Lucas made the order 

personally back then." The Parts of Star Wars reports, "When Lucasfilm purchased the necklace the 

designer wasn't told what the film was about and was surprised to see his necklace worn by Carrie 

Fisher in a movie, which "later became a cult".

Design: Planetaariset Laaksot (Planetary Valleys)

Year Introduced: 1969

Produced from 1969-1981

Material: Sterling Silver (matte finish)

Size: Approx. 16 inches long, 1 inch wide

Artist: Björn Weckström

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Björn Weckström, Nova, silver, 1975. Photo: Lapponia Jewelry
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Björn Weckström, glass sculptures. Photo: Liisa Valonen
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Björn Weckström, Liz, numbered series, gold, amethyst, 2013. Photo: Lapponia Jewellery
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Börn Weckström, Thinker, bronze, 1989. Photo: bjornweckstrom.com
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Björn Weckström, Moonbridge, silver, 1970. Photo: Lapponia Jewellery
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Björn Weckström,  in the book “Furniture by Finnish Masters – background, tales and moods”
by Kari-Otso Nevaluoma and Antti J. Kallio, published by Paasilinna
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Jibo - Design Björn Weckström

Video by LapponiaJewelry

Faces From Vladimir And Georgii Stenberg's Soviet Movie Poster Designs

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"The Stenberg brothers, whose father was a Swede and whose mother was a 

Russian, were both born in Moscow, Russia but remained Swedish citizens until 

1933. They first studied engineering, then attended the Stroganov School of 

Applied Art in Moscow, 1912–17, and subsequently the Moscow Svomas (free 

studios), where they and other students designed decorations and posters for 

the first May Day celebration (1918). 1919, the Stenbergs and comrades 

founded the OBMOKhU (society of young artists) and participated in its first 

group exhibition in Moscow in May 1919 and in the exhibitions of 1920, 1921 

and 1923. The brothers and Konstantin Medunetskii staged their own 

"Constructivists" exhibition in January 1922 at the Poets Café Moscow, 

accompanied by a Constructivist manifesto. Also that year, Vladimir showed his 

work in the landmark Erste Russische Kunstausstellung (First Russian Art 

exhibition) held in Berlin. 1920s–30s, they were well established as members of 

the avant-garde in Moscow and of Moscow's INKhUK (INstitut 

KHUdozhestvennoy Kultury, or institute of artistic culture). Other INKhUK 

members included Alexander Rodchenko, Varvara Stepanova, Lyubov Popova, 

Medunetskii, other artists, architects, theoreticians, and art historians. INKhUK 

was active only 1921–24.

1922–31, the Stenbergs designed sets and costumes for Alexander Tairov's 

Moscow Kamerny (Chamber) theatre and contributed to LEF (art journal of the 

left front) and to the 1925 "Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et 

Industriels Modernes" in Paris. 1929–32, they taught at the Architecture-

Construction Institute, Moscow.

The Stenbergs practiced in a range of media, initially active as Constructivist 

sculptors, subsequently as theater designers, architects, and draftspeople. 

Their design work covered the gamut from clothing, including women's shoes, to rail

carriages. Some examples of their sculpture were spidery and spindly 

structures, such as the reconstruction (1973–74) of KPS 11: Construction of a 

spatial apparatus no. 11 (1919–20) in steel, glass, paint and plaster on wood in 

the National Gallery of Australia Canberra. However, the arenas in which they 

excelled were theater, costume and graphic designs, particularly the graphic 

design of film posters, encouraged by the surging interest in movies in Russia 

and the government's sanctioning of graphic design and the cinema.

The brothers were at their prime during the revolutionary period of politics and 

artistic experimentation in Russia, centered in Moscow. There was a shift from 

the illustrator-as-creator to the constructor-as-creator or nonlinear-narrator-as-

creator. In the visual language of the constructor or Constructivist, the 

Stenbergs and other graphic designers and artists assembled images, such as 

portions of photographs and preprinted paper, that had been created by 

others. Thus, the Stenbergs and others realized wholly new images (or 

compositions) which were no longer about realism. Hence, graphic design as a 

modern expression eschewing traditional fine art was born in the form of the 

printed reproductions of collage or assemblage. One of the causes of the avant-

garde artists in the new Russia, who considered fine art to be useless, was 

served when the Stenbergs and others as constructors-as-creators produced 

posters that had a use, particularly to serve the state. (In fact, painter 

Nadezhda Udaltsova resigned from the UNKhUK in protest against the 

replacement of easel painting by use-intended industrial art.)

The serendipitous success of the Stenbergs' radical approach had been 

facilitated by a number of factors: their talent as graphic designers and their 

knowledge of film theory, Constructivism, Malevich's Suprematism, and the 

avant-garde theater. Even though commercial graphic design and advertising is 

propaganda, the dissemination of propaganda (пропаганды) was considered a 

desirable and honorable practice in Russia at the time. In fact, the Bolsheviks, 

who sought to reform the peasant class, considered film to be a potent 

propaganda tool for communicating with a widely illiterate population. Even 

though most films were imported, the Stenbergs designed posters for Sergei 

Eisenstein's movies and Dziga Vertov's documentaries.

The innovative visual aspects of Stenberg posters included a distortion of 

perspective, elements from Dada photomontage, an exaggerated scale, a 

sense of movement, and a dynamic use of color and typography—eventually all 

were to be imitated by others. The Stenberg artwork was frequently based on 

stills from the films. Radical even today, the posters by the brothers working 

together were realized within the nine-year period from 1924 to 1933, the year 

Georgii died at age 33. His motorcycle hit a truck, a few months after the 

brothers had become Russian citizens. Vladimir continued to work on film 

posters and organized the decorations of Moscow's Red Square for the May Day 

celebration of 1947."

--- wikipedia ---

The images below are details from reproductions in the book

'Stenberg Brothers - Constructing a Revolution in Soviet Design'

(The Museum of Modern Art, New York)

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Georgii Stenberg
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Vladimir Stenberg
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8 Design Projects Done in Less Than a Minute Each by Pierre Lota

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How clever!

Armchair Design #73

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Yrjö Kukkapuro Designs Now with Artek

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Artek press release Sep 2 2013:

"Yrjö Kukkapuro and Artek have concluded a partnership agreement

The work of Finnish interior architect and furniture designer Yrjö Kukkapuro will 

get a new home as part of the Artek Collection. The partnership gives 

Kukkapuro’s furniture an even broader global distribution network, and the solid 

support of Artek’s marketing. The first goal of the collaboration between Artek 

and Kukkapuro is to re-launch the internationally acclaimed Karuselli chair and 

ottoman designed by Kukkapuro in 1964.

Artek CEO Mirkku Kullberg said: “Artek is the perfect company for Yrjö 

Kukkapuro’s iconic design. We have an obligation and responsibility to ensure 

that Yrjö Kukkapuro has a partner worthy of his expertise and talent. We are 

particularly pleased with the smooth launch of the partnership, and we are 

certain Yrjö Kukkapuro’s furniture is a complement to our portfolio of products 

by Alvar Aalto, Ilmari Tapiovaara and Artek Studio.""

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Yrjö Kukkapuro Karuselli chair, 1964.
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Yrjö Kukkapuro (1933-)
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Hilarious - Well Done Herman Miller Ad Men (Not)!

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Have They Been Caught Out Again?

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Some time ago the number of visitors to my site exploded temporarily. It was 

because of a post I wrote about a developing scandal regarding to Marimekko, 

the iconic Finnish fashion/design house who were caught plagiarising

an illustration of a Ukrainian folk artist by one of their most senior designers 

Kristina Isola (the post can be found here). Well, she's actually a free lancer, 

and not employed by Marimekko as such - but very much involved in the 

futures of the company being the rights holder of her mother Maija Isola's 

classic Marimekko designs of the 50's, 60's and the 70's.

YLE, the Finnish Broadcasting Company, a few days ago reported on

a speculation about a new controversy regarding to Marimekko (here

in Finnish): Their designer Teresa Moorhouse is being questioned about

her 'Isoisän Puutarha' and 'Sadonkorjuu' textile designs that Marimekko have 

just released, which have been noted to resemble the drawings of Pat Hutchins 

in her 60's book 'Rosie's Walk'.

I would say Ms Moorhouse used the Hutchins illustrations as a starting point 

(which she and Marimekko unfortunately - probably advised by lawyers - deny),

and took it from there. Which I think is OK, considering we are dealing with 

design here, not art (although the 80's and 90's post modern appropriation

of art of the past was perhaps guilty of the very same charge).

This is besides the point, I guess, but I do feel I also need to complain about

Marimekko's current website www.marimekko.fi: It is so uncool, and messy...

Even allowing for a temporary error of judgement, I do think they lost it,

when taken over by a financier a few years ago, as opposed to a visionary.

Anyway, here are images of 'granddad's garden' for your consideration:

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Hutchins
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Hutchins
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Moorhouse
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Hutchins
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Moorhouse Granddad's Garden
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A Crash Course on the History of Design

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A great set of short videos from Open University:

Design in a nutshell

Featuring: Are you a bit postmodern, or do you belong in the Bauhaus?

Get the lowdown on 6 key design movements and share your design alter-ego.

Author:

Clive Hilton

(The Open University, Faculty of Mathematics, Computing and Technology, 

Department of Design, Development, Environment and Materials)

Clive Hilton is lecturer in design for The Open University's department of design, 

development, environment and materials.