TIMO SARPANEVA
TAIDETTA LASISTA – GLASS ART
COLLECTION KAKKONEN
An exhibition at the Finnish Glass Museum, 29 May–31 December 2015
Timo Sarpaneva became a leading name in Finnish glass art in the 1950s. Above all, he is renowned for his Iittala glass designs, the Orchid, Kayak and Claritas series, and the Finlandia collection, which is blown into wooden moulds. For Sarpaneva, all work in design proceeded from art without restrictions: “I want to find form and material for the inner experience.”
The exhibition at the Finnish Glass Museum explores Sarpaneva’s life’s work as a designer and artist and showcases his beloved classics. Both art objects and utility glassware are on display. The Iittala “i” line, first introduced in 1956, represented utility glass, but in terms of design it was art. The small “i” logo was designed for this collection.
Most of the exhibits are from Collection Kakkonen, created by chairman of the board and art collector Kyösti Kakkonen. For the past thirty years, Kakkonen has focused on collecting the best works of Finnish ceramics and glass design. His large collection contains works by all of Finland’s leading designers.
The present Sarpaneva exhibition is part of the Finnish Glass Museum’s series of exhibitions presenting Collection Kakkonen. Its previous installments presented the work of Kaj Franck (2011) and Tapio Wirkkala (2013).