JUNIOR GLASS FROM FINLAND LE STANZE DEL VETRO. Isola di San Giorgio Maggiore, Venice BISCHOFBERGER COLLECTION

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1 JUNIOR GLASS FROM FINLAND IN THE BISCHOFBERGER COLLECTION LE STANZE DEL VETRO Isola di San Giorgio Maggiore, Venice

2 BRUNO AND CHRISTINA BISCHOFBERGER...are a couple of art lovers who own an art collection ranging from prehistoric times up to the present day. Bruno has been collecting art objects and antiques ever since he was a child, and has become one of the most important collectors in the world. Mr. and Mrs. Bischofberger have made over 00 works available to LE STANZE DEL VETRO by all Finnish artists who, through the use of glass, have left their mark on the history of international design. THE FINNISH GLASS IN THE BISCHOFBERGER COLLECTION These artworks were made in the 20th century by artists who were also teachers at the Institute of Industrial Arts in Helsinki and at the Helsinki University of Technology. Driven by the will to create pieces that could celebrate the newly-founded Finnish nation (1917) and by the need to overcome the effect of the war period, they gave birth to an artistic and industrial production that aspired to create a dialogue between beauty and functionality, even in glassworks. PRESSED GLASS Pressed glass is obtained by placing a lump of molten glass (also called bolo) into a metal mould. The glass is then pressed against the inner surface of the mould by means of a plunger. Then the glass object is removed from the mould and flamepolished in order to eliminate any flaws.

3 VISIT THE EXHIBITION 2 A special feature characterizes this little bowl by Göran Hongell: the inner rim has been made thinner thanks to a very delicate cutting process, thus achieving a very particular effect: looking at it from the top, the bowl seems full of water and bottomless! This artwork has been made with a special technique that retains smoke between the layers of transparent glass, thus creating some streaks recalling the Venetian filigree technique, much appreciated by Gunnel Nyman, the designer of this work. 4Gunnel made this work, one of her favourites, for the 1941 exhibition in Stockholm. It is known as one of the very first sculptures in the history of Finnish art glass. Professor Arttu Brummer made this work together with sculptor Emil Filèn as a gift for Finnish composer Sibelius. The vase is named Finlandia in honour of the musician who, through his compositions, contributed to 1the fame of Finland. 6The works by Tapio Wirkkala displayed in this showcase seem as if they were cut out of the ice of Lapland. The rim was hammered to achieve the hardness typical of ice, while the external surface was treated with acid to give it a frosted look. 5 This vase, originally called Karhula, was named Vaso Aalto in 1975, when it became possible to mass-produce it, as its designer Alvar Aalto had always wanted to. It was produced in several versions featuring different colours and techniques. Some of these are displayed in this room. Timo Sarpaneva stands out amongst the artists of this exhibition because his works are real glass sculptures: this one is called Devil s Fist. 7 8 Tapio made this work of art for the 1968 Triennale di Milano using the centrifugal casting technique. The molten glass is poured on a spinning flat mould and then centrifugally forced towards the outer edges of the mould. 11 This plate by Oiva Toikka turned out to be a great success. In the media room a short film shows the master creating his plate using the pressed glass technique. 12 Aino Marsio-Aalto was the wife of Alvar Aalto, the artist whose works are exhibited in the first rooms. Aino loved drawing household objects, especially tableware, like the ones you can see in this room, characterized by delicate shapes and colours. When you find yourself in dire straits, like during a war for example, you sharpen your skills. This is exactly Tapio s case: since he couldn t find 9good-quality cast metal moulds, he decided to use a spherical mould for lampshades, like the one used for kitchen chandeliers! Kaj Franck made this bowl by placing ten coloured glass rings side by side (just count them if you don t believe it) and then melting them together, using a technique he was very fond of. 1 Tapio made this plate to pay homage to the traditional Venetian filigree technique. In fact, he had worked in Venice, at the Venini glass factory. You can see a nice period photograph depicting the artist while he is working in the Venetian furnace

4 GAMES 1. FINNISH NATURE IN THE WORKS OF THE ARTISTS. In LE STANZE DEL VETRO, find an object that mostly reminds you of... A) Burnt wood = B) Aurora borealis = A 2. WHO SAID WHAT? Match the quotes by the exhibition designers with the correct picture. A) Now we will draw a string of pearls made of small air bubbles, as if it was a necklace. = B) When I was eight years old I kept a piece of ice in my hand until I made a hole in it with my warm finger. = 2 C) Ripples in water = D) Mushroom = C) Colour is the only necessary decoration. = Write the catalogue number in the blank space. B 5 C 1 D 4

5 . DID YOU KNOW THAT... 1In Finland there is a glass road, a tourist itinerary running from north to south and from east to west, passing through some of the places where glass is produced. Finland is the last of the European countries to have started glass production. The first glassworks opened in 1681 and nowadays glass is a small sector in the Finnish industry. In 1924 Aino and Alvar Aalto went to Italy on their honeymoon, a 2common destination for Finnish architects in those days. They considered Italy and its trade fairs an important opportunity to gain visibility and be up with the times. This year marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius ( ) who wrote a tone poem called Finlandia to celebrate 4 the independence of his country from the Russian Empire in EDUCATIONAL PROJECT ARTSYSTEM graphics Aivan 05 / 2015 ANSWERS: GAME 1: A = 08 / B = 157 / C = 156 / D = 110 GAME 2: A5 (Gunnel Nyman) / B (Timo Sarpaneva) / C2 (Kaj Franck)