An exhibition of work by furniture designer and artist Milla Vaahtera (born 1981) of Helsinki will open at Design Museum during Helsinki Design Week. With the title Dialogue, the show features mobiles and stabiles made of free-blown glass and handcrafted brass. The ethereal pieces are a revival of the mobile of the 1930s. With her mobiles, Vaahtera interprets the relationship of people with their own bodies and sexuality.
In late 2017, Design Museum’s corporate network, Design Club, held an Open Call for spatial installations of a new kind for Design Museum’s Gallery. The international call drew entries from 52 designers and designer teams. The exhibition jury chose Dialogue by Milla Vaahtera. They were fascinated by the intuitive approach of this installation, its end result produced through collaboration, the reinterpretation of the mobile. and a new kind of visuality.
Vaahtera began work on the series of pieces in May 2018 together with glassblowers Paula Pääkkönen, Sani Lappalainen, Pauli Vähäsarja, Henni Eliala and Jonas Paajanen of Nuutajärvi. The metal parts were prepared by silversmith Kirsi Kokkonen together with Vaahtera. Their method was based on dialogue and intuition.
With her works, Vaahtera wanted to revive the Finnish tradition of glassblowing, on behalf of which the exhibition makes a strong statement. ‘Finnish glass is not just a repetition of history. A new and contemporary voice can be found for it. Glassmaking has had to endure setbacks in Finland. Now is the time do something about it, to renew the heritage and to make craftsmanship the new trend’, says Vaahtera.
Vaahtera has a professional background as a designer who has been active in furniture design, guided by creativity and an artistic approach. She combines sexuality, graffiti, a pop-art aesthetic and sensitivity in her work and describes her own working method as follows: Design is usually extremely controlled, but in my own work I deconstruct this code. The works on display are the result of wrong procedures and chance.’
Milla Vaahtera
Born in 1981, Milla Vaahtera is a furniture designer and artist professionally active in Helsinki.
Through her work as an artist, Vaahtera addresses, among other themes, corporeality, the appropriation of space, and sexuality. Her materials range from wood to foam rubber, glass and metal.
Vaahtera has lectured since 2010 at the Lahti Institute of Design, the HEO Adult Education Institute and Aalto University.
Milla Vaahtera graduated in 2010 as Master of Arts from the School of Arts, Design and Architecture of Aalto University where she studied furniture design. She also has a BA degree from the programme in furniture design of the Lahti Institute of Design.
Design Club
Established in 2015 and jointly managed by Design Museum and the School of Arts, Design and Architecture of Aalto University, Design Club is a corporate network whose members seek to develop their business activities with the aid of design. Members include Barona, Kalevala Jewelry and the Pharmaceutical Information Centre of Finland. Design Club Open Call is a three-year series of exhibitions seeking impressive content and giving firms and companies the opportunity to support new creative initiatives.
In association with:
iGuzzini, Pelti- ja Rautatyö E. Salminen, Suomen Lasitehdas, Suomen Teippitalo, Lafoy, Seritek
1_Milla_Vaahtera_Mobile 4_H900_W1000_D100mm_c_Milla_Vaahtera 2018.jpg
Koko: 1,33 MB Tyyppi: jpg Resoluutio: 3076x43061_Milla_Vaahtera_Mobile 4_H900_W1000_D100mm_c_Milla_Vaahtera 2018.jpg
Koko: 1,33 MB Tyyppi: jpg Resoluutio: 3076x43062_Milla_Vaahtera_Mobile 7_detail_H950_W840_D300mm_c_Milla_Vaahtera IG.jpg
Koko: 0,33 MB Tyyppi: jpg Resoluutio: 1511x10802_Milla_Vaahtera_Mobile 7_detail_H950_W840_D300mm_c_Milla_Vaahtera IG.jpg
Koko: 0,33 MB Tyyppi: jpg Resoluutio: 1511x10803_Milla_Vaahtera_Mobile 7_H950_W840_D300mm_c_Milla_Vaahtera.jpg
Koko: 7,17 MB Tyyppi: jpg Resoluutio: 4647x33193_Milla_Vaahtera_Mobile 7_H950_W840_D300mm_c_Milla_Vaahtera.jpg
Koko: 7,17 MB Tyyppi: jpg Resoluutio: 4647x33194Milla_Vaahtera_Mobile 17_detail2_H800_W1000_D50mm_c_Milla_Vaahtera.jpg
Koko: 6,81 MB Tyyppi: jpg Resoluutio: 3456x48384Milla_Vaahtera_Mobile 17_detail2_H800_W1000_D50mm_c_Milla_Vaahtera.jpg
Koko: 6,81 MB Tyyppi: jpg Resoluutio: 3456x48385Milla_Vaahtera_Mobile 17_H800_W1000_D50mm_c_Milla_Vaahtera.jpg
Koko: 2,94 MB Tyyppi: jpg Resoluutio: 3489x24925Milla_Vaahtera_Mobile 17_H800_W1000_D50mm_c_Milla_Vaahtera.jpg
Koko: 2,94 MB Tyyppi: jpg Resoluutio: 3489x24926Milla_Vaahtera_Stabile 1_H1100_W900_D450mm_c_Milla_Vaahtera.jpg
Koko: 5,77 MB Tyyppi: jpg Resoluutio: 4196x58746Milla_Vaahtera_Stabile 1_H1100_W900_D450mm_c_Milla_Vaahtera.jpg
Koko: 5,77 MB Tyyppi: jpg Resoluutio: 4196x58747Milla_Vaahtera_Stabile 3_detail_H550_W900_D280mm_c_Milla_Vaahtera.jpg
Koko: 4,69 MB Tyyppi: jpg Resoluutio: 3181x44537Milla_Vaahtera_Stabile 3_detail_H550_W900_D280mm_c_Milla_Vaahtera.jpg
Koko: 4,69 MB Tyyppi: jpg Resoluutio: 3181x4453
For more information and interview requests, please contact: Press Images:
|
Design Museum is a national specialist museum of Finnish design. It researches, collects, records, documents and displays design in Finland and in international touring exhibitions. Design Museum (street address) Opening hours: Entrance: |
© Koodiviidakko Oy - Y-tunnus 1939962-1