Foreword by Olaf Thormann, the Chapters Tapio Wirkkala A Poet in Glass and Silver by Heikki Matiskainen; Tapio Wirkkala Iconic Designer and Myth Maker by Jack Dawson; Silver in the Oeuvre of the Designer by Tuula Poutasuo; The Signature of Iittala Glass Objects by Kaisa Koivisto, Juhani Kukkonen, Sirkka-Liisa Löflund; Collection Kakkonen Art Glass by Tapio Wirkkala by Hannele Viilomaa; Collection Kakkonen Silver designed by Tapio Wirkkala written by Kaisa Koivisto and Glass Terminology by Kaisa Koivisto, Uta Laurén and a Curriculum the book just breaths air, ice, and northern light.
 
The Book opens with the text: “In 1951, what might best be described as an odd assortment of pieces of art glass, studio ceramics, and handmade textiles was assembled and put on display in an empty exhibition space with whitewashed walls, display stands created out of sheets of glass and pine panels, and all presented against a backdrop of a huge photomural of a wild and far-off landscape. The aura created by this ensemble was one of a celebration of, and homage to, arts and craft values and craftsmanship, and the visual impact of the exhibition was both intriguing and an instant success.
The event in question was the Finnish Pavilion at the Milan Triennale in 1951, and the repercussions of the radical and challenging nature of the display were destined to be felt across Europe, the Nordic countries, and America. The curator, designer and actual builder of the exhibition was the Finnish designer Tapio Wirkkala. Such was the immediate critical impact and acclaim accorded to exhibition, that Wirkkala and his new ideas became the focus of much discussion and debate in the international design press. The result was to present Wirkkala as the key figure in the emergence of what was to become one of the most important design movements in the second half of the twentieth century, that of ‘Scandinavian Modern’ or ‘Scandinavian Design’.”
 
It is shocking to see on the great photos how Wirkkala’s works stand the test of time and still show his masterly vision on his unique vision on amalgamation of nature and culture!
 
A great book for all interested in design and in reading on this designer and the development of Scandinavian Good Design.
Angela van der Burght