Alvar aalto is considered the father of modernism in scandinavia. In artek and the aaltos, caution sleek, modernist curves ahead. As the company that the seminal finnish architect alvar aalto founded in 1935 moves into the next stage of its existence, disegno looks back at its legacy and how two of aalto s earliest designs shaped its identity. Aalto glassware aino as well as alvar is manufactured by iittala. Artek and the aaltos showcases more than three hundred objects, including furniture, glassware, lighting, design sketches, drawings, textile swatches, and photographs. Creating a modern world was the first exhibition in the united states to examine artek, a pioneering finnish design company founded in 1935, and the first to have a.
In addition, the aaltos contributed significantly to the design company artek founded in 1935. Aalto wished to learn the language of wood fibres and believed there was a positive effect that happens when our skin comes into contact with natural materials. Villa mairea is still partly in private use of the. Mar 21, 2017 the book seeks to understand what drove him, the combination of skills, talents and character traits, which led to his extraordinary global success. Alvar aalto seems to have been strongly influenced by his maternal grandfather, hugo. Creating a modern world is a stunningly comprehensive and beautiful catalogue for an exhibition that was held at the bard graduate center, new york, in 2016. Homes and habitats by alvar aalto visit alvar aalto.
These also make the perfect gift for an aalto afficianado who has it all. Stritzlerlevine wondered, why hasnt someone done a major book on artek before. Alvar aalto midcentury modernism style antiques for sale ebay. It contextualizes the contributions of artek, and those of its founders, alvar and his wife, aino marsio aalto 18941949, providing evidence for their close professional partnership as well as critical interpretations of their major projects. In 1935, aino and alvar aalto founded the finnish company artek to manufacture their designs. Aino aalto products buy online from finnish design shop. Sep 02, 2016 in artek and the aaltos, caution sleek, modernist curves ahead. The companys founders aino and alvar aalto are also at the heart of the collaborative exhibition.
Aalto s furniture was exhibited in london in 1935, to great critical acclaim, and to cope with the consumer demand aalto, together with his wife aino, maire gullichsen and nilsgustav hahl founded the company artek that same year. Alvar aaltos vases and furniture, along with aino aaltos glassware, are the most wellknown aalto products. Through the lifes work of maire gullichsen, villa mairea is linked in many ways to the arts institutions and design sector of. Alvar aalto has 45 books on goodreads with 327 ratings. Richard rogers is the 2007 pritzker architecture prize laureate, the recipient of the riba gold medal in 1985 and winner of the 1999 thomas jefferson memorial foundation medal. Through his innovations in form and line, alvar aalto s name has also become important in the history of design. Aaltos furniture was exhibited in london in 1935, to great critical acclaim, and to cope with the consumer demand aalto, together with his wife aino, maire gullichsen and nilsgustav hahl.
During a long and prolific career, aalto designed buildings for. How the aaltos productive partnership drove modernist. In 2004 an exhibition and book edited by ulla kinnunen was arranged at the alvar aalto museum, jyvaskyla, finland, featuring the lifes work of aino aalto. This sumptuous book offers a thorough study of an innovative and prolific master, whom frank lloyd wright termed a genius. Alvar aalto made his international breakthrough as a furniture designer. Alvar aalto s vases and furniture, along with aino aalto s glassware, are the most wellknown aalto products. Alvar aalto said, as stated in a book design and designers of the 20 th century. Earlier this month, the finnish furniture company artek was bought by vitra. His work includes architecture, furniture, textiles and glassware, as well as sculptures and paintings, though he never regarded himself as an artist, seeing painting and sculpture as branches of the tree whose trunk is architecture. Minagawa created highly personal drawings in response to images of aaltos standards, products and architectural shapes, which he selected from. Of the indisputably great figures in 20thcentury architecture, alvar aalto is in many ways the most humane, the least rigid, the most relevant to our contemporary sensibility and the emerging future. May 10, 2017 alvar aalto himself always emphasized his partnership with his architect wife, aino marsioaalto 18941949, but in the tradition of solo male artist worship many tributes have neglected her. In fact, aalto first achieved fame in continental europe as a furniture designer, and only later as an architect.
Our exhibitions are accompanied by fullyillustrated books and a broad array of public programs. See more ideas about alvar aalto, design and furniture. He is perhaps finlands greatest architect and certainly one of the major figures of twentiethcentury architecture. Alvar ja aino aalto lasin muotoilijoina alvar and aino aalto as glass designers. Creating a modern world exhibition, produced by bard graduate center gallery and the alvar aalto museum, tells the artek success story for the first time in the. Articles written by experts shed light on many aspects of aaltos wideranging. The director of ateneum art museum, susanna pettersson, became aware of alvar aalto when she was learning the alphabeth from her grandparents old phone book. The exhibition at ateneum presents alvar aaltos both spouses.
Each book, though different, focuses on the buildings that aalto designed and built, and sometimes the furniture produced through artek, the furniture company founded, in part, by alvar and aino aalto. Interior design for villa mairea was in the hands of aino aalto. The library, located in the south wing, features aaltos a201 pendant light, created especially for this space and now being brought back into production. Chairs, armchairs, tables, lamps and other furniture designed by alvar aalto have been. Alvar aalto and aino marsioaalto built one of the enduring design brands of our time, artek, and turned it into an essential force in the modernist movement. After working together only for a few months, alvar aalto proposed to aino marsio. Make offer vintage 1940s artek cabinet book case aino aalto alvar aalto rare. Creating a modern world, which opens at new yorks bard graduate center gallery on april 22, offers a fuller picture of this legacy than ever before. Sep 29, 2019 chairs, armchairs, tables, lamps and other furniture designed by alvar aalto have been produced by the artek company since 1935.
Longterm durability and high quality, combined with a cleanlined form language are the essential elements in every piece of artek furniture. Hugo alvar henrik aalto was born in kuortone near jyvavaskyla, the son of j h aalto, a surveyor. The fundament of the threestorey, fourwinged building saynatsalo town hall that alvar aalto designed in 1952 consists of 200 000 bricks and a concrete frame. Notes and citations edit from 1906 onwards the family was known as marsio. Sketches alvar aalto alvar aalto snippet view 1978. Calendar alvar aalto foundation alvar aalto saatio. Creating a modern world, at the bard graduate center gallery, focuses. Creating a modern world exhibition, produced by bard graduate center gallery and the alvar aalto museum, tells the artek success story for the first time in the usa. The catalogue offers an indepth survey of the legendary finnish design company artek, and its founders, alvar aalto 18981975 and aino marsio aalto 18941949.
In this exhibition aino aaltos contribution is more prominent than traditionally, starting from a brilliant photo montage slideshow with superimpositions. Early production aalvar aalto model 31 cantilever chair. Midcentury modernisms unsung power couple fast company. In many ways, it was aino who laid the foundation for the aesthetics of artek, which combined the modernist idea of clear form with simple surface ornamentation. Aalto wished to learn the language of wood fibres and believed there was a positive effect that happens when our skin. Creating a modern world was the first exhibition in the united states to examine artek, a pioneering finnish design company founded in 1935, and the first to have a specific focus on the two architect cofounders, alvar aalto 18981976 and aino marsioaalto 18941949. Her lifes work, however, ranged from architecture to photography and various areas of applied art and design. Dec 10, 2019 hugo alvar henrik aalto was a finnish architect and designer.
In 2004 an exhibition and book edited by ulla kinnunen was arranged at the alvar. One of the masters of modern architecture, alvar aalto 18981976 was a prolific and influential architect, a gifted painter, and a talented, worldrenowned designer. Longterm durability and high quality, combined with a cleanlined form language are the essential. Aino marsioaalto canadian centre of academic art and science. Alvar aalto remains finlands greatest architect, retains his place among the modern masters of twentiethcentury architecture and is now recognized internationally as one of the worlds. The book seeks to understand what drove him, the combination of skills, talents and character traits, which led to his extraordinary global success. As the company that the seminal finnish architect alvar aalto founded in 1935 moves into the next. Alvar aalto seems to have been strongly influenced by his maternal grandfather, hugo hamilkar hackstedt, who was a forester and teacher at the evo forest institute south of tampere and had a wide range of technical and intellectual interests. Alvar and aino aalto, together with their patron maire gullichsen and art historian nilsgustav hahl, founded the company with a wish to distribute furniture and promote modern living culture through exhibitions and.
Aalto actively worked in the artek office until 1949, when she died of cancer. In artek and the aaltos, caution sleek, modernist curves. Home publications architecture inside the villa mairea. Follow alvar aalto and explore their bibliography from s alvar aalto author page. Through the lifes work of maire gullichsen, villa mairea is linked in many ways to the arts institutions and design sector of finland, for example to the furniture business artek and galerie artek, free art school and pori art museum. Alvar aalto midcentury modernism style antiques for sale. In noormarkku, there is a guided tour of villa mairea, the building that alvar aalto designed as the home of his friends maire and harry gullichsen. Creating a modern world stritzlerlevine, nina on amazon. The architect aino aalto 18941949 is the great unknown factor behind her internationally renowned husband alvar aalto. Upon graduating in 1920, aino marsio, as she was then known, started her professional career working for architect oiva kallio in helsinki. Alvar aalto architect serie architecture 72 architecture by alvar aalto serie 25 biographical 7 design 16 exhibition catalogues 14 downloadable products 16 design products 114 jewellery 15 posters 12 makia x alvar aalto 16 alvar aalto shop products 22 artek 47 outlet 18. The artek brand is renowned as one of the most innovative contributors to modern design. Aino aalto came to play an important part at artek.
Check out some of the other items that are design by or inspired by aalto for a wellrounded collection. His reputation as an architect has spread far beyond the bounds of his native country, where he built the major part of his work. Sep 24, 20 earlier this month, the finnish furniture company artek was bought by vitra. Upon graduating in 1920, aino marsio, as she was then known, started her professional career. Check out some of the other items that are design by or inspired by aalto for a well.
One of the cofounders of artek, aalto left a legacy with lasting. Minagawa created highly personal drawings in response to images of aaltos standards, products and architectural shapes, which he selected from the artek archives. In 1935, artek was founded by alvar aalto and his wife aino aalto to promote the growing production and sales of aalto furniture. Recognised today as one of the great masters of modern architecture, alvar aalto 18981976 was born in kuortane, finland. Alvar aalto himself always emphasized his partnership with his architect wife, aino marsioaalto 18941949, but in the tradition of solo male artist worship many tributes. In addition, this book examines the aaltos advocacy for the use of. Aalto archives aalto designed aalto drew aalto s entry aalto s plan ahlstrom aino aalto alajarvi albin stark alvar aalto architecture student artek assembly hall auditorium avesta balcony bedrooms building volumes built aaa carried out aaa central church competition entry complex contains courtyard cultural centre defence corps designed by. Alvar aalto the pioneer of nordic modernism design defender. As a designer, aino aalto is primarily known for her work in glass. New yorks bard graduate center gallery will open artek and the aaltos. During a long and prolific career, aalto designed buildings for almost all key public institutions, as well as standardised housing and private homes. Aino aalto 18941949 was an architect, designer, and one of arteks founding figures. Articles written by experts shed light on many aspects of aaltos wideranging scope as a designer of furni. However, formatting rules can vary widely between applications and fields of interest or study.
Creating a modern world, the first exhibition in the united states to examine pioneering finnish design company artek founded in 1935 alongside the practices of its two architect cofounders, husband and wife team, alvar aalto 18981976 and aino marsioaalto 18941949. Artek s comprehensive furnishing system can be used in all kinds of situations from public spaces to offices. The design of his furniture combined practicality and aesthetics with series production, following the main artek idea of encouraging a more beautiful everyday life in the home. Most of the material is published here for the first time. This book presents a conversation between minagawa and his heroes alvar and aino aalto. It contextualizes the contributions of artek, and those of its founders, alvar and his wife, aino marsio aalto 1894. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. Alvar aalto architect serie architecture 72 architecture by alvar aalto serie 25 biographical 7 design 16 exhibition catalogues 14 downloadable products 16 design. Alvar aalto products buy online from finnish design shop. The design of his furniture combined practicality and. Rare alvar aalto medal by finnish artist eila hiltunen.
Alvar aalto stool for artek, circa 1960 for sale at 1stdibs. With nine thematic yet roughly chronological chapters spanning aaltos life, westons great book comes close to being a biography, but his focus. His work includes architecture, furniture, textiles and glassware, as well as sculptures and paintingsborn. Alvar aalto designer published in 2002, this is the first detailed illustrated book on the designs of alvar aalto. Published in association with the bard graduate center and the alvar aalto foundation. Alvar aalto furniture book pair of chairs and stools designed by alvar aalto for artek, finland, 1950s alvar aalto points of contact book. An exhibition about the great master of architecture and design to opens at ateneum. Creating a modern world, the first exhibition in the united states to examine pioneering finnish design company. Alvar aalto the pioneer of nordic modernism design.
Creating a modern world, the first exhibition in the united states to examine pionee. As you will be aware, there is no shortage of books on alvar aalto, or to be more precise, there is no shortage of books on alvar aaltos architecture. Buy artek stool 60 et stools e60 design alvar aalto, 1933 designed by alvar aalto in 1933, the stool 60 is certainly the most copied design classic in the world. With nine thematic yet roughly chronological chapters spanning aaltos life, westons great book. Helsinki design week a for alvar aalto helsinki design.
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