Form presents Tapio Wirkkala’s unique design philosophy through the eyes of architect Juhani Pallasmaa

Tapio Wirkkala – Form will be introduced to the media on Tuesday, 4 October, at 10 am. You can follow the streaming of the event on Zoom via this link.

Form examines Tapio Wirkkala’s sculpturesand his sculptural design idiom through nine themes. It presents a selection of his sculptures alongside other design objects in which the same forms are recurring. The themes selected by architect Juhani Pallasmaa open up varied perspectives on the distinctive vocabulary of form that is synonymous with Wirkkala. 

“Tapio was an artist and designer of exceptional breadth. I knew immediately that I wanted to highlight the dialogue between aesthetic and functional thinking that defined his work as a designer,” describes the curator and Wirkkala’s close friend Juhani Pallasmaa.  “Nature was an enduring source of inspiration for Tapio. His designs echo nature’s constant flux and flow, which he interpreted in many materials.” 

Tapio Wirkkala (1915–1985) was a visionary who worked across the boundaries of art and design. On scales ranging from intimate to vast, his innovative repertoire embraced many materials in genres from graphic and industrial design to exhibition architecture, sculpture, buildings and – at its most monumental – environmental art. He was among the first Finnish artists to experiment with fully abstract sculpture.  

“Working with my hands is almost a therapeutic experience for me. When I sculpt and model nature’s materials, they inspire and entice me to experiment. In the world of sculpture, even when you close your eyes – the eyes in your fingertips can sense the unbroken flow of form.” – Tapio Wirkkala, 1980. 

Co-produced with the Tapio Wirkkala Rut Bryk Foundation, the exhibition is on display in the temporary exhibitions gallery next to EMMA’s Bryk & Wirkkala Visible Storage exhibit, which introduces Wirkkala’s entire oeuvre, while Form focuses mainly on his large-scale plywood sculptures. Architect Juhani Pallasmaa is a leading expert on Tapio Wirkkala and a close friend of the artist’s family.