Tapio Wirkkala Rut Bryk Foundation receives Special Jury Prize in the Helsinki Design Awards

Now awarded for the first time, the Special Jury Prize is a mark of recognition for outstanding relevance and innovation in design and design-related events.

“The Tapio Wirkkala Rut Bryk Foundation has made a large, significant collection of design accessible to the public at EMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern Art. It is a significant cultural achievement for a private foundation to engage in such a project so extensively,” stated the Jury Chair Kari Korkman.

The Jury also commended the Foundation for its inventive approach to giving the public a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the ‘invisible’ work done by museums and its creative transformation of the winning competition entry into a successful exhibition concept.

One year ago, a new wing dedicated exclusively to design was added to the EMMA museum, where the Tapio Wirkkala Rut Bryk Foundation Collection is now placed on permanent public display.

Highlights include ‘Visible Storage’, a special space that takes a more extensive, in-depth look at the collection and behind-the-scenes museum work than conventional exhibitions. Visitors are for instance welcome to watch the museum’s photographers and conservation staff at work in this open space.

In the centre is a gallery space presenting topical exhibitions that bring the work of Rut Bryk and Tapio Wirkkala into dialogue with contemporary design and timeless classics in a cross-disciplinary context. Visible Storage yields wholly new insights into the collection by inviting visitors to explore and make their own discoveries.

“We are pleased and proud that the collection and the work of Bryk and Wirkkala are accessible to the public at EMMA,” states Katarina Siltavuori, Board Chair of the Tapio Wirkkala Rut Bryk Foundation. “We value the fact that the collection is on display in its homeland and that the work of Bryk and Wirkkala is presented in a creatively diverse, topically relevant form befitting these great designers. Receiving this award is a great honour for our Foundation.”

The Helsinki Design Awards Jury comprises the following members: curator and producer Hanna Harris; information designer, data journalist, nonfiction writer and educator Juuso Koponen; arts graduate and industrial designer Petteri Kolinen; arts graduate and award-winning designer Elina Aalto and Director of Strategic Initiatives at the City of Helsinki Sanna-Mari Jäntti. The Jury was chaired by Kari Korkman from Helsinki Design Week.

Tapio Wirkkala Rut Bryk Foundation
In 2003 the Tapio Wirkkala Rut Bryk Foundation was entrusted with custodianship of the life’s work of Rut Bryk (1916-1999) and Tapio Wirkkala (1915-1985). The foundation is additionally involved in organizing related events and exhibitions as well as lectures, publications and other material. 

The Foundation, the City of Espoo and EMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern Art are co-signatories to an agreement placing the museum in charge of over 5,000 items in the Foundation’s collection. This includes works of art, industrial design tools and artefacts, prototypes and archival material.
www.wirkkalabryk.fi

Press images:https://kuvat.emma.museum/kuvat/Lehdistokuvat-Press/Bryk+Wirkkala+katseluvarasto/
Password: emmamuseum

Further information:

Managing Director
Petra Wirkkala
office@wirkkalabryk.fi, 
+358 45 135 0225 

Board Chair
Katarina Siltavuori
katarina@galerieforsblom.com, 
+358 50 599 2510