The travelling exhibition Iittala – The Stars of Finnish Glass by the Design Museum Helsinki is the first exhibition on Iittala’s design products in Japan. For the purposes of the exhibition, 400 items, sketches and images were given on loan by the collection. The travelling exhibition will first open at the Bunkamura Museum in Tokyo and will then visit six museums around Japan in 2023 and 2024.
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Iittala was established in 1881, and its glass products and home decor make the brand a part of the daily life of many Finns, while internationally, Iittala has been a flagship of Finnish creativity and lifestyle over several decades.
A strong connection to Japan
The exhibition Iittala – The Stars of Finnish Glass will be organized in collaboration with Japanese media group The Asahi Shimbun that publishes the nation’s third largest newspaper by the same name.
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The exhibition covers the history and present of Iittala, the themes that steer the company’s design and production process and some of its key designers. Iittala’s connection to Japan is explored in more detail through designer Kaj Franck who travelled in Japan repeatedly, gaining inspiration and influences for his work. Japanese designer Akira Minagawa, Minä Perhonen, and architect Kengo Kuma and also recently deceased designer Issey Miyake, who have all collaborated with Iittala, are also featured.
