Mid2Mod: Avena

Showing posts with label Avena. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Icy goodness

Lately I've been drawn to the icy designs of Tapio Wirkkala. Most of the pieces I love most are mid-to-late 60s vintage, with a few early 70s for good measure. On a timeline, these particular designs are just at the edge of what I usually consider my cut-off date for mid-century, but many of his other pieces fall squarely in middle of the era, and his beautiful freeform work brings elegance to any MCM table. In my opinion, at least one Wirkkala piece is a must-have for a mid-century home, and I'm still waiting to find one for mine.

Tapio Wirkkala (1915-1985) was a pioneer of Finnish industrial art and gained international fame after World War II. He designed jewelry, furniture, glassware, stoneware and even plasticware. From 1970-2000, Finlandia used his design for their vodka bottle. Wirkkala was also a sculptor of some renown.