It all began with Toini Muona (1904–1987). After the ceramic artist’s death, Kyösti Kakkonen acquired her entire surviving oeuvre, marking the beginning of his collection and love affair with Finnish design. Today the collection embraces a wide spectrum of one-offs, limited editions, glass and ceramic sculptures, ceramicware and glassware. It comprises numerous internationally celebrated Finnish classics, many of which are loaned out yearly for exhibitions around the world.

Through new acquisitions, a growing number of artists are added to the collection regularly. New artists are selected on the basis of their historical relevance or the special appeal of their oeuvre. The earliest pieces date from the late 19th century and the newest are currently in the making.

Many pieces in the collection are neither art nor design, but can be described interchangeably as ‘art’, ‘applied art’ or ‘design’. The makers also evade labels: one might identify as a ceramicist, another as a visual artist. Others call themselves glassblowers, sculptors or architects.

In the annals of art history, design is often deemed inferior to visual art. The tableware found in our cupboards is rarely displayed on pedestals like ‘fine’ art is. In many cases, it is impossible to say whether a piece is ‘art’ or ‘design’ – nor should it be necessary. Rather than waste time on categories and hierarchies, it is more enlightening to look at parallels between art and design history. A landscape painted on a ceramic dish is every bit as deserving to be called ‘art’ as a landscape on a canvas. A dish can be hung on the wall just as a painting can, and an artist-signed vase is a unique piece equal to any other.

It is a natural human impulse to beautify surfaces and create objects purely for aesthetic pleasure. But beauty is a complex thing – it is a personal, subjective experience. It is not only visual, but also tactile: a texture can be aesthetically pleasing. A beautiful object can also touch us inwardly, offering pleasure or solace.

What we regard as ‘beautiful’ is influenced by changing tastes and fashions. Beauty can even be a bone of contention. There have been times in history when vanity has been condemned and strict moral codes have altered prevalent ideas about what constitutes beauty. You can challenge your own ideas by looking for beauty in places you might not expect to find it. Or think about why a certain object is described as beautiful. Where do you find beauty? What feelings do beautiful objects awaken in you?

Ryijy textiles encapsulate cultural richness and layers of history, whether displayed on a wall as a tapestry or spread on the floor as a rug. Technically, a ryijy is a textile made from a woven base fabric with tufted knots attached to it. Over time, ryijys have served various purposes: as blankets, ceremonial items, and cherished home decorations. In this display, ryijys are presented as artworks within the context of design and art history. The exhibition features ryijys from the 1930s to the 1980s.

Hung alongside ceramics and glass, the ryijys remind us of the intertwined histories of these art forms. In the 20th century, ryijys were showcased in the same applied arts exhibitions as the ceramics and glass creations that brought international recognition to Finland. Kyösti Kakkonen has expanded his collection to include ryijys, focusing particularly on the works of prominent, well-known ryijy designers.

Glass and clay have played an important role in human history. Everyday objects and sacred artefacts have been crafted from these materials for thousands of years. Glass was invented as an accidental by-product during the firing of clay. It was initially used as a glaze and only later as its own material. Ceramics and glass have much else in common besides, such as similar raw materials and a reliance on fire. Both are made from natural minerals melted at high temperatures in excess of 1,000°C.

Clay is shapeless without hands to mould it, just as glass needs a glassblower. Both ancient techniques remain in wide use around the world today. Mastering these processes requires great skill and experience. Both are also produced industrially, but hand-made glass and ceramics is easy to tell apart by its quality and distinctive appearance.

Watch videos of artists Alma Jantunen, Heini Riitahuhta and Renata Schirm working on EMMA Zone!

A kind of family tree can be traced within Finnish design, tracking the artists and the teachers who guided them. Many familiar names from Kakkonen’s collection can be found on the branches of that tree. 

In this space, we present six artists whose influence as teachers and role models has been particularly significant. Each of these strong and distinctive personalities contributed to the shaping and development of applied arts and design education in Finland. As teachers and artists, these figures played a crucial role in the making of Finnish design. 

Arttu Brummer, Elsa Elenius, Alfred William Finch, Kaj Franck, Kyllikki Salmenhaara, and Timo Sarpaneva taught at an institution originally founded as the Craft School in Helsinki in 1871. Over more than 150 years, the school’s name and location have changed several times. Today, its legacy lives on in the School of Arts, Design, and Architecture at Aalto University in Otaniemi, Espoo. 

Power is a theme invoked by certain pieces in the collection. Artists wield power through the subject matter of their art. But when ideas and values change over time, so do certain meanings. They are products of their historical context, but today they evoke thoughts and feelings that merit open discussion. The works displayed here invite us to contemplate where we have come from, where we are headed, and where we might end up if we fail to respect other people and nature as our equals.

The power of art was harnessed in the project of building Finland’s national identity, especially after the 1940s, when a once-peripheral, war-impoverished nation gained new international visibility with its technical and artistic prowess. Finland won acclaim in international design expositions, thanks not only to talented artists, but also clever marketing. Finland’s identity was built around the idea of a nation with a strong bond with nature.