Years 1993–2000 - Design Forum Finland

Classics and new trends 1993 1993–2000

The early years of the Society 1875–1900
Exhibition activities begin 1932–1939
The birth of Finnish Design 1951–1959
Design takes a stand 1963–1975
Finland Designs and Design Forum is established 1979–1993
Classics and new trends 1993–2000
The turn of the millennium 2001–2006
Internationalisation initiatives 2007–2010
Years of major projects 2010–2015
Strategy changes 2015–

1993

From Dreams to Reality was a joint design exhibition of the Nordic and Baltic countries in 1993–1994. The initiative for the exhibition came in June 1990 from Estonians who had visited the extensive NordForm 90 exhibition in Malmö.

The first official exhibition meeting between Nordic and Baltic design organisations was held in Tallinn as early as September 1990. From Dreams to Reality was organised by the Scandinavian Design Council, a joint body of Nordic design organisations, and the Baltic Crafts and Design Committee. Juri Kermik from Estonia was chosen as the exhibition architect and Torben Skov from Denmark as the graphic designer. The exhibition’s Nordic secretariat was located at Design Forum in Helsinki and the Baltic secretariat at the Art Museum of Estonia in Tallinn.

The exhibition concept reflected the differences and different histories of the Nordic and Baltic countries. The Nordic countries displayed almost exclusively industrial design and serial production, while the Baltic countries displayed colourful handicrafts due to their traditions and history.

The exhibition was extensive: there were 550 products and product lines on display. 240 creators from eight countries participated in the exhibition. The travelling exhibition was first opened in Tallinn on 21 June 1993, and a design conference was also held in connection with it. After that, the exhibition was on display in Vilnius, Riga and Gothenburg and finally at the Cable Factory in Helsinki in the summer of 1994.

The exhibition had both cultural and political significance for the Baltic countries. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania regained their independence in 1991 as preparations for the exhibition project were underway. For many Baltic visitors, the exhibition was their first contact with Scandinavian design. The Nordic countries wanted to show how wide-ranging design can be, and their exhibition focused on everyday objects and social design.

On the other hand, the exhibition cooperation promoted the cultural independence of the Baltic countries. Baltic people wanted to network with Nordic design circles. Design Forum Finland helped bring Nordic design thinking to Estonia and other Baltic countries and advised on practices related to the organisation of exhibitions, among other things. The political significance of the exhibition was already evident from its name. The exhibition broke the cultural isolation of the Baltic countries that had lasted for almost 50 years.

1995

Classic Makers (Klassikon tekijät) exhibition celebrated the 120th anniversary of the Finnish Society of Crafts and Design. The extensive exhibition was held at Design Forum premises on Fabianinkatu in the summer of 1995.

Eleven well-known designers were invited to the exhibition: Bertel Gardberg, Fujiwo Ishimoto, Yrjö Kukkapuro, Irma Kukkasjärvi, Antti Nurmesniemi, Vuokko Nurmesniemi, Ritva Puotila, Timo Sarpaneva, Pirkko Stenros, Marja Suna and Oiva Toikka. Classic Makers exhibited designers who were involved in creating the concept of Finnish Design and let them choose one of their works that stood above all others. The exhibition included both classic products and new products from the 1990s.

The aim of the exhibition was to show that the classics did not create themselves, but that a classic product was based on solid professional skills, product development and good cooperation between the designer and producer. To paraphrase Managing Director Anne Stenros: the creation of a classic also required insight, luck and the right timing.

The exhibition was designed by architect Pentti Kareoja, and the large portraits of the creators featured in the exhibition were photographed by photographer Jussi Aalto. The international version of the exhibition toured China and the United States in 1996 and Milan in 1997. It also included works by Alvar Aalto, Kaj Franck and Tapio Wirkkala.

Photo: Jussi Aalto

1996

The series of Young Forum displays began in 1996. The exhibition was a part of the celebration of the Finnish Society of Crafts and Design’s 120th anniversary.

The aim was to highlight a new generation and their design image alongside the traditions of design and renown creators. The exhibition series was realised with annually changing themes from 1996 to 2000 and once more in 2004.

The first Young Forum ‘96 was an expansive, national and juried exhibition of young designers. Esa Laaksonen acted as the exhibition architect and Anne Stenros, CEO of Design Forum Finland, as the chair of the exhibition work group.

The theme of the exhibition was open-minded and the approach was unprejudiced. Quality was the only criterion that had been defined in advance, but the exhibition also accepted prototypes and sketches. Originally, almost 500 products were in the running, of which 78 were put on show in the exhibition. The young designers’ values, the use of new materials and timeliness were all evident in the products. The exhibition was also a way to encourage companies to hire young designers.

The Young Forum exhibitions toured both Finland and abroad extensively, visiting countries such as Sweden, Denmark, Germany, France, Hungary and Japan.

2000

The comprehensive Young Nordic Design – The Generation X exhibition showcased the newest ideas of young Finnish, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian and Icelandic designers.

The products reflected the Nordic design tradition: the stripped-down expression of form, practicality, sparse materials and high quality, but they also showed signs of international influences. Some of the exhibition objects were final products, some were experiments, and others utilised new technology and materials.

The exhibition was organised by Design Forum Finland and it was made in cooperation with its Nordic sister organisations. The exhibition was opened in the Scandinavia House, New York City, in November 2000. It got a lot of attention from the American press and e.g. The New York Times published two long articles related to it.

The exhibition toured the United States and Mexico from 2000 to 2001. It was seen in Design Forum Finland in Helsinki and in the joint Nordic embassy building in Berlin in 2001. In 2002, it continued its tour in Canada, after which it was presented in Glasgow and Reykjavik.

2000

The year 2000, the 125th anniversary year of the Finnish Society of Crafts and Design, was full of events and changes. Design Forum Finland’s exhibition and shop premises moved to Sanoma House in early 2000, and the first exhibition in the new premises, Young Forum 2000, opened the anniversary year in February.

The society’s 125th anniversary exhibition “Finnish Design 125” was on display at Design Forum Finland during the summer. The exhibition comprising 125 objects was designed by Simo Heikkilä and its graphic look by Aimo Katajamäki. The exhibition toured extensively around the world in 2001–2004, visiting Central Europe, St Petersburg, Australia, New Zealand and Kuala Lumpur, among other places.

The society’s 125th anniversary celebration was held on 17 November 2000 at the new auditorium of the National Museum. In connection with the celebration, Ei vain muodon vuoksi, the history of the society written by Pekka Suhonen, was published. In honour of the anniversary, the Estlander Medal, designed by painter Tero Laaksonen, was struck.

Named after Carl-Gustaf Estlander, one of the founders of the Finnish Society of Crafts and Design, the Estlander Prize was awarded for the first time at the 125th anniversary celebration. It was awarded to journalist Carla Enbom and writer Pekka Suhonen. Gold and silver Estlander medals were also awarded at the ceremony. The gold medals were awarded to Antti Nurmesniemi and Timo Sarpaneva.

Photo: Patrik Rastenberger