Tapio Wirkkala Retrospective Arrives at Its Final Venue in Japan

After touring Japan for more than a year, Tapio Wirkkala: The Sculptor of Ultima Thule arrives at its final destination, the Shimane Art Museum, where it will be on view from 26 June to 31 August 2026.

Tapio Wirkkala: The Sculptor of Ultima Thule is the first major retrospective in Japan to comprehensively present the work of Finnish designer and artist Tapio Wirkkala (1915–1985). The travelling exhibition has introduced one of the most influential figures in Finnish art and design to audiences across the country. Following its presentation at the Shimane Art Museum, the exhibition’s approximately 300 works will return to Finland.

The exhibition opened at the Tokyo Station Gallery in April 2025 before travelling to the Itami City Museum of Art, History and Culture and the Museum of Modern Ceramic Art, Gifu, ahead of its final stop in Matsue. Presented to mark the 110th anniversary of Wirkkala’s birth, the exhibition offers an exceptional overview of his iconic design legacy.

Featuring art objects, glass works, plywood sculptures, prototypes, drawings and photographs, the exhibition highlights the remarkable breadth of Wirkkala’s oeuvre and his distinctive artistic vision. Renowned for his mastery of form and materials, Wirkkala worked seamlessly across the boundaries of art and design, creating timeless works that continue to inspire new generations.

The touring exhibition is organised in collaboration with EMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern Art, the Tapio Wirkkala Rut Bryk Foundation, and the Japanese cultural company Blue Sheep.

“The warm reception the exhibition has received across Japan demonstrates the enduring relevance and appeal of Tapio Wirkkala’s work. As the exhibition reaches its final venue in Shimane, we celebrate not only Wirkkala’s remarkable legacy but also the meaningful cultural exchange and new connections this project has fostered between Finland and Japan,” says Krist Gruijthuijsen, Director of EMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern Art.

The exhibition is primarily drawn from the Tapio Wirkkala Rut Bryk Foundation Collection, the world’s most comprehensive collection of works by Tapio Wirkkala and his wife, ceramic artist Rut Bryk. Based on the artists’ personal archives, the collection is permanently on view at EMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern Art in the Bryk & Wirkkala Visible Storage. The exhibition also features an extensive selection of glass and silver works from the Collection Kakkonen, Finland’s leading collection of modern glass and ceramics.

Photo: Installation view of the Tapio Wirkkala: The Sculptor of Ultima Thule exhibition at Tokyo Station Gallery. © Kohei Take