"What fascinates me about glass is that you can never
completely control how it behaves - even though it always
tempts you to try!"
Harry Koskinen
Uusi Alue / New Area
The simple looking design of the
Uusi Alue / New Area is a particular challenging
one for the glassblower, as the heavy glass must be
shaped by hand without the help of any moulds.
First
the glassblower gathers the glass on to his blowing pipe
gradually, shaping and molding it between every blow.
When it reaches the right size, he finishes the surface with
wet newspaper, again completely by hand. Only the local
newspaper, Hämeen Sanomat, can do the job, because it
has proved the best for the purpose.
Every Uusi Alue is different and unique: “What’s
fundamental is that they are all solid glass, not hollow.
Thick glass is essential for bringing out the optics and the
reflections. These pieces crystallize the magic of molten
glass for me,” says Harri Koskinen.
Kohta/ Section.
Koskinen has named the cylindrical, two-colour pieces
Kohta/ Section.
The name refers to the production method which draws on
the centuries-old incalmo technique, developed by Italian
master glassblowers to create bands of colour. Koskinen’s
Kohta design features two cylindrical sections of different-
coloured glass fitted into each other, which create a third
colour where they join.
This new variation on the ‘incalmo’ technique developed
jointly by Harri Koskinen and the glassblowers at
Nuutajärvi does not try to mimic the Italian method, which
requires its own special type of glass, however.
"Together with the craftsmen at Nuutajärvi, we took a
pretty bold approach to adapting the technique, and the
end-result is quite distinctive, I think. Although the
delicacy of the glass still comes through, the overriding
feeling is very solid, almost rough-edged. And this creates
an exciting tension.
Pokaali/ Goblet: variations on a theme
The Pokaali/ Goblet in the collection
demonstrates
what two glassblowers working together can achieve.
"It was surprisingly difficult to
choose the right combinations of colours for this piece,
how they work together is critical. Glass colours are never
static and change with the light and the angle you look at
them. In fact, I would have liked to make prototypes of all
the various colour combinations I had in mind!"
FROM TOP:
Uusi Alue / New Area
Hand-crafted limited edition of 1-100/2009
Available in four colours: red, blue, green, and
yellow
Pokaali / Goblet
Mouth-blown in two stages
Four colour combinations: red/grey/black;
grey/plum/black; Sevilla orange/sand/red;
sand/blue/plum
Kohta / Section
Mouth-blown in a mould, hand-worked and joined, in a
limited edition of 1-x, 2009
Two parts, colour combination: red-plum´
Jalusta / Pedestal
Mouth-blown in a mould, cold-cut stem
Two colours: clear and grey
Harri Koskinen’s Art Works collection for Iittala

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- Francesca Picchi
- 28 September 2009