

125
Tapio Wirkkala
Large 'Jäävuori' (Iceberg) vase, model no. 3827
1956-1969
Still-mould blown crystal glass.
22.6 x 36.1 x 33.2 cm (8 7/8 x 14 1/4 x 13 1/8 in.)
Produced by Iittala, Finland. Manufacturer's decal with i/MADE IN FINLAND and underside incised TAPIO WIRKKALA 3827.
Full-Cataloguing
The thickness of glass and the smooth melting surfaces of the Iceberg series create an impressive optical effect. Being a frequent visitor of Lemmenjoki Valley in Lapland, Wirkkala’s designs have been greatly influenced by nature’s geometry and phenomenon. The designer’s most iconic works were, in fact, a development of specific themes, borrowed form nature and its geometry (such as leafs, trees and ice). Materials and their structure are also, a key factor in his creative process; he strongly believed that materials should not adapt and be forced into the designer’s project and desired shape, but the designer should forge his artworks in respect to material’s structure and nature: ‘All materials have their own unwritten laws. This is forgotten far too often. You should never be violent with the materials you’re working on, and the designer should aim at being in harmony with his material.’