Posted on

Infinity Vessel

Infinity Vessel production fuzes holographic art and AR together with studio made glass. Infinity Vessel Video by Juha-Matti Vahdersalo & Iiro Svanbäck.

Finnish glass artists Sini Majuri and Marja Hepo-aho discover the limits of the ancient art of glass in the Infinity Vessel production opening in Venice on September 2022. The myth of Pandora comes to live when contemporary glass mixes with holographic art, haunting soundscapes and grim interpretation of AR.

Majuri and Hepo-aho uses augmented reality as a way to illustrate a hidden – subconscious levels of human mind, where all the fears live. The modern tech reaches the intangible surfaces of expression in the narrative that mirrors the state of the society – asking what happens when human is disconnected from humanity.

As in the myth of Pandora, hope is an important part of the whole, and it is reflected via the profound connection between humanity and craftmanship. The connection is interpreted in a Live glass blowing show at the legendary Berengo Studio Murano.

 The surreal project reflecting the state of the society will be exhibited in Venice on September 2022. Image by Juha-Matti Vahdersalo. 

In the glass show the artists demonstrate how the hope is the final thing released from the Pandora’s vessel. The vessel is paradoxically broken and whole at the same time – as a metaphor to a human.

Infinity Vessel production is a riddle where the participants are experiencing contemporary glass art in a adventurous way. It is a live show, exhibition as well as a real life treasure hunt where valuable glass sculptures are hidden in the maze of Venetian Streets. The open hunt will last for nine days and has a AR level tied to the experience – where the treasure hunters will see the horrors of Pandora spreading across the ancient city.

In the treasure hunt valuable artifacts are hidden in Venice for anyone to find. Image by Juha-Matti Vahdersalo
The Infinity Vessel project has three parts: an installation, live show and a treasure hunt. The installation is a vessel that is broken and whole at the same time, as a paradox. Horrors and nightmares are illustrated via hographic art and augmented reality – as layers of the experience.
Posted on

KOTI exhibition at The Museum of Fine Arts Eemil

Sini Majuri’s exhibition has opened at the Museum of Fine Arts Eemil. The theme of the exhibition ‘Home’ (Finnish Koti) is illustrated via poetic blown glass. Home is something that define ourselves: who we are and who we desireto be. Home can mean Chaos or a Serene safe haven. It can be dangerous. Loving. Home is missed. It’s not for granted to have a home. Especially in the midst of pandemics home has evolved into new dimensions.

The cartoon story is captured inside blown glass in the exhibition. The illustrations have broken textures that mimic the feeling of ancient and also reflect on the fragile nature of a human. Sini Majuri, Chambers. Graal technique. Suomenlinna 2022.

The exhibition is part of the program of UN’s international year of glass 2022 – which is why Majuri wanted to highlight the diversity, co-operation and vitality of Finnish contemporary glass in the exhibition. The artist is not only shaping the glass material but the whole creative field and its future.

Studio made glass is an expressive medium that can give a shape to a feeling, the visible and invisible levels of existence. The theme Home is mirrored via multi-layered interpretations of classic Graal- glass blowing technique. Glass story follows the logic of a dream and Home is also seen as a metaphor to a persons psyche. An important part of the narrative is how our own position affects the ways we see each other.

“Inside the optical, vivid glass, a face is distorted. It is impossible to see it as real because the glass material is never static – as a human never is. I’m interested in human gender and how it has been illustrated in culture over the Millennia. ” Sini Majuri. Family Portrait – Hollywood. Riihimäki 2022
The exhibition first focuses on the atmosphere of the Majuri’s home region and then walks into the building to see who lives there. There are multiple hidden layers in the story that can only be seen from exact angle. The textures of the illustrations imitate ancient feel and broken surfaces. This is a metaphor to humanity. Home is seen as a part of a persons psyche. Sini Majuri. Graal technique. Suomenlinna 2022
Glass is a language of beauty – because it is an optical, reflective material that can express subtle shades of emotions, which are otherwise difficult to reach. The sculptures focus in a way human are seen and looked at. The cartoon is inspired by the selfie culture that is mixed into an ancient feel. The main idea in the story is human perspective: how we are tied to our own viewpoint when looking at others. Multi-layered sculptures illustrate the depth of a person. The exhibition is open from January 28 till April 17 2022 in the Museum of Fine Arts Eemil, Lapinlahti Finland.

Read more about the exhibition from Iisalmen Sanomat News Paper: Link

Read an aticle from the Contemporary Glass Society: Link

Posted on

The Venice Glass Week 2020

The international Festival dedicated to the art of glass presents its fourth edition: #TheHeartOfGlass, which will take place around Venice, Murano and Mestre from 5th to 13th September 2020. This year’s event place a special focus on the “making” of glass, with the aim of helping to support and relaunch the Murano glass industry. Alongside events including exhibitions, demonstrations and guided tours, the Festival will offer a programme of online initiatives, in order to sustain links with international audiences.

My sculpture is inspired by the microscopic world and how something invisibly small can change the World. Photo by Massimo Pistore

The Floating Furnace, a travelling programme of demonstrations with different stops around the Lagoon. The Venice Glass Week places a special focus on the production of glass, and aims to help relaunch and revitalise the sector – primarily that of Murano – which has faced extreme difficulties as a result of months of closure due to Covid19. The aim is to (re)ignite the passion for the ancient art of glass amongst citizens of Murano, Venice, the Veneto and Italy, and to reach this audience The Venice Glass Week is going to extreme lengths: it is bringing the art of glassmaking out of the furnaces to meet the city’s residents and visitors. Photo: Nexa -Event & Travel Designers, Photographer Federica Lazzarini.
For the first time the Festival has a “title-hashtag”: #TheHeartOfGlass, placing a special focus on the production of glass, and aiming to help relaunch and revitalise the sector – primarily that of Murano – which has faced extreme difficulties as a result of months of closure due to Covid-19.

I’m honored to exhibit my glass installation in The Venice Glass Week HUB in September. Cassiopeia reflects Scandinavian aesthetics and light through organic surfaces. Each sculpture is made from mouth blown studio glass and shaped by hand. The design philosophy behind the ‘Cassiopeia’ is to create poetic interpretation of the weightless yet strong nature of glass. How it allows to see to the deepness of the Universe though the lenses of telescope and into the smallest details of life in the
microscopic world.

The theme in 2020 is “The Heart of Glass”. The festival is promoted by the Town Council of Venice and conceived by three of Venice’s principal cultural institutions with considerable experience and expertise in the field of glass – Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia, Fondazione Giorgio Cini – LE STANZE DEL VETRO and Istituto Veneto di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti – along with the most important trade association, the Consorzio Promovetro Murano, which also manages the Vetro Artistico® Murano trademark of the Veneto Region. Once again in 2020 The Venice Glass Week has been officially designated by the Regione del Veneto.

Address:
The Venice Glass Week Hub
Palazzo Loredan
sede dell’Istituto Veneto di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti
San Marco 2945
30124 Venice
Italy

Exhibition open to the public: 5th – 13th September 2020 (10am to 6pm)

In line with the strict regulations prescribed by the Italian national health authority in relation to Covid-19, a limited number of visitors will be allowed into the building at one time. All visitors will be required to wear masks.

Posted on

Cassiopeia lamps for Salone del Mobile, Milan

59th edition of the Salone del Mobile is postponed to 2021.
Cassiopeia lamp is made from recycled Iittala factory’s glass.

It’s inspirational to be part of the Salone del Mobile 2020, internationally known as Milan Furniture Fair. Last year I visited Italy several times because of Venice glass week and A’Design Awards. I feel fortunate to be able to return once again! The Italian design atmosphere is wild and wonderful. After every visit my mind is full of new ideas for glass.

The bumpy surface of the Cassiopeia lamps looks like ice.
The first Cassiopeia item can also be found from Bukowskis online auction
that is open till 4.2.2020. The material is recycled glass.

One of the projects that I will exhibit at the fair will be Cassiopeia. In the Glass Studio Hytti that is located at Suomenlinna fortress island, we use recycled Iittala Factory’s glass. In Cassiopeia I wanted to create an organic shape by gathering large glass sharts on the surface of the piece. This gives the object extremely rough texture that is carefully melted until all the sharp edges have been smoothed into bumpy ice like overlay.

The early prorotypes of the Cassipeia can also be found from Unionin26 design shop in Helsinki. It’s good to get some feedback before the trip to Milan, because there is still time to make the final adjustments to the project. I’m specially interested to highlight the recycled material as the basis of the design. There is somethign poetic about using broken glass as the material of a new piece.

Where to find:

  • Salone del Mobile 2020, Milan
  • Sini Majuri Webshop

Salone del Mobile Milano is postponed to 2021.

Posted on

Future Classics: A Glass Vase Collection to Netherlands

It has been inspirational journey to design a line of luxury vases for Dutz Collection. The 9 object collection will tour European design fairs during 2018. As a Finnish glass designer it is a great joy to see that a series of high quality studio glass is introduced in commercial setting with a strong message: quality is value. Here is a glimpse to the first prototypes made in Riihimäki. The collection is inspired by the nature.

In this prototype I have wanted to capture the feeling that I have when I look at the nature, green treetops of old oaks. How the leaves are moving. How does it sound like. (Pics. Sini Majuri, Veikko Väänänen)

The premise of my glass design is to create objects that gain their value from the quality, design and material. My ambition has always been to create future classics. When I started to design the vase collection to Netherlands, I really wanted to capture the beauty of the glass material. I wanted the shapes to reflect serenity of the medium and to be weightless and strong at the same time.

The core of the collection is to create pieces that have soul: The vases are mouth blown and shaped by hand, signed and numbered. Each piece has unique color play inside the glass.

Sometimes a very simple object can became multi-dimensional, when you use glass medium. There is for example the visual layer of glass: how does the glass reflect, how will the colors look in different lighting. Above all there are also the historical layers of glass which comprice the origin of Finnish glass making and the rare knowledge behind the craftsmanship. It is interesting to contemplate the project from these perspectives and say once again: Quality is value!

Pic. Heidi-Hanna Karhu

On ollut kiinnostava projekti suunnitella hollantilaiselle Dutz Collectionille korkealaatuinen mallisto sisustuslasia. Yhdeksänesineinen kokonaisuus lähtee kiertämään eurooppalaisia design-messuja vuonna 2018. Suomalaisena lasimuotoilijana on ilo nähdä, kuinka Riihimäellä käsityönä valmistettua lasia viedään suurina erinä rohkeasti kaupallisille areenoille näin viestien: Laatu on arvoa!

Lasimuotoilussani lähtöajatuksena on aina ollut suunnitella esineitä, jotka kestävät aikaa: tulevaisuuden klassikoita. Harvinaislaatuisella käsityötaidolla veistetyt esineet viestivät alkuperän tärkeydestä, koska niissä käytetään puhtaita materiaaleja ja ne on suunniteltu ajatuksella materiaalin parhaita ominaisuuksia hyödyntäen, signeerattu ja numeroitu.

Kokonaisuuden teemana on luonto ja sen tunnelmat. Olen saanut suunnitteluuni inspiraation kotiseutuni vanhoista puista ja metsien äänimaisemista. Dutz Collectionin mallistossa esineet ovat massiivista, jopa veistoksellista lasia. Ne ovat muodoltaan samalla vahvoja ja keveitä. Joskus hyvin yksinkertainen muoto voi olla moniulotteinen, kun käytetään lasimateriaalia, koska lasin visuaalisuus heijastaa, peilaa ja antaa mahdollisuuden läpinäkyvyydellä leikittelyyn. Suupuhallettua lasimallistoa voi tarkastella myös suomalaisen lasinvalmistuksen historiaa vasten todeten: Laatu on arvoa!

Posted on

Design adventure in Japan

It was a great experience to exhibit my first interior design objects in Tokyo. In many ways Japan is a logical place for Glass Mountains – because mountains have a special role in local culture. They can be seen even sacred. Therefore it was easy to explain the philosophy behind the design: that each object has a soul.

 

IMG_9033
The Interior Lifestyle Tokyo design fair 2017 was held in Tokyo Big Sight that is the largest international convention venue in Japan. My glass design was a part of the Nordic Lifestyle exhibition in Scandinavian Pavilion.

The exhibition halls were beautiful and stylish. The show really was a good vantage point to Japanese design world. I noticed that most of the people spoke only Japanese so it was very important to have a expert interpreter. I was super lucky to have skilful Kanoko as my interpreter to help out!

DSC_0348
The workers attached the wall sticker on the wall. It was also very interesting to see how a large show like this was created in a fast and accurate tempo!

 

The way the huge design fair was build up was quite spectacular to watch. First the halls were full of bubble wrap, hammers, power cords and ladders when thousands of exhibiters opened up their cargo boxes. But suddenly when the clock struck six every detail was precise, wall stickers and podiums on their accurate place and the design event was ready for the opening day.

 

IMG_9037
It was great to get the glass mountains in the front page of the fair guide. It was a big help for reaching out interesting partners during the event!

P1120251
I was happy to see, how people really understood the design philosophy behind the glass mountains: how each mountain is unique and has it’s own “soul”.

IMG_9142
I was so happy to meet the ambassador of Finland and his wife. They also gave some good and cool hints for the future!

Vuoksi glasses are inspired by the melting ice. Each glass is unique like a snowflake.

 

When looking back this project has been in many ways a dream come true and all the pieces just magically clicked together. I have always wanted find ways to bring my design to the mysterious Japan. I got a great opportunity to start working together with my family company that also made it possible to start manufacturing glass mountains as a serial interior design object. It was also great to see how the local countryside fund in Suonenjoki jumped in to support our design journey. Glass mountains from a small countryside city travelled a great distance to Tokyo to find cool new opportunities! Thank you so much to Mansikka ry and Maaseuturahasto for supporting our design adventure in Japan!

Find more info from my new Facebook pages!

P1100820

 

 

Posted on

Glass Mountains

VUORI glass mountains are sophisticated interior design objects for elegant and modern spaces. Each unique peak is handcrafted in Finland with high standards. Mountains can be used as decoration objects and custom interior installations. The 2017 series is inspired by the Scottish Highlands. Textures, colors and the athmosphere of the glass pieces resonate the unparalleled scenery of the Highlands.

Glass mountains will be presented in ILT Interior Lifestyle Tokyo design fair in Nordic Lifestyle Pavillion in June 14 – 16. Come and visit the exhibition to find your own soulscape made from mouth blown glass!

作家Sini Majuri(フィンランド) フィンランドでz生まれたガラス・デザイン。 ガラスの山々からなる、たったひとつだけのノルディックな景色を創りませんか？インテリア・デザインにソウルを！ この山々は1000度の溶岩状の溶融硝子を、冷氷水の中に浸すことで造られています。

ILT interior lifestyle Tokyo

Nordic Lifestyle

West Hall 1, D-12

Sini Majuri: Vuori

June 14 – June 16

Tokyo, Japan

 

 

 

 

Posted on

Glass adventures

I’m really looking forward to the year 2017 that is actually the 100-year anniversary of Finland. Many exciting new opportunities are awaiting for example in Ohio, Japan and England. The 100 year theme has inspired me to start a new narrative on glass that is based on Finnish national epic Kalevala. It will be a surreal and dreamlike story about independence and finding one’s true self.

When looking back I find that the year 2016 has been full of glass adventures. Last summer I had my first solo exhibition in Gallery G12 in Helsinki where I exhibited a glass story about a flying boat. Even there has been many expo’s before this, it was in a way my first step as a independent glass artist. That step was important to take, because a solo show gave the glass story harmony that it needed. After this the year got really busy; I had a change to travel around and see different kind of events, shows, fairs and festivals that were concentrated on design, glass and contemporary art.

G12 was my first solo show in Helsinki. It really opened many doors!
G12 was my first solo show in Helsinki. The exhibition was about a story told on glass.

I visited abandoned castle in Scotland while exhibiting in London. It is one of the places that inspired me to create a new story on glass that mixes up memories and places into fairytale scenes that follow dream logic.
I visited abandoned castle in Scotland while exhibiting in London. It is one of the places that inspired me to create a new story on glass that mixes up memories and places into fairytale scenes that follow dream logic.

Every exhibition in 2016 has been memorable: For example in Glasrijk Tubbergen it was delightful to see a small Dutch town full of modern glass. Art from multiple European masters were exhibited all around the town; in glass houses in the middle of the town square to magical illuminated glass forests. I travelled to Tubbergen with my fellow glass artists Marja Hepo-aho and Kari Alakoski. In November our group also had a great opportunity to show our art in beautiful Galerie De Lintelo, in Haaksbergen.

Many of the events I have taken part have been about contemporary art. This is why it was really refreshing to visit also Tendence fair in Frankfurt and immerse in a world of design. At the moment I’m concentrating on developing further some of my design objects, for example Polar Night-lamp. It would be cool to have a small lamp series in the future. Let’s see how it goes!

 

Open-air glass exhibition in Glasrijk tubbergen had a magical athmosphere.
Open-air glass exhibition in Glasrijk tubbergen had a magical athmosphere.

Our group had lots of fun demonstrating in Leerdam.

I'm hoping to create new versions from my lamps.
I’m hoping to create new versions of my lamps. Something simple and predigested.

During the X-mas holidays I have had many surprises in my letterbox: Design magazines that I have given interviews have travelled to my breakfast table from UK, Spain and Netherlands. It is always exiting to talk with writers, because it is a change to really stop and think about all the things behind the art. The most peculiar interview lately have been in Finnish Karjala magazine, where I was asked to tell about my family heritage and how my roots have influenced my creativity. Because of the interview I realised that so many of my dearest artistic themes springs from the old believes, stories and dreams that are told by my family. They are in a way distant echoes of the past. This interview gave me many ideas for the Kalevala-story that I’m working with at the moment. It was also great fun to give a very extensive interview to Huff Magazine from UK that opened my eyes on what my art is all about: dreams that are like puzzles and poems: Build up piece by piece – layer by layer. What is hidden, is the most important.

It was great to see the Foezzz Magazine with a great article about our group in Tubbergen. It was also fun to find glass story sculptures on the front page. So nice! It’s surprisingly easy to read Dutch without any language skills and also interesting to see all the dutch glass design on the magazine.

 

Posted on

European Glass Festival 2016

European Glass Festival 2016 will take place in Wrocław, the European Capital of Culture 2016. I will participate in Dr Jekyll and Mrs Hyde, the main exhibition of event that will also tour in Łódź, Legnica and Kraków.

Robert Louis Stevensons novella: Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1886) has been the starting point of my creative process that has been an examination of the inner struggle between good and evil inside of human mind. I wanted to capture the duality of human nature inside the glass: feminine and masculine, human and animal, barbarian and civilized. The main idea behind the pieces was also to create a sanctuary for broken minds where a mind can be shattered, but also complete in the same time.

 

 

Dr Jekyll and Mrs Hyde – Festival Main Exhibition

Wrocław Główny Station – 17.10.2016 – 10.11.2016  – Session Room
Łódź –17.11.2016 – 10.12.2016 – Municipal Art Gallery – Re:Medium Gallery – ul. Piotrkowska
Legnica –16.12.2016 – 29.01.2017 – RING Gallery in Legnica 
Kraków – 07.02.2017 – 31.03.2017 – BB Gallery

Posted on

GLASRIJK TUBBERGEN 2016

Our team of glass artists are representing Finland in Glasrijk Tubbergen and exhibiting glass that is made in never before seen ways. In the glass blowing demonstrations we are also demonstrating rare Scandinavian glass blowing techniques. Our group is hoping to build long lasting cooperation between Finland and Netherlands. Therefore we are visiting local museums, galleries, companies and artists around the country. Welcome to see the exhibition and our cool demostrations!

Sini Majuri is combining 100-years old graal technique with modern 3D design creating 3 to 6 layered images inside glass. Her works are cartoon stories inside glass and exhibited in 30 international exhibitions around the world, for example in London, Toronto, Leerdam and New York.  The optical illusions of the glass material make her works surreal and dreamlike.

Marja Hepo-aho mixes hot glass with natural stone, combining these two elements into one. Her innovative approach to the medium push the limits of the art and functional glass bringing the unique handcraft to everyday use. Water is an important element in her works as she explores moving, frozen and raining water in her sculptures.

Kari Alakoski is a glass artist who was born near a glass factory of Iittala in 1956. The glass art has been part of his life ever since his childhood. He has blown Pro Arte products like Tapio Wirkkalas’ Kanttarelli and Timo Sarpanevas’ Orkidea as well as done also special series of Aalto-vases. The artistic nature of Kari Alakoski is described as experimental. His every work has something which breaks the conventional and makes it personal. Alakoski does his work often freely blown.

More info in Glass Is More Magazine.

 

Glass blowing demostration in Leerdam Blazerij

Thursday 29 September

15.00 – 17.00 PM

Zuidwal in het centrum van Leerdam

4141 BE Leerdam

 

 

Glass blowing demonstration 1 Tubbergen

Friday 30 September

13.00 – 15.30 PM

 

Glass blowing demonstration 2 Tubbergen

Saturday 1 October

13.00 – 15.30 PM

 

Glasrijk Tubbergen 2016

28.9 – 2.10.2016

Raadhuisplein 4, Tubbergen

The Netherlands