lasi – Contemporary Glass

02/01/202330/01/2023

ROBOBALLET in Helsinki

When a machine looks back at us, what does it see? Join us on February 1 – 2.2023 at the Suomenlinna sea Fortress in Helsinki to see how dance artist Mira Ollila interprets the shades of humanity while dancing with Boston Dynamics Spot robot. Roboballet is a new chapter in the Infinity Vessel series by glass artists Sini Majuri and Marja Hepo-aho, where contemporary glass is intertwined with dance and technology. THE ROBOBALLET SHOWS ARE FULL.

Dive into the interactive hologram piece and sculpture exhibition which will spread out in Tenalji von Fersen hall. Exhibition will be open for two days: February 1 – 2. The intensive ten minute dance performances are held at regular intervals. The exhibition and show are open and free to the public.

The ballet’s music is composed by Petri Pulkkinen and Janne Jääskö the holoprojections and interactive art of the work are produced by Craneworks Oy. The choreocraphy of the dance is by Heidi Lehtoranta and Mira Ollila. Robotics has been implemented in collaboration with Aalto University’s robotics department.

THE ROBOBALLET SHOWS ARE FULL.

The exhibition space is located on the upper floor, which is accessed by stairs. Those who need a lift are asked to register in advance so that we can arrange staff to help.

In Finnish

Kun robotti katsoo meitä, mitä se näkee? Tanssitaiteilija Mira Ollila tulkitsee ihmisyyden sävyjä tanssiessaan Aalto Yliopiston robotiikan laitoksen ohjelmoiman Spot-robotin kanssa. Teos on osa lasitaiteilija Sini Majurin ja Marja Hepo-ahon Infinity Vessel-kokonaisuutta, jossa klassiset taiteen alat sekoittuvat nykyteknologiaan. Interaktiivisen teoksen musiikin ovat säveltäneet Petri Pulkkinen ja Janne Jääskö. Teoksessa laulaa Hanna Wendelin. Craneworks Oy vastaa kokonaisuuden holoprojisiosta.

Tanssiteos kestää 10 minuuttia (järjestetään tasatunnein) ja on osa Tenalji von Fersenin saliin levittäytyvää veistosnäyttelyä, jossa hologrammi taide yhdistyy klassiseen lasiin ja ihmisten ilmeisiin keinoälyn välityksellä reagoivaa musiikkimaisemaa.

Esteettömyys: Näyttely sijaitsee Tenalji Von Fersenin salissa, jonne on käynti portaita myöten. Hissiä tarvitservia pyydetään ilmoittautumaan etukäteen, jotta voimme ohjeistaa rakennuksen sivustalla sijaitsevan hissin käytössä.

roboballet finland helsinki — Roboballet has two event days in Helsinki Finland

Schedule

Dance Show

February 1. 2023 FULL

17.00, 18.00 and 19.00 PM

February 2. 2023 FULL

15.00, 16.00, 17.00 and 18.00 PM

Exhibition

February 1. 2023

15.00 PM – 20:00 PM

February 2. 2023

15.00 PM – 19:00 PM

25/11/202225/11/2022

Infinity Vessel productions in Venice

Communication installation by glass artists Sini Majuri and Marja Hepo-aho was exhibited at The Italian Glass Week’s HUB exhibition arranged in the Palazzo Loredan in Venice on 17 – 25 September 2022. The exhibition consisted of design objects by Majuri and Hepo-aho. The deeper message of the installation was to evoke discussion about the state of the contemporary glass and the artist’s responsibility as a reflector of time. The HUB installation is connected to Infinity Vessel production which was not accepted in the glass week’s program. How ever the rejected project mirroring the state of the society was welcomed to the Berengo Studio in Murano. Read an article about the exhibition at Savon Sanomat Newspaper.

In Finnish mythology and culture a swamp has a strong meaning. It is an intermediate space between water and earth, the present and the hereafter. It is where unwanted babies and misfits of the society were drowned to. In the Communication production the swamp represents the taboos of the society as well as glass field. Photo: Juha-Matti Vahdersalo

Artists gave a lecture in the Hotel Saturnia to open the unique challenges and characteristics of the field from the perspective of Finnish and international glass. Glass artists are often asked to exhibit safe, beautiful, Scandinavian objects – as the contemporary glass, which deals with society’s taboos, is in a challenging situation in front of financiers and industry institutions. These actors define the field and what kind of art is accepted.

The images by photographer Juha-Matti Vahdersalo mirror the theme of the Communication and Infinity Vessel productions – how artist must take the responsibility to highlight the taboos of the time. Scandinavian design objects rise up from the swamp – as the topics that are not to be talked about. The United Nations International Year of Glass 2022 has a significant meaning, as the endangered craftmanship is also being arranged to the Unesco’s World heritage listing.

*Paradox – Noa Milo* is a part of the Infinity Vessel project exhibited in Murano. Glass vessel can be seen as a womb, a surface between an individual and the society. Fetus is the potential and hope sheltered by the insubstantial skin. Artists are using ornaments from Finnish and Ukrainian tradition. Golden hand painted pine needle is a symbol of bravery as the serpent is a protecting element. Bronze cast: Arto Hyyryläinen. Glass blower: Kari Alakoski. Photographer: Francesco Barasciutti, Venice 2022

The Communication project is connected to the Infinity Vessel production that opened in Berengo Studio in September 17th 2022 – outside the official glass week program. The triptych with an exhibition, show and a treasure hunt combine glass with multiple innovative technologies. Augmented reality and holographic art are mixed with glass that reflects the lovelessess in society; what happens to an individual when humanity and emotions are disconnected from the surrounding community. The project started when the artists decided to comment on the War in Ukraine, pandemics as well as the women’s rights.

The live glass blowing show in Berengo Studio had Teemu Nurmelin from Finnish National Theater as the visual designer. The starting point of the show is to contemplate the glassblowing demo as its own unrecognized art form. In the article of Savon Sanomat newspaper it is written, that “the experience of the glass show turned out to be powerful on many levels. A strong sense of trust was created between the audience and the artists when the hot glass mass revealed the details of the work as part of the storytelling. Some of the audience wanted to share their feelings after the show, some even cried”.

The Infinity Vessel project has more than 20 professional from different fields of technology and art in the production team. The holographic projection is by Craneworks Oy. The Infinity Vessel production is supported by Asko Foundation.

The third part of the triptych, a hunt of valuable glass artifacts hidden through the city of Venice and Murano island as a real life adventure. Visitors were encouraged to seek out sculptures and discuss the topics of the project on social media. In the treasure hunt, artists wanted to shake off the stigma of elitism from glass art, so they offered thousands of euros worth of unique glass to the public on the principle of “the finder gets to keep”.

Infinity Vessel contemporary art project pushes the limits of the ancient art of glass. A documentary about the birth and reception of the Infinity Vessel is also being made, directed by Ditte Uljas. The project is part of Corning Museum of Glass’s collection in New York.

The next Infinity Vessel show will be arranged in Detroit 2023 as the movie will be premiered in the Glass Art Society’s annual conference. The Noa Milo sculpture is also exhibited at Art Miami at the Berengo Studio’s booth in November 2022.

16/08/2022

Design Helsinki

Welcome to Design Helsinki! Sini Majuri will exhibit at the International Design Pavilion at Kasarmitori, Helsinki. During the two day event 24 – 25.8 you can meet Sini at the booth B17 and see her latest collections of contemporary glass! Join the show and get your entry ticket from here.

Sini Majuri will exhibit her award winning collections of glass, for example the Pikku vase made in Suomenlinna, Helsinki.

With expansive global reach spanning architects, interior designers, dealers, retailers, specifiers and more, Design Helsinki will be Media 10’s first Nordic event and will showcase leading Finnish and international interiors brands presented in a series of showroom events, exhibitions and specially commissioned installations around the city centre. Taking place 24-25 August, Design Helsinki will highlight the profound influence that Scandinavian design and its commitment to sustainability has on the architecture and design industries.

Featuring an unmissable programme for design, the two-day festival will bring the area to life with festivities to match. Immersive installations will line the streets, a curated exhibition will showcase the latest contemporary design products, delectable food and drink partners will offer a variety of discounts and deals, topical talks will highlight the industry’s most pressing issues within the city’s famed Design Museum and much more. The event will celebrate the area’s local design showrooms who will welcome architects, designers, dealers, retailers and more through their doors with a jam packed programme of events.

Design Helsinki will be a fun-filled design festival consisting of 1 international pavilion featuring 40+ leading brands, 40+ resident design showrooms, engaging installations, topical talks with leading creatives, hundreds of programmed events and tantalising deals across Helsinki’s restaurants and bars.

17/05/202203/06/2022

Summer Collections

I’m delighted to receive four design awards from the international A’Design Awards! The summer 2022 collections Pikku, Purnu and Orinnoro as well as Suonenjoki vase designed for the city of Suonenjoki were awarded. It is especially meaningful that studio made glass is represented and appreciated in these sort of design forums in the United Nations International Year of Glass 2022. Furthermore it is great to launch these new collections with such a positive starting point as I have started new collaboration with Momono Design Store in Helsinki! If you are visiting Helsinki, you can find Momono from Yrjönkatu, near Design Museum. I have also started to collaborate with Taiko. You can visit my online gallery from here. It has also been a great honor to be chosen into international Homo Faber guide. You can find my site from here.

One of the most memorable projects have been an interview by Isabel Laine for her Bachelor thesis (Suomalainen lasitaide nykytaiteena. Esimerkkinä Sini Majurin nykylasi) for the University of Turku. The thesis is about the relationship of contemporary glass and contemporary art.

This summer I wanted to create something cute and small. Pikku is my first mini size vase and it is studio made in Suomenlinna island. Vases are inspired by soap bubbles and romantic movies. The philosophy of the Pikku is that the small details in our life are precious. In the hectic world it is important to pay attention to a single flower. Vase won a bronze award and was also noted in Avotakka magazine May issue. The vases can be found from Momono as well as from my studio.

Purnu jar is also something rather flirty, pink and smaller than my usual objects. As a designer I usually prefer using quite voluminous glass, which is still present on the thick bottom of the Purnu jar. Actually 20 cm tall Purnu is a miniature version of Orinnoro jar that is a 65 cm tall. The collection is inspired by marshmallows and pop culture. The design philosophy of the object is to reflect the Northern aesthetics with playful colors and simplified shape. Both Orinnoro and Purnu won Bronze and are created in Riihimäki, Finland at Mafka&Alakoski glass studio. Suonenjoki vase was designed for my home town, Suonenjoki. Therefore it was truly touching to also win an award from the vase.

This spring I have also been designing a new sort of project for the Finnish Craft & Design fair: an unique art piece for the event to use as their theme object. You can find the entire interview about the project from the link. The sculpture was made with traditional graal glass blowing technique and the theme of the piece is The Future. The idea of the sculpture is that one must see up close to see far too. When you look inside an object, you first look through lace, as if through a human craft tradition, inside a cell and into humanity. Hands support the future. At the same time, glass is eternal but fragile. Delicate and strong. It’s kind of a paradox.

The craft fair will be held in Tampere. Finland.

03/06/202123/08/2021

Exhibition in Suonenjoki

My exhibition Etiäinen reflects the beliefs and customs related to visiting traditions in Northern Savonia, mixing these with the pandemic experience. The dreamlike works are created from mouth-blown glass in Riihimäki, Suomenlinna and Nuutajärvi. Etiäinen, which premieres in the Kellarikalleria art gallery in Suonenjoki, is supported by the Finnish Cultural Foundation. Join the Virtual 360 exhibition by Rautalampilehti from here.

Cell-series. Join the **virtual exhibition** by clicking the image above. Pic by: Markku Leskinen, Rautalampilehti

Orinnoro series. Pic: Tuire Punkki, Savon Sanomat. Click the image above to read the entire article from the Savon Sanomat newspaper.

The exhibition also highlights the cooperation in the field of Finnish studio made glass. I have worked with Kari Alakoski and Marja Hepo-aho from Riihimäki for years now. They specialize in the creation of massive sculptural glass. For example the voluminous Cell and Orinnoro series are blown by these master glass blowers. The Miekkavesi sculpture also has a special mixture of two very different mediums: fish skin and blown glass. Designer and cobbler Tytti Porvari from Mikkeli has made a fish skin belt for the glass sculpture. There are also multiple layered graal sculptures blown by me in Lasistudio Hytti ry, in Suomenlinna island. The exhibition venue, Kellarikalleria also has a special role in my journey as an artist. It is the very firs place I have seen art as a child.

The Mayor of the town of Suonenjoki, *Juha Piiroinen* opened the exhibition in Kellarikalleria gallery. Pic by Olli Kokander.

*Tytti Porvari* finishing the Miekkavesi sculpture that combines blown glass and fish skin belt. Pic by Jari Ikonen

See a **video** from the exhibition by YLE by clicking the image above. Pic: Marianne Mattila, YLE

I have collected material for the exhibition through newspaper ads as well as local social media, asking what sort of customs people have in their family. For example, coffee drinking has a rich tradition. It is very precise which cup is offered to the guest or how when after the invitation it is appropriate to go to the coffee table. Also, if the spoon, a knife or a fork falls to the floor it can predict weddings, male or female guests.

In some families, Grandma knew to make coffee before the guests arrived because she had Etiäinen. The footsteps walked inside and sat in the living room for coffee. The quest soon walked in. Etiäinen, the name of the exhibition means an impression of a person, that walks before us, doing everything we are about to do before us. It’s in a way a living shadow of a person.

One important story in the exhibition is by a 17 years old woman that was planning a small wedding party with her sister during the first months of the Pandemic. She wondered if soap bubbles can spread the virus; How something innocent and beautiful can become frightening. This theme is mirrored in the Cell-sculptures of the exhibition.

Kahvi-sculpture mirrors the coffee drinking traditions, etiäinen-omens and pandemic experience as a dream like scene. Pic: Tuire Punkki, Savon Sanomat. Read the article from the link

The exhibition is open in Kellarikalleria, Suonenjoki 2 – 24.6.2021. After this it will continue to Gumbostrand Konst&Form in Sipoo and Art Museum Eemil in Lapinlahti.

04/02/202111/03/2021

Flow collection brings 3D perspective into abstract brush strokes

The Flow edition gains inspiration from the elegance of the movement of liquid glass that is frozen into a stasis that is fragile yet forever. The rhythm of the glass making process ensures that every vessel has unique splashes of color that mimic the dance of brush strokes of abstract impression. Every vase has their own breath. It’s a methaphor for a soul of a piece that makes it more than mere interior object. Flow is a 3th edition of Sini Majuri’s Jungle series that has been awarded with a Golden and Silver A’Design Award.

The Flow is a 3th edition of Sini Majuri’s Jungle Collection. Every vase has it’s own color play inside a thick glass.

Every vessel is studio made in Finland and shaped by hand.

Flow collection mixes Scandinavian cool with capricious Finnish glass blowing techniques that allow color flow freely within the glass layers. Collection has three shapes and the design is available in green, blue and purple. Studio made vases are signed by hand and numbered.

A simplified shape can become multi-dimensional in glass medium; There is the visual layer of glass: how does the glass reflect, how will the colors look in different light. Above all there are also the historical layers of glass, the origin of Finnish glass making and the rare knowledge behind the craftsmanship.

Inquiries of the Flow Collection via email. Manufacturing time of orders with more than 10 objects is 2 weeks. For international orders, please ask for a quote with shipping fee.

Flow Collection is made in wide (20 cm tall), small (9 cm tall) and tall (23 cm tall) shape.

The process of the Flow Collection ensures that every vase has a unique color play inside the hand shaped glass. Made in Mafka&Alakoski studio, Riihimäki, Finland.

26/08/202022/09/2020

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.

17/06/202024/06/2020

Icy glasses by Sini Majuri

The new edition of drinking glasses by Sini Majuri are inspired by Nordic nature.
Each Icy glass has it’s own breath and charisma because the movement of the ckracking ice is frozen inside the glass during the glass blowing process. The combination of smooth and cracked surface flirts with light and shadow. The design project is supported by Taike, the Arts Promotion Centre Finland.

The Icy glasses are perfect for serving chilled drinks and cocktails. Studio made drinking vessels are expertly handcrafted in Finland. Each mouth blown object has unique icy surface texture and is signed by hand. The design philosophy behind Icy series is to create elegant, timeless and durable everyday objects. The glasses gain their value from their high quality and design.

*Icy* glass collection studies old glass blowing tech with Norden mood. Each piece has a unique broken surface that mimics melting and frosted texture of ice. The technique used is called crackle and it was developed in Venice in 16th century.

Icy glasses are inspired by the atmosphere in Lapland.

The designer tumbler with Scandinavian aesthetics offer a satisfyingly weighty feel in the hand. The moment when a unique Icy glass is used is special. When light is gleaming trough the glass with icy texture, the shadow looks like moving water.

210_juomalasi — Icy glasses are studio made in Finland. Glasses are signed by hand.

123_juomalasi — Purple color edition of Icy glass has a soft color hue that highlights the unique surface texture.

Dimensions: 8 Ø x 10 H cm
Available in clear and purple colour.
Made in Riihimäki, Finland.

19/01/202022/10/2020

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.

21/11/201913/01/2020

Dreams exhibition opens in Gallery Pictor

H.E. Gabriele Altana, the ambassador of Italy in Finland opened the Dreams exhibition in Gallery Pictor, where my glass is exhibited together with the ceramic art of Heini Riitahuhta.

It was a fun coincidence that Italy has been an important part of my year. There was a golden award from Italian A’Design Award and invitation to Venice glass Week. In 2020 I’ll also exhibit some new works in Milan Design Week. So maybe fate is trying to get me to stay in Italy.

The beautiful gallery space used to be a fire station and they still had the original fire truck door and large windows. It was great to meet many friendly people at the event and open the stories behind the glass sculptures.

Roller coaster sculpture was blown in Riihimäki. There is intensive dark blue color behind the soda bubbles. When the sculpture is illuminated from the right angle, the shadow has a surprising hue. The sculpture is solid glass.

Earlier version of the icebergs was also exhibited in Venice. Glacier is a icy landscape that mirrors the nordic mood.

Hedge Maze graal piece has multiple image layers with lots of hidden details. On the reverse side, the images are dark blue, like a shadows of a forest.

Thank you all for the fun opening! The exhibition is open till 7.12.2019. So there is still time to visit and dream along!