Infinity Vessel boldly steps onto the catwalk at New York Fashion Week on September 2023. The Flying Solo fashion show, which is held annually on the roof top surrounded by skyscrapers, gathers a global coverage of current fashion. Infinity vessel is exhibiting an eight-piece collection of wearable glass sculptures, such as crowns that explore femininity and the state of society. Glass crowns can be made-to-order from the master craftsmen of the Infinity Vessel project.
The Flying Solo show is one of the most cutting-edge fashion events during New York Fashion Week presenting a wide array of womenswear, menswear and accessories. Every season, Flying Solo discovers new talented independent designers from across the globe. The show has been featured in Fashionista, The New York Times, The Huffington Post, Vogue, Marie Claire, Nylon, and Harper’s Bazaar.
Glass crowns exshibited in the NY Fashion Week Flying Solo catwalk show are handmade in FinlandScandinavian design crowns are made-to-measure pieces
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.
Mira Ollila dances with a Boston Dynamics Spot in the Roboballet
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.
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 theInfinity 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.
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 theInfinity Vesselproduction 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 VahdersaloThe 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.
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.
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 2022The 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 2022Glass 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
FRESH Contemporary glass from Finland exhibition was held in Bel Air Fine Art gallery, in Dorsoduro, during the Venice Glass Week 2021. The FRESH project aims to crystalize what Finnish glass is today. This was my third time at the event. In the previous
Epic voyage. This expression comes across often, when people describe FRESH Finland’s Venice Glass Week project to us. And it truly was a memorable journey indeed. I started FRESH Finland last winter because I hoped to open a dialogue, locally and globally, between glass people. I believe that it’s meaningful for independent artists to work together in a real, concrete way. Especially in the midst of the pandemics it’s time to start fresh.
The exhibition travelled to Venice by a van. Olli from Fixupaku drove the glass all the way from Helsinki. The Fresh Finland exhibition was loaded on a boat and sailed across the busy canals! Transporting art requires special knowhow and planning.The exhibition for the glass week gathered eight glass artists together. Each of the group has a unique expression. The project also represented four Finnish glass studios, that create high quality sculptural glass: Mafka&Alakoski, Lasismi, Lasikomppania and Hytti. In the picture there are my artworks that express, how our own perspective alters the way we look at a person. Behind there are artworks by Helmi Remes, Anna Schroderus and Marja Hepo-aho.Camilla Moberg setting up the Messengers in Glass artworks.
The exhibition was held in Bel Air Fine Art. Choosing an international contemporary art gallery as the space was a conscious choice, a statement for the relationship between blown glass and contemporary art. It’s important to see studio made, sculptural pieces in this sort of location and international events. The aim of the project is to create collaborations that last. I must say that focal point of the FRESH Finland is in the future.
It is a great honor to have glass demo’s in Berengo studio. The piece by Sini Majuri and Marja Hepo-aho is now also part of the Berengo Studio’s collection.
FRESH had multiple glass demo’s in Murano: in Berengo Glass Studio as well as in Wave Murano Glass. It was truly touching how people in the studios warmly welcomed our Finnish group and took such good care of us! Blown glass is a living heritage that is in a state of constant reinvention. Therefore demo’s are a way to open the hidden world behind the art. It is also a human way to communicate with glass makers and studios. All the demo’s and lectures were live-streamed via Instagram. While having an adventure in Murano, we were delighted to also visit Museo del Vetro.
Glass blowing demonstrations in Berengo Studio were communicated via Instagram live shows. The demo’s can now be seen from FRESH Finland’s IGTV. Unique sculpture by Sini Majuri and Marja Hepo-aho is now in the Museo del Vetro’s collection. The most important part of the project is the actual, face to face communication and future planning. The sculpture was created in the Venice Glass Week live held in Riihimäki before the journey to Venice.
FRESH Finland’s core is in the collaboration. In The Venice Glass Week there were both artists with decades of experience as well as professionals that just recently have started their career; in total eight artists that each have their unique recognizable style and expression. It is meaningful to be able to work together in this rare way. It is interesting to see what the future holds! At the moment the FRESH group is starting to plan exhibitions and continuing the philosophy of the project; working together, thinking fresh, expressign fresh.
Paula Pääkkönen created a sculpture in Berengo Studio.The glass demo’s are the soul of the project, because in the studio, the glass is alive. Marja Hepo-aho, Paula Pääkkönen and Sini Majuri hosted multiple demo’s in the studios in Murano. It is a rare opportunity to connect in this special way – and to be welcomed in these magical places that are often hidden from the public.There are eight glass artists in the first FRESH Finland exhibition: Sini Majuri, Marja Hepo-aho, Anu Penttinen, Anna Schroderus, Camilla Moberg, Paula Pääkkönen. Helmi Remes, Anna-Kaisa Kukkonen-Madi. In the picture the group celebrates the opening gala of the Glass Week. It was delightful also meet Laura from A’Design Award and receiwe the winner book from my designs. It’s interesting to open a discussion about the role of the studio glass in international Design Awards. We should definitely see it as a category.My work Technicolor mixes blown glass and fish skin. It expresses femininity in classic movies. It is also a combination of three rare craftsmanships: blacksmith, cobbler and a glass blower works.During the Venice Glass Week was a great honor to also take part into discussion panel about Future innovations about glass art. You can see the panel from glass weeks youtube channel. Sini Majuri’s works were also in the Venice Glass Week HUB exhibition in Palazzo Loredan.
I‘m overwhelmed and thankful for being awarded with four A’Design Awards from Italy! The Bumpy vase that I designed for DutZ Collection won a Silver award. Flow and Icy collections that were both blown at the wonderful Mafka&Alakoski glass studio in Riihimäki also got Silver awards. What a silver lining for this strange year, indeed! And the Cassiopeia Sculpture that was exhibited in Venice Glass Week HUB got a Bronze award.
Thank you for my great team for all the support over the years, and thank you DutZ for the delightful design project again! It’s always so lovely to work together, making designs that are more than just mere interior objects. The studio made glass has such a unique charisma and soul that I wish that I manage to reflect in my design.
Sini Majuri designs a collection of glass vessels for DutZ Collection. Bumpy vases are created in blue, gold and grey color. The collection is awarded with a Silver A’Design Award from Italy in 2021.
Collection plays with contrasts. High quality meet rough glass shards that look as ornaments when placed on the rim of the vessel. Calm Scandinavian color palette brings harmony to the studio made vases that are inspired by the textures of melting ice. The concept of the design is to flirt with organic shapes and poetic glass medium.
The collection is inspired by the melting ice. The icy texture in every vessel has it’s special charisma. The shape of the vessel is oval. Every piece is mouth blown and shaped by hand.
Bumpy vases are mouth blown and shaped by hand.
Bumpy vase finds its place on the windowsill, side table or as a gorgeous centre-piece on the dining table. This model is suitable for just one flower branch, but it is also beautiful with nothing at all in it. Unique Bumpy vase fits well in every interior.
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. Every piece is an unique artwork.
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.
Contemporary Glass 
You must be logged in to post a comment.