In “Colors of Venice,” we witness many alluring colored vases, dishes, bottles, and other objects. Wirkkala was first invited to the Venini Glassworks facility in Murano, Venice in 1965, which was a rare move for Italians who were dedicated to their own glassmaking tradition. The designer was immensely captivated by Venetian craft that he frequented the island and won three Grand Prize awards at the Milan Triennale. The Bolle (1967) bottle, meaning “bubbles,” was created with “incalmo” Italian glassblowing technique, which combines two or more pieces of blown glass in different colors, but of the same diameter. The fuchsia, gold and green color combination is truly spectacular.

Tapio Wirkkala, Bolle, 1967, Tapio Wirkkala Rut Bryk Foundation Collection / EMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern Art. © Ari Karttunen / EMMA

Finally, we arrive at the shimmering display of, perhaps, Wirkkala’s most outstanding creation, Ultima Thule, both in plywood relief (1967) and glasswork (1968). The relief (shown in the exhibition as a sketch) was presented during the Expo ’67 in Montreal, and visualizes the running stream in Lapland’s wilderness. The glasswork, consisting of plates, bowls and glasses emanates melting ice commonly found in Lapland. The surface patterns are pressed against the mold, and perfectly camouflage the unevenness of the glass itself, producing an organic texture. Each piece is still personally handcrafted in Iittala’s glass factory, offering excellent detailed quality of Finnish design production. “Ultima Thule” indicates the northernmost region of the world, from which Wirkkala envisioned the transformation of changing nature. The collection became synonymous to the tableware being used in Finnair’s US-outbound flights from 1969 till today.

Tapio Wirkkala, Ultima Thule, 1968, Tapio Wirkkala Rut Bryk Foundation Collection / EMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern Art. © Ari Karttunen / EMMA

Also on show are a few of ceramic artist Rut Bryk’s works. Bryn was married to Wirkkala for 31 years until her husband’s death in 1976. The Tapio Wirkkala Rut Bryk Foundation was registered in 2003, and continues to disseminate the vigorous spirit of Scandinavian artistry among students and professionals.

Tapio Wirkkala — The Sculptor of Ultima Thule
Date: April 5th – June 15th, 2025
Opening Hours: 10:00 – 18:00 (Fridays till 20:00)
Closed on Mondays (except May 5th, June 9th)
Place: Tokyo Station Gallery
Address: 1-9-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Tel: +81 (0)3 3212 2485
https://www.ejrcf.or.jp/gallery/