Glass design and production in Sweden stretches back more than 300 years. A fascinating tale of how people, nature and technology came to interact in the effort to achieve the perfect result: light, heavy, clear, colorful, reflective, opaque or sheer glass. It’s a story of how the simplest ingredients – lime, sand and soda – along with innovative craftsmanship, endless creativity, courage and determination established Swedish design as a global reference.
At first this exhibition may come across as yet another showpiece of the past. In fact it is quite the opposite.
While the two brands Orrefors and Kosta Boda date back centuries, their craft has always been future-facing. First as a basic aim to make glass last longer and reach higher quality, then graduating to increasingly progressive ambitions. Always striving to develop better techniques, create bolder expressions, taking design further. Over time, the glassworks have built long-standing traditions around every facet of glass mastery – yet their most central tradition has been to keep evolving.
This constant renewal has been a key driving force in making the Kingdom of Crystal a breeding ground for new creative talent and repeatedly placing Sweden at the forefront of glass design.
Let’s call it a proud history of new designs. Here we have gathered a selection of the very best from Orrefors and Kosta Boda, respectively. The exhibition covers carefully chosen classics, quite a few contemporary favorites – and some pointing out possible directions for tomorrow.
You’re most welcome to take a closer look.
