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The show is produced by EMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern Art, in collaboration with the Tapio Wirkkala Rut Bryk Foundation and Japanese company Blue Sheep. The retrospective traces Wirkkala’s design philosophy through objects created in glass, silver, wood, and plywood. Works include pieces for Iittala, Venini, Kultakeskus and Rosenthal.
His iconic Ultima Thule glassware line, launched in 1968, features prominently, alongside a special installation of nearly 400 glasses created in partnership with Iittala. The exhibition’s title refers to Wirkkala’s 1967 Ultima Thule sculpture and evokes the mythical northern landscapes that inspired much of his work. A short film produced by EMMA highlighting this piece also accompanies the exhibition.
“Hundreds of thousands of museum visitors have admired Tapio Wirkkala’s incredibly diverse body of work at EMMA. We are proud to now bring it to Japanese audiences in collaboration with our esteemed partners,” said Pilvi Kalhama , EMMA’s Director. Though best known internationally for his glass designs, Wirkkala’s work spanned multiple disciplines.
He played a central role in Finland’s design breakthrough in the 1950s, bridging craftsmanship with industrial design and everyday utility with sculptural form. Much of the exhibition is drawn from the Tapio Wirkkala Rut Bryk Foundation Collection, which is housed at EMMA in Espoo. It also includes loans from Collection Kakkonen, a major Finnish private collection of modern glass and ceramics.
Following its Tokyo opening, the exhibition will continue to Itami City Museum of Art, History and Culture from 1 August, and to the Museum of Modern Ceramic Art in Gifu from 25 October 2025. It runs until January 2026. Two Japanese-language publications have been released to accompany the exhibition.
HT.
