“Back to the Present”: the way forward for Finnish product design

The Design Museum in Helsinki hosts “Back to the Present”, an exhibition by Swedish curator duo Daniel Golling and Gust Kjellin which explores the history of Finnish product design and is aimed at inspiring a new golden age of one of the main design-driven countries in the world.

Known for their Summit initiative, both a publishing house and a critically acclaimed podcast that has grown into a leading provider of insights into the world of architecture and design, Golling and Kjellin claim that Finnish designers are no longer pioneers in the field, for their approach seems to be suffering from a sort of stagnation. In their opinion, contemporary Finnish design relies too much on the past and lacks the willpower to renew itself: indeed, iconic design products from the past such as the almost 80-year-old Artek’s Stool 60 (1933) and Iittala’s Aalto vase (1936) both by Alvar Aalto still represent Finnish design for many of us, thus creating the impression of a recurring trip down memory lane driven by nostalgia.

In their exhibition, Golling and Kjellin present a collection of the most beloved Finnish design classics by renowned brands including Artek, Iittala, Snowcrash, and the One Nordic Furniture Company to challenge Finnish designers to think creatively. According to them, the winning formula for innovative design consists of creating unique combinations by merging international trends and impulses with domestic materials and design skills, without forgetting the positive effects of a solid, synergistic cooperation between designers and companies.