Tapio Wirkkala
Tapio Veli Ilmari Wirkkala (1915 – 1985). A titan of Finnish design, Tapio Wirkkala was a man of the forest who could shape everything from banknotes to world-class glass. Trained as a sculptor, he famously used a simple puukko knife to carve the wooden prototypes that inspired his glass masterpieces. His work is a love letter to the Finnish landscape—most iconically captured in the Kantarelli (Chanterelle) vase and the ice-like texture of Ultima Thule glassware. Wirkkala’s genius lay in his ability to capture the raw, untamed beauty of nature and refine it into timeless, sophisticated art.