Arabesque From the Movements of Glass

Arabesque is an exhibition presenting for the first time works by designer Renáta Jakowleff that have been created with the aid of a new innovation in glass. The movements of molten glass and the seemingly independent ability of the material to create forms and structures have always interested Jakowleff. Most of the works are based on experiments with movement in molten glass and the representation of movement.

Since 2006 Renáta Jakowleff has studied a glassmaking technique that she has developed and which she calls profile working. She has received financial support for the project from the National Council for Design. "In my innovation, cast hot glass is moved vertically with metal mould profiles until the flowing wall of glass solidifies into shape from contact with the air. This avoids the unfortunate marks left by contacts with the mould, thus making the material thin and clear like blown glass," says designer Renáta Jakowleff.

Making glass with metal profiles permits a completely new language of form and new decoration. In principle, the profiles that are used can be of any shape at all, and the glass will reproduce the chosen section. Along with the Arabesque collection, made with Jakowleff's own method, the showing at Design Forum will also present two collections of interior decoration objects by her, the Iiris and Slumped Diamond objects made by blowing and casting, which also contain small technical insights of form.

Born in Budapest in 1974, Renáta Jakowleff lives and works in Helsinki. She graduated as Master of Arts in 2005 from the School of Design of the University of Art and Design Helsinki. She has actively taken part in group exhibitions in Finland and abroad, including the joint showing of the Norsu Gallery at Sofa Expo in Chicago in 2007, the international Coburger Glaspreis exhibition of competition works in Coburg, Germany in 2006, and Design Forum's Young Designers exhibition in Helsinki in 2004. Renáta Jakowleff's works in glass have also been on show in solo exhibitions and various events in Finland since 2000. The National Council for Design and the Oskar Öflund Foundation have both awarded grants to Renáta Jakowleff for the present exhibition.

Arabesque, Glass Art by Renáta Jakowleff
25 January-17 February 2008
Design Forum Finland (Space2)
Erottajankatu 7, Helsinki
Mon. - Fri.10 a.m. - 7 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.- 6 p.m., Sun. Noon - 6 p.m.
Exhibition information tel. +358 (0)9 6220 8132. Free entrance

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