Artek abc collection. Maison&objet 2013.

click > enlarge

We’re stopped by the Artek booth at Maison&Objet 2013 and talked to Simone Vingerhoets-Ziesmann, an executive vice president in New York. Simone tells us that Artek presented the first objects of their new abc Collection at Maison&Objet 2012 last September.

[DesignApplause] Simone what are you showing today?
[Simone Vingerhoets-Ziesmann] We are continuing to present and build on the abc Collection. Important pieces are the reintroduction of the stainless steel TW modular candlestick holder (1970) and the TW serving bowl (1953) designed by Tapio Wirkkala. (This abc Collection is introduced at the January 2013 New York Gift Fair, the first time in the US.)

tw modular candlestick holder and tw serving tray

The Siena fabrics (1954) are designed by Alvar and Elissa AAlto and have been on the European market for a few years and only sold in Artek’s own stores. Blankets, the tea towels, the bags, the trivits, the coasters are all added to the collection. There will also be seasonal additions, such as the red on white, and the white on red in the festive seasons. And more will come, from office to tabletop, from indoor to outdoor products. We will add to this collection twice a year.

This year we are also celebrating the 80th anniversary of the Stool 60. Here’s the Paimio color palette from the original (1932) collection. note: Alvar Aalto designed the Paimio Sanatorium in Finland, the building that made him famous, and the colors were used in the structure: the green from the walls, the yellow is from the floors, turquoise from the handrails and walls, and the orange, black, and white are from the furniture.
[ stool 60 80th anniversary ]

stool 60 | alvar aalto | 1933

We commissioned Mike Meiré to reintroduce the stools for the anniversary.

stool 60 | mike meiré | 2012
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Other treats we find on premise in the booth…
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baby rocket | eero aarnio | 2006 & rocket | eero aarnio | 1995