2 October 2016–15 January 2017
Gunnel Sahlin is one of the top designers who have made Sweden famous as one of the most prominent countries in the world when it comes to glassware – whether we call it art or crafts. She began her career in her home town of Umeå where she studied and worked within the field of textiles. From there, she went on to the University College of Arts, Crafts and Design in Stockholm. Later, one of her places of work was Katja of Sweden in New York.
In the mid-1980s, Gunnel Sahlin was recruited to the Kosta Boda glassworks in the “Glassware Kingdom” in the county of Småland. With a healthy lack of respect for tradition and history, she designed many successful collections and she is one of the glassworks’ most successful innovators.
After a break of almost ten years from glassware design, Gunnel Sahlin is now back in both the glassworks and the limelight. In 2015, Gunnel Sahlin was given the title of Designer of the Year by Svensk form.
This exhibition shows parts of her extensive production over thirty years as well as newly-blown glassware from 2016. Visitors will be given a retrospect of the ideals of fashion and style over the decades, in which Gunnel Sahlin has been highly involved.
Photo: Rikard Westman
Västerbottens museum, Gammlia,
Box 3183, 903 04 Umeå. Sweden
+46-(0)90-16 39 00 • info@vbm.se