Alvar Aalto: Art and The Modern Form.

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Photo: Janis Kravis.

Experiments in wood. Photo: Janis Kravis.

We were fortunate to be in Helsinki during the time of the Alvar Aalto exhibition at the Ateneum. It was a wonderful exhibition. This retrospective exhibition showcases Aalto's life and work from the 1920s to the 70s. It includes iconic pieces of furniture and design objects, as well as architectural drawings and scale models. The breadth of Aalto's interest in the arts and his professional versatility are highlighted through archive materials, works of art, photographs and short films.

The exhibition illustrates how Aalto's organic design language developed in interaction with visual artists of the age, many of whom were modernist masters and personal friends of Aalto. The show includes works by such names as Alexander Calder and Fernand Leger.

Photo: Janis Kravis.

Study. Tuberculosis sanatorium, Paimio, Finland. 1928-1933 Photo: Guntar Kravis.

Furniture design for Paimio Sanatorium. 1928-1933. Photo: Guntar Kravis.

It is amazing to me that, way back in the 1930's, Aalto was able to conceive and distill the essential functional form for the furniture and fixtures. Proof that good design is timeless.