THE ORNAMO BOOK OF FINNISH DESIGN
Armi Ratia [Editor]
Armi Ratia [Editor]: THE ORNAMO BOOK OF FINNISH DESIGN. Helsinki: Ornamo r. y. [Finnish Society of Craft and Design], 1962. First edition. Quarto. White cloth titled in gold. 136 pp. 655 black and white and color reproductions. Tips lightly pushed. Jacket lightly shelfworn with a chipped, close tear to spine heel [see scan]. A very good copy in a very good dust jacket.
8.5 x 12 hardcover book with 136 and 655 black and white and color reproductions published on the occasion of Ornamo’s 50th anniversary. Magnificent and complex page design by Oiva Toikka. The Publishing Committee was Jonas Cedercreutz, Karl Langenskiöld, H. O. Gummerus, Ilmari Tapiovaara, and Airi Partio. The Editorial Staff was Armi Ratia, Olli Borg, Erik Brunn, Kaj Franck, and Jukka Pellenin.
Designers include Alvar Aalto, Kaija Aarikka, Eero Aarnio, Kaarina Aho, Ellen Alakanto, Göran Bäck, Kaarina Borg, Olli Borg, Arttu Brummer, Eeva Brummer, Erik Bruun, Rut Bryk, Göran Bäck, Anja Danska, Kurt Eckholm, Holger Erkelenz, Lea Eskola, Vuokko Eskolin-Nurmesniemi, Kaj Franck, Bertel Gardberg, Saara Hopea, Olavi Halonen, Maija Heikinheimo, Olavi Hänninen, Kirsti Ilvessalo, Maija Isola, Lisa Johansson-Pape, Dora Jung, Aulis Leinonen, Marjatta Metsovaara-Nyström, Harry Moilanen, Marti Mykännen, Vappu Niittylä, Yki Nummi, Anti Nurmesniemi, Esko Pajamies, Oiva Parviainen, Jukka Pellinen, Ulla Procopé, Eero Rislakki, Reino Ruokolainen, Kyllikki Salmenhaara, Timo Sarpaneva, Uhra-Beata Simberg-Ehrström, Ilmaro Tapiovaara, Sakari Vappavuori, and Tapio Wirkkala among many others.
The Finnish Association of Designers Ornamo is a membership organisation for design professionals in the fields of industrial design, fashion, textile and furniture design, interior architecture, craft art and textile art as well as researchers of design.
The members of Ornamo are among the best of their profession through their training and strong professional know-how. Common to all are a good sense of form and strong knowledge of materials.
The Finnish Society of Crafts and Design was founded in 1875, when Finland was still under Russian control. The founders of the society were a group of influential people in the cultural arena and captains of industry. Examples were sought among Europe's foremost schools of industrial arts and crafts.
At first the society maintained a school which taught manual skills and assembled a collection of international industrial arts and crafts. On the initiative of a founder of the society, Professor of Aesthetics Carl Gustaf Estlander, a major new construction project was carried out together with the Finnish Fine Arts Association. The building which resulted from this, the Ateneum, became a museum and institute of education for Finnish fine art and industrial arts.
Gradually the school grew and won an established place as the leading Finnish college in its field. In 1965 it became owned by the Finnish state and it later became a university, the University of Art and Design Helsinki. Today it is the School of Arts, Design and Architecture of the Aalto University. The society also founded the Museum of Art and Design, which after an eventful history became owned by an independent foundation in 1989. Today it is called Design Museum.
The history of the society also includes the famous Finnish sections at Milan Triennales in the 1950s and '60s, the golden age of Finnish design, when many prestigious designers won awards and international fame with their products. The society also actively arranged touring exhibitions of Finnish and Nordic design. The best-known of these toured the USA in the 1950s and Australia and Asia in the 1960s. International activities have therefore always played an important part in the society's work.
After divesting itself of the school and museum, the society turned its efforts in a new direction. At the end of the 1980s, a new, international name was adopted, Design Forum Finland. The core business was to promote design among small and medium-sized industry as well as international operations. Operations settled down in the form of exhibitions in Finland and abroad, publicity and communications, publications, competitions and awards.
In 2015 the Society faced great changes. Design Forum Finland got a new strategy where its activities were mainly aimed at enhancing the use of design in SMEs.