“Oiva Toikka was playful, curious and sociable. He was an eternal optimist.”
Jussi Toikka
The exhibition finds its origin in the words with which Jussi Toikka, son of Oiva Toikka, evokes his father.
Throughout his multifaceted career, Oiva Toikka’s (1931–2019) production was characterised by optimistic playfulness. The exhibition is a continuation of the Studio visit Chappe series, in which Chappe invites contemporary artists to explore Albert de la Chapelle’s art collection from different perspectives; by examining the old, something new is created.
Through their own expressions, the exhibition’s artists follow the tradition of curiosity that underpinned Oiva Toikka’s work. The artists seek their own path, explore materials, collaborate and take risks. Slate Grove, Helmi Remes, Nooa Hietaniemi, Anu Penttinen, Paula Pääkkönen and Johannes Rantasalo have produced a body of work exclusively for the exhibition, showing how far the possibilities of glass can extend. In their studios, the artists push the boundaries and take traditional glass art outside the cube, for example by using a certain technique, by combining different materials or by working with size or spatiality.
The exhibition is curated by artist Helmi Remes and Chappe’s curator Pia Hovi.
