Specialist Jonatan Jahn's choice – Modern Art + Design

The catalog for the spring's major hammer auction with modern and postwar design is here: Modern Art + Design. The selection is carefully curated and handpicked by Bukowskis specialists to present a modern selection of international and national designs. We have talked to Bukowskis Specialist Design and 20th Century Works of Art Department, Jonatan Jahn, regarding objects from the spring auction, which will be held May 22nd.

Hi Jonatan Jahn, specialist design and 20th century works of art department!

Which are your favorite objects from the Modern Art + Design auction?

16. ALVAR AALTO, VAS, MODELL 3031, IITTALA, FINLAND, 1950-1960
Alvar Aalto’s design classic in the best execution! When the glass is as vivid and irregular like this, the vase’s sculptural qualities reach new levels! Alvar Aalto’s influence as an architect and designer is monumental. His design was ground-breaking and innovative, just like his glass art. This kind of vase was shown the very first time at the World Exhibition Fair in Paris in 1937 and the model has ever since been a mile stone within Finnish design history.

225. BRUNO MATHSSON, PAIR OF BED SIDE TABLES, FIRMA KARL MATHSSON, VÄRNAMO, 1941
Bruno Mathsson’s minimalistic design from 1930-40s is just as Aalto’s vases a mile stone within Swedish design history. His innovative production ideas combined with his reconstructed shape received a whole lot of attention internationally. His contribution at the World Exhibition Fair in Paris in 1937 and in New York in 1939 put Sweden on the design map. This auction’s bed side tables are something extra with their linear, minimalistic design and their very rare existence.

253. CHARLOTTE PERRIAND, SOFFBORD, ATELIERS JEAN PROUVÉ, FRANKRIKE CA 1962
Charlotte Perriand is one of the modernistic era’s most important and influential designers and architects. Her life work is seen as central for how we define the description of modernism historically. Perriand’s furniture, which she designed as an employee for Le Corbusier during the 1920-30s, are today text book examples on modernistic furniture. This auction’s table exemplifies her more organic design that was ground-breaking after the second world war. Perriand began to collaborate with Jean Prouvé, who is one of the giants within French design, and together they made several designs which all symbolize French modernism as its best. The low height and the increased proportions derive from ideas Perriand brought from her time in Japan during the second world war. Today everyone wants her furniture in their home! Make a bid, since its very rare we see these kind of furniture in Sweden.

259. TAPIO WIRKKALA, BORD, "X-LEG TABLE", ASKO, FINLAND
This is one of my absolute favorites within coffee tables. Tapio Wirkkala is one of the most influential designers in the post-war time. His organic shapes and material combinations are iconic for Finnish design. The table’s soft, architectural lines gives this table a sense of lightness and an airy feeling, which makes it very easy to place in your home environment. The meeting between the organic legs and the tough, cold glass cater beautiful contrasts. This is a timeless piece of furniture with all its qualities a design classic beholds!

If you are interested in buying modern design, what should you have in mind?
More and more clients chooses to invest in design in the same way they invest in art. My advice is to dare to view the objects almost as art objects, but also as functional items or interior decor. To shape and personalize your home environment with unique or unusual design items creates life quality. My advice is to purchase a bit rarer objects on auction but they should still have a documented history or a designer. Be personal and buy with your heart!

What is it that makes modern design interesting to you?
Modern design is today something a lot of people want to be associated with along with have as interior decor at home! What we today associate with modern design is a revolutionizing period of time where bold ideas and ambitions were realized with new techniques and materials. The 20th century is an inspiring time if you are interested in design. Why this period of time is so interesting is due to the fact that Sweden as a ”design nation” got its huge break-through. Sweden’s influence during the interwar years is huge and that is why we see a great interest internationally in Swedish design from that period of time. My ambition as design historian has been to put attention to this phenomenon and get the Swedish audience to appreciate our design heritage in a larger scale. Swedish design from the 20th century is in absolute world class! This spring’s Modern Art + Design auction also put Swedish design in an international perspective and we can see how the designer’s, with different backgrounds, have inspired each other.