The first exhibition in the Alvar Aalto Shop’s new exhibition space in the centre of Jyväskylä is showing printed fabrics designed by Aino, Elissa and Alvar Aalto.

The architect Aino Aalto (1894–1949) was one of the pioneers in designing models of printed fabrics in Finland from the 1930s onwards.  Aino’s interest in natural forms is reflected, for instance, in the cotton fabrics that she designed, with stylized flower and plant motifs, examples being Lehtikangas (leaf) and Kirsikankukka (cherry blossom).

As the printed-fabric industry developed and with the arrival of the 1950s, colourful, richly patterned cotton fabrics became more common. At that time, Artek, too, was keen to produce a new range of printed fabrics. In 1954–55, the architects Elissa (1922–1994) and Alvar Aalto (1898–1976) designed a range containing geometric patterns for Artek, the fabrics being suitable for both home textiles and clothing.

This joyously multicoloured exhibition shows numerous examples of originals and later variants on all the fabrics mentioned. It consists of fabrics from the Museum’s collections and almost all of the Aino, Elissa and Alvar Aalto´s pattern designs.

Read more of the exhibition from the press release.