HISTORIOGRAPHICAL NOTIONS: ALVAR AALTO IN THE CONTEXT OF EXHIBITIONS

This paper focuses on Alvar Aalto (1898-1976) and presentation of his life work in numerous exhibitions and collection displays both at the Alvar Aalto Museum, Finland, and at other venues all around the world. Apart from the exhibitions and collection displays, various monographs, thematic books, articles, and several research projects have added up to the formation of the master narrative.

In Aalto’s case contents to work with is exceptionally rich: architecture, design and even paintings provide great variety of material that provide access to in-depth understanding of the essence of Aalto’s architecture and design. However, the exhibitions and collection displays have never been analysed from the museological point of view. What pieces have
been presented, in which context and why? How his life has been characterised? Has there been any attempts to reread Aalto?

Using archival and documentation material of the major exhibitions as preliminary source, the paper addresses the formation of the Aalto narrative, status of the signature works such as Paimio Sanatorium and Vyborg Library and emergence of key themes.

Susanna Pettersson