Saara Hopea - Beauty as a Choice

The Finnish Glass Museum’s exhibition Saara Hopea – Beauty as a Choice offers perspectives on the multifaceted achievements of Saara Hopea-Untracht (1925–1984). Hopea was a designer who brought joy and colour into the world by creating beautiful, functional glass objects both for household use and special occasions. She was among the modernizers of Finnish glass design during its heyday in the 1950s, and her work answered the craving for beauty in daily life that defined Finnish design culture in the post-war reconstruction period. As recounted by her husband Oppi Untracht, she once said: “Choices must be made, so why not choose beauty? The world is full of beautiful things – may we live in the midst of beauty and make it part of our daily lives.”

Hopea designed for the Nuutajärvi Glassworks in the 1950s. She is acclaimed for her radiantly colourful utility glassware and art glass designs which today hold classic status. Her most popular utility glassware includes the Nuutajärvi 1718 stackable glass collection and her pressed glass Nyppylä ‘pinched bowl’. Her playful Pantteri (Panther) and Kupla (Bubble) vases are among her most famous art glass designs. Hopea’s achievements in glass design received notable international recognition. Her functional stackable drinking glasses designed in 1952 were awarded the silver medal at the 1954 Milan Triennial, as did her Flamingo liqueur glasses at the following triennial in 1957. The exhibition will feature all of Hopea’s popular classics along with samples of her lesser-known polished crystal objects.

Hopea worked across many media in addition to glass, such as enamelware and traditional Finnish mobiles which she crafted from a variety of modern materials. She also designed furniture and carved out a notable career in jewellery art. The Finnish Glass Museum will feature a selection of her enamel art, jewellery and other designs alongside her glass objects.