Finland Modern?  

I once read that reg....
I once read that reg. Scandinavian design, swedish modern was a term used in the late 1940's/very early 1950's as swedish design was the best at this time. Most likely because Sweden was neautral during WW2 so the industri was spared of any bombing raids, sabotage etc. and the Swedish designers could live in peace without fearing for their country's destiny (very fast and simple explanation). Then Danish modern took the lead through the 1950's and most of the 1960's (as our industri was mostly intact and we avoided a possibly devastating battle between the allies and the remaining German forces). But I've never heard of Finnish Modern though they've certainly played a vital role in establishing Scandinavian design as the gentle giant it is.

and let's not forget Norway's contribution
:o)

I hope someone
more knowledgable in Finish design will take over from me, but let me give it a start.
Somehow I am surprised by the question because Finland has such a pivotal position in the modern mouvement. Even prior to Alvar Aalto, Finland was influencial enough to send out such giants as Saarinen (father) to the U.S. to build (litteraly and figuratively) the School of Cranbrook (Eames, Bertoia, Sarinnen jr. etc.) To some extend the link with the pre-modern mouvements (Art Nouveau and the english arts and crafts mouvement)had been established by a friend of Henri Van De Velde who, after having been part of the avant garde mouvement in Belgium moved to Finland. Alfred Finch had become more interested in pottery (for Boch in Lalouvière (B)than in painting and it was in his capacity as a potter that Finch came to Finland in 1897 to head the ceramics department of the Porvoo-based Iris factory which was owned by the Swede, Louis Sparre. After the factory was closed in 1902 Finch moved to Helsinki where he settled down to live for the rest of his life. His role as a precursor, teacher of pottery and proponent of modern European artistic trends in Finland was significant. But that's only a link.
Finland showed more than unusual strength in building up after very difficult war-years and produced such great talents as Tapio Wirkkala, Maya Isola (Marimekko) Marjatta Metsovaara, Kaj Franck (Arabia) Eero Aarnio, Antti Nurmesniemi (probably one of the most taented furniture designers modernism has seen)Ilmari Tapiovaara, Ben af Schultén (to name a swedish finn, and Yrjö Kukkapuro... just to name the ones that pop up in my mind...knowing my memeory does not do justice to a large numeber of other and more recent designers.

and I promise to
read my next contribution before sending it. My problem is always that re-reading most often leads directly to "delete"