Aava Vase by Markku Salo

Designed in the late 1990s for the historic glassmakers Iittala, the Aava vase by Markku Salo is a compelling example of late twentieth-century Finnish art glass. Its striking, asymmetrical oval form represents an organic departure from traditional vertical vessels, shifting beautifully in perspective depending on the angle from which it is viewed. The name Aava translates from Finnish to open or vast.

Salo is one of Finland’s most celebrated contemporary glass artists, initially joining the legendary Nuutajärvi glassworks in 1983. Renowned for balancing highly functional industrial design with experimental, sculptural art glass, Salo’s boundary-pushing work earned him the prestigious international Georg Jensen Prize in 1990 and Finland's esteemed Kaj Franck Design Prize in 2015.

Each vase was mouth-blown at the glass factory in Finland using a demanding casing technique, where a layer of opaque white opal glass is fused with a protective clear exterior. This craftsmanship allows light to diffuse softly across the glossy surface, accentuating the vase's pocket-like contours and dense sculptural weight.

This is the larger 190mm high model and is finished with the maker's name engraved to the base. A significant piece of Finnish design history.

Designer: Markku Salo (b. 1954)
Manufacturer: Iittala
Made in Finland
Material: Cased opal glass
Dimensions: 26 x 19 cm