Vase designed by Erik Höglund
Sweden, 1970s

Glass.

Signed.

Erik
Höglund started working for Boda when the company and the entire Swedish
glass industry were expanding. As the world of glass was completely new to him,
he wanted to learn as quickly as possible. So as not to disturb anyone at the glass
furnace, he learned to blow and grind glass at night. Erik often stressed hard
work as the key to success.

In 1954,
Erik set out on his first scholarship abroad to Italy and Greece. He was more
interested in sensuous Etruscan and Greco-Cretan culture than in classic lines
and shapes. During the trip, he saw what real poverty was like, and his
experiences in the war-torn lands of the Mediterranean made a strong impression
on him.

Erik
Höglund developed his own distinctive style in the 1950s. The shapes were
simple and primordial, often inspired by primitive culture and folksy glass
art. The objects were heavy and rustic, without sharp edges or flat surfaces.
The glass often took human and sculptural shapes. Erik used coloured glass that
was widely enhanced against the light. Air bubbles were present in the glass
mass, sometimes induced by the production. He often stamped seals in the glass
portraying faces, bulls, and other symbols. His artistic expression was one of
conscious non-perfectionism. Therefore, Erik stood apart from the extremely
successful Swedish glass art from the first part of the 20th century.

In 1957,
Höglund received what was perhaps the most prestigious design award in the
world, the Danish Lunning Prize. Soon enough, the sales of his glass
designs skyrocketed Erik’s sense of design was to noticeably alter the daily
life of the Swedish homes.

H: 54 cm / 21 1/4"
D: 13.3 cm / 5 1/8"

Price: 9 500 SEK

Approximate price in your local currency
819 EUR
873 USD
707 GBP
135 081 JPY

• Add to enquiry list