CONFUSING AND THRILLING — Suomen Lasimuseo

One of Finland's most interesting contemporary artists is the sculptor Tommi Toija, who has now also taken glassblowing as a means of expression. Toija’s most memorable sculptural characters hold balloons or blowing soap bubbles, pee with a shy red on their cheeks, or stare at the viewer somewhat confusedly. And certainly evoking emotions in all.

The result of the glassblowing in the Riihimäki’s Lasismi is now seen in a series of works which, in all their joyful imagination and strangeness, challenge the viewer’s perception of glass and its possibilities. The Finnish Glass Museum’s winter exhibition ‘Tommi Toija – metamorphoses’ presents works that may be storytelling, decorative or enigmatic.

The artist has admitted working with glass has been simultaneously easy and interesting. For the material glass, if any, is unpredictable. With glass, you have to be fast and determined, and yet surprises cannot be avoided. The fact that the artist has been able to jump on a moving train, so to speak, to work with hot glass, shows great courage and open-mindedness. The prerequisites for creation are, in particular, audacity, belief, and the ability to see something that does not yet exist. These qualities seem typical of Toija.

The artist’s studio has been constructed in the museum’s exhibition room; an imaginary place full of ideas, items and sketches. The original French term atelier refers also to the room of an alchemist or a magician. The way Toija experiments is almost alchemy – he moulds and transforms glass and dares to test things that seem as impossible to others. Who in their right mind shoots their sculpture? Why the glass mass has been mangled to peculiar positions?

The sculptures and glass art pieces complete or reiterate each other, presenting the spectator with three-dimensional worlds, forms and un-forms. I restrain from touching the works and settle for nosing them closely. There are loads of works; glass art, sculptures, paintings and drawings. Toija does not let his audience go easily and pulls a unique piece after unique piece from his magician’s hat. I have to really ponder why I need a moment to reconsider the pieces. The glass becomes a continuum of ideas.

Interesting is also how the artist seems to give the spectator the fantastic freedom to interpret and identify. Perhaps someone sees a glass figure blowing a bubble gum. Another one notices a dark, eerie substance growing inside the glass. The third is influenced by how the sculpture and the glasswork communicate with each other, side by side. What if those two were separated? Would they miss each other?

I believe Toija has once again redeemed his reputation as a surprising artist. Just cannot wait to see what happens next.

Text: Johanna Lindfors