Black ink on white paper, sheet after sheet, small, barely visible variations.
Matti Klenell reasons with his hand.
By nature and from accustomed habit.
He explores with his pencil. Researches. His sense of form is exceptional – he can draw a slick line in his sleep. But for him the challenge lies rather in bringing life to his subjects, giving them character and personality. And always within the limits imposed by manufacturing techniques. He claims to welcome the restraints that come with mass production methods, as if no restriction could be narrow enough to devalue his personal idiom. “He is a tender rationalist,” says the gallerist Inger Molin about him. “With a few lines he creates something sensual.”
In this respect he resembles craftsmen from former days, from the dawn of industrialism. He understands production processes and the commercial conditions governing them. And he knows how to obtain the richest artistic expression that the situation allows.
Matti is a master at linking incompatibles, at deriving beautiful logic from the irrational. And it happens frequently that he finds his inspiration in the manufacturer’s own collection. A classic instance is of course when he took pity on a discarded tool on the shop floor at Örsjö, a lighting company. The result was a styl ised mushroom with a white foot and a glaring orange top – a great success for the firm.Regardless of whether it’s an object for mass production or a one-off art item, he approaches the task with the same curiosity. Matti seems equally at home in both situations. Officially he is classed as interior designer, trained at Konstfack (the Swedish School of Arts, Crafts and Design), but over the years he has had a number of one-man exhibitions of his art glassware. It is working within such different fields that helps him maintain his levels of quality and innovation. His experiments in artworks have spawned unconventional design concepts, while the practical demands of industrial production have taught him the importance of self-discipline, of having something emerge from his hands. From that pencil.
Mark Isitt
Matti Klenell reasons with his hand.
By nature and from accustomed habit.
He explores with his pencil. Researches. His sense of form is exceptional – he can draw a slick line in his sleep. But for him the challenge lies rather in bringing life to his subjects, giving them character and personality. And always within the limits imposed by manufacturing techniques. He claims to welcome the restraints that come with mass production methods, as if no restriction could be narrow enough to devalue his personal idiom. “He is a tender rationalist,” says the gallerist Inger Molin about him. “With a few lines he creates something sensual.”
In this respect he resembles craftsmen from former days, from the dawn of industrialism. He understands production processes and the commercial conditions governing them. And he knows how to obtain the richest artistic expression that the situation allows.
Matti is a master at linking incompatibles, at deriving beautiful logic from the irrational. And it happens frequently that he finds his inspiration in the manufacturer’s own collection. A classic instance is of course when he took pity on a discarded tool on the shop floor at Örsjö, a lighting company. The result was a styl ised mushroom with a white foot and a glaring orange top – a great success for the firm.Regardless of whether it’s an object for mass production or a one-off art item, he approaches the task with the same curiosity. Matti seems equally at home in both situations. Officially he is classed as interior designer, trained at Konstfack (the Swedish School of Arts, Crafts and Design), but over the years he has had a number of one-man exhibitions of his art glassware. It is working within such different fields that helps him maintain his levels of quality and innovation. His experiments in artworks have spawned unconventional design concepts, while the practical demands of industrial production have taught him the importance of self-discipline, of having something emerge from his hands. From that pencil.
Mark Isitt
Matti Klenell is born 1972. He lives and works in Stockholm, Sweden.
Education:
1994-99: Konstfack College of Art and Design. MFA in Interior Architecture and Furniture design. Stockholm
1997: The Royal Academy of Architecture. Copenhagen, Denmark.1993-94: KV Art School. Gothenburg.
1992-93: University of Gothenburg, Art history
Shortlist of clients:
Agata
ASKUL Corporation
Ateljé Lyktan
Bals Tokyo
BRIO
Collection Pascale
David Design
Design House Stockholm
FontanaArte
The Glass Factory
Gärsnäs
Iittala
Klässbols Linneväveri
Kosta Boda
Källemo
Lintex
Made By Choice
Marimekko
Miljöexpo
Muuto
Moooi
NakNak
NC
Offecct
Pyra
Sundlings
Svenskt Tenn
Swedese
Örsjö
Solo exhibitions:
2021 Museum of Värmland, Karlstad, Sweden
2019: Iittala & Arabia Designcentre, Helsinki, Finland
2011: Galleri IngerMolin, Stockholm, Sweden
2011: Gallery Pascale, Stockholm, Sweden
2008: Galleri IngerMolin, Stockholm, Sweden
2005: Galleri IngerMolin, Stockholm, Sweden
2003: Färgfabriken, Stockholm, Sweden
2002: Galleri IngerMolin, Stockholm, Sweden
2001: Agata, Stockholm, Sweden
Shortlist of group exhibitions:
2023
In:Tangible, Form/Design Center, Malmö (SWE)
2021
“Iittala - Kaleidoscope from Nature to Culture, Designmuseo, Helsinki (FI)
2020
”Design Diplomacy”, Italian Institute of Culture, Stockholm (SWE)
2019
“Inspiration Östasien”, Röhsska Museet, Gothenburg (SWE). “Formosa -A New Layer Meets Yii”, Spazio Nobile Gallery, Brussels (BE),
“Tankar i glas”, Nationalmuseum / Läckö slott (SWE). “NM&-Designprocesser”, Centre Culturel Suédois, Paris (FRA).
“Trä Art 2019”, Bodafors (SWE)
2018
"NM& - Designprocesser", Nationalmuseum, Stockholm (SWE)
"Light Blowing", Venice (IT). "Handmade -Scandinavian Glass Starting All Over" Glasmuseet Ebeltoft (DK).
2017
"Handmade-Scandinavian Glass Starting All Over" The Glass Factory, Boda (SWE)
2016
”A New Layer” Songshan Culture and Creative Park, Taipei (TW).
”Svensk Design Från String till IKEA PS”, Medborgarhuset, Säffle. ”New Nordic. Fashion. Food. Design.” Nordische Botschaften, Felleshaus, Berlin (GER)
2015:
"Subjektiviteter", Nationalmuseum, Stockholm.
"A New Layer", Form Design Center, Malmö. Centre Culturel De Taiwan, Paris, (F). Röhsska Museet, Gothenburg.
"Glass Is Tomorrow", Nationalmuseum / Kulturhuset, Stockholm.
2014
"The Scale of Things", Milan (I).
"A New Layer", Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities, Stockholm.
2013
"Ränder, Rytm, Riktning", Nordiska museet, Stockholm.
2012
“Örnsbergsauktionen”, Stockholm.
“KH+”, Konsthantverkarna, Stockholm.
2011
“Hemma-Swedish deisgn goes London”, Swedish Ambassador’s residence, London (UK). “Réflexion”, Gallery Pascale, Stockholm. Muuto 5 year anniversary, Designmuseum Danmark, Copenhagen (DK).
2010
“Gränslöst”, Tomarps Kungsgård, Kvidinge.
2009
“Relations”, Hovdala slott. “Nordic Selected”, Bella Center, Köpenhamn (DK).
2008
“Muuto-Business og Design”, Dansk Design Center, Köpenhamn (DK). “Sundborn Goes Extreme Again”, Sundborns Minnesgård, Falun, Röhsska Museum, Gothenburg.
2007
“We Are Going Underground”, Hotel Anglais, Stockholm. “Design Tide”, Tokyo (J).
2006
“Saenskt Listglaer”, Husavik (ISL).
”Spotlight Sweden”, Apartment Zero, Washington D.C. (USA).
2005
“Koncentrat”, Nivå 125, Båstad. 100% Design, Tokyo (J).
2004
“Designed In Sweden”, Museum of London, London (UK).
“The Beauty And The Beast”, Craft Council, London (UK).
2003
”Break”, Stockholm, Milan(I). ”Made in Sweden-the (un)importance of nationality”, Svensk Form Center, Stockholm.
2002
“Swedish Spring!”, Milan (I).
”Nya Rum”, Örebro Konsthall, Örebro.
2001
”3D+ – Staging Swedish Design”. Brussels (B), Dublin (EI), Berlin (D).
2000
”Our Establishment”, Stockholm.
”Young Swedish Design 00”. Traveling exhibition. ”Excellent Swedish Design 00”. Traveling Exhibition.
”Young Nordic Design - the generation X”. New York (US), Chicago (US), Toronto (CAN), Mexico City (MEX), Berlin (D), Helsingfors (F), Reykjavik (ISL)
1999
”Young Swedish Design 99”. Malmö, Stockholm, Göteborg, Växjö. ”Designmission 2000”, Agata, Stockholm.
1998
”Young Swedish Design 98”. Malmö, Umeå, Växjö, Göteborg, Stockholm, London (UK).
1997
”Petanque”, Konstfack. Stockholm.
Shortlist of grants and awards:
2023
Red Dot Design Award
Design S Nominee
2022
Sunne Municipality Culture Prize in memory of Göran Tunström.
2019
Editor’s Choice Award -Best Product for the NM& collection at Stockholm Furniture and Light Fair.
2018
Residence Magazine award "Designer of the Year"
"Årets formbärare" Svensk Form Värmland
2016
The Swedish Arts Grants Committee work grant
2015
EDIDA Sweden design award.
The Cathrine von Hauswolff Grant
2014
Residence Magazine award. ”Årets konsthantverkare”
2012
Red Dot Design Award
2011
EDIDA Sweden design award
Residence Magazine award “Craft artist of the year”
2010
EDIDA Sweden Design award
The City of Stockholm Cultural Grant.
2007
The Swedish Arts Grants Committee work grant.
2006
The Stockholm County Cultural Grant.
2004
EDIDA Sweden Design award.
2003
Forum Magazine +1 Award
The Ljunggren Design Prize
2002
The Swedish Arts Grants Committee work grant.
2001
Helge Ax:son Johnson Foundation.
2000
Excellent Swedish Award
1999
St. Johannislogens Masonry Award.
1998
The Värmland Museum crafts grant.
1997
Marianne & Sigvard Bernadotte foundation.
Collection representation:
Nationalmuseum, Stockholm, Sweden
National Public Art Council of Sweden
The Röhsska Museum, Gothenburg, Sweden
Värmlands museum, Karlstad, Sweden
Museum of Design and Applied Arts, Gardabaer, Iceland
Designmuseum Danmark, Copenhagen, Denmark
Education:
1994-99: Konstfack College of Art and Design. MFA in Interior Architecture and Furniture design. Stockholm
1997: The Royal Academy of Architecture. Copenhagen, Denmark.1993-94: KV Art School. Gothenburg.
1992-93: University of Gothenburg, Art history
Shortlist of clients:
Agata
ASKUL Corporation
Ateljé Lyktan
Bals Tokyo
BRIO
Collection Pascale
David Design
Design House Stockholm
FontanaArte
The Glass Factory
Gärsnäs
Iittala
Klässbols Linneväveri
Kosta Boda
Källemo
Lintex
Made By Choice
Marimekko
Miljöexpo
Muuto
Moooi
NakNak
NC
Offecct
Pyra
Sundlings
Svenskt Tenn
Swedese
Örsjö
Solo exhibitions:
2021 Museum of Värmland, Karlstad, Sweden
2019: Iittala & Arabia Designcentre, Helsinki, Finland
2011: Galleri IngerMolin, Stockholm, Sweden
2011: Gallery Pascale, Stockholm, Sweden
2008: Galleri IngerMolin, Stockholm, Sweden
2005: Galleri IngerMolin, Stockholm, Sweden
2003: Färgfabriken, Stockholm, Sweden
2002: Galleri IngerMolin, Stockholm, Sweden
2001: Agata, Stockholm, Sweden
Shortlist of group exhibitions:
2023
In:Tangible, Form/Design Center, Malmö (SWE)
2021
“Iittala - Kaleidoscope from Nature to Culture, Designmuseo, Helsinki (FI)
2020
”Design Diplomacy”, Italian Institute of Culture, Stockholm (SWE)
2019
“Inspiration Östasien”, Röhsska Museet, Gothenburg (SWE). “Formosa -A New Layer Meets Yii”, Spazio Nobile Gallery, Brussels (BE),
“Tankar i glas”, Nationalmuseum / Läckö slott (SWE). “NM&-Designprocesser”, Centre Culturel Suédois, Paris (FRA).
“Trä Art 2019”, Bodafors (SWE)
2018
"NM& - Designprocesser", Nationalmuseum, Stockholm (SWE)
"Light Blowing", Venice (IT). "Handmade -Scandinavian Glass Starting All Over" Glasmuseet Ebeltoft (DK).
2017
"Handmade-Scandinavian Glass Starting All Over" The Glass Factory, Boda (SWE)
2016
”A New Layer” Songshan Culture and Creative Park, Taipei (TW).
”Svensk Design Från String till IKEA PS”, Medborgarhuset, Säffle. ”New Nordic. Fashion. Food. Design.” Nordische Botschaften, Felleshaus, Berlin (GER)
2015:
"Subjektiviteter", Nationalmuseum, Stockholm.
"A New Layer", Form Design Center, Malmö. Centre Culturel De Taiwan, Paris, (F). Röhsska Museet, Gothenburg.
"Glass Is Tomorrow", Nationalmuseum / Kulturhuset, Stockholm.
2014
"The Scale of Things", Milan (I).
"A New Layer", Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities, Stockholm.
2013
"Ränder, Rytm, Riktning", Nordiska museet, Stockholm.
2012
“Örnsbergsauktionen”, Stockholm.
“KH+”, Konsthantverkarna, Stockholm.
2011
“Hemma-Swedish deisgn goes London”, Swedish Ambassador’s residence, London (UK). “Réflexion”, Gallery Pascale, Stockholm. Muuto 5 year anniversary, Designmuseum Danmark, Copenhagen (DK).
2010
“Gränslöst”, Tomarps Kungsgård, Kvidinge.
2009
“Relations”, Hovdala slott. “Nordic Selected”, Bella Center, Köpenhamn (DK).
2008
“Muuto-Business og Design”, Dansk Design Center, Köpenhamn (DK). “Sundborn Goes Extreme Again”, Sundborns Minnesgård, Falun, Röhsska Museum, Gothenburg.
2007
“We Are Going Underground”, Hotel Anglais, Stockholm. “Design Tide”, Tokyo (J).
2006
“Saenskt Listglaer”, Husavik (ISL).
”Spotlight Sweden”, Apartment Zero, Washington D.C. (USA).
2005
“Koncentrat”, Nivå 125, Båstad. 100% Design, Tokyo (J).
2004
“Designed In Sweden”, Museum of London, London (UK).
“The Beauty And The Beast”, Craft Council, London (UK).
2003
”Break”, Stockholm, Milan(I). ”Made in Sweden-the (un)importance of nationality”, Svensk Form Center, Stockholm.
2002
“Swedish Spring!”, Milan (I).
”Nya Rum”, Örebro Konsthall, Örebro.
2001
”3D+ – Staging Swedish Design”. Brussels (B), Dublin (EI), Berlin (D).
2000
”Our Establishment”, Stockholm.
”Young Swedish Design 00”. Traveling exhibition. ”Excellent Swedish Design 00”. Traveling Exhibition.
”Young Nordic Design - the generation X”. New York (US), Chicago (US), Toronto (CAN), Mexico City (MEX), Berlin (D), Helsingfors (F), Reykjavik (ISL)
1999
”Young Swedish Design 99”. Malmö, Stockholm, Göteborg, Växjö. ”Designmission 2000”, Agata, Stockholm.
1998
”Young Swedish Design 98”. Malmö, Umeå, Växjö, Göteborg, Stockholm, London (UK).
1997
”Petanque”, Konstfack. Stockholm.
Shortlist of grants and awards:
2023
Red Dot Design Award
Design S Nominee
2022
Sunne Municipality Culture Prize in memory of Göran Tunström.
2019
Editor’s Choice Award -Best Product for the NM& collection at Stockholm Furniture and Light Fair.
2018
Residence Magazine award "Designer of the Year"
"Årets formbärare" Svensk Form Värmland
2016
The Swedish Arts Grants Committee work grant
2015
EDIDA Sweden design award.
The Cathrine von Hauswolff Grant
2014
Residence Magazine award. ”Årets konsthantverkare”
2012
Red Dot Design Award
2011
EDIDA Sweden design award
Residence Magazine award “Craft artist of the year”
2010
EDIDA Sweden Design award
The City of Stockholm Cultural Grant.
2007
The Swedish Arts Grants Committee work grant.
2006
The Stockholm County Cultural Grant.
2004
EDIDA Sweden Design award.
2003
Forum Magazine +1 Award
The Ljunggren Design Prize
2002
The Swedish Arts Grants Committee work grant.
2001
Helge Ax:son Johnson Foundation.
2000
Excellent Swedish Award
1999
St. Johannislogens Masonry Award.
1998
The Värmland Museum crafts grant.
1997
Marianne & Sigvard Bernadotte foundation.
Collection representation:
Nationalmuseum, Stockholm, Sweden
National Public Art Council of Sweden
The Röhsska Museum, Gothenburg, Sweden
Värmlands museum, Karlstad, Sweden
Museum of Design and Applied Arts, Gardabaer, Iceland
Designmuseum Danmark, Copenhagen, Denmark