Martti Rytkönen came to Orrefors already 1994. His artistic training started in Kyrkerud in his native Finland. He went on to further study at the College of Arts, Craft and Design in Stockholm where he specialized in glass and ceramics. His collections are design in the true "Orrefors spirit" even when he experiments with shape and execution. A timeless feeling and an evidently excellent quality always mark the finished product. This holds true regardless of whether the object is clear, cut crystal in the collection or limited edition coloured vases. Martti is occasionally also a guest designer at Kosta Boda where he seizes the opportunity to experiment with colour in a different way. A range that is a direct result of his work at Kosta Boda are the vases and bowls in deep blue and green.
Martti is fascinated by glass and loves to create things that tell a story. He strives to tell something about the material itself, how it can be soft strong and light as well as heavy and hard. Martti thinks that glass is sensual. It is evident what he means when you see his designs. The crystal is of the purest imaginable shape, but it never seems hard or rigid.
Where does Martti find his inspiration? The fashion cities New York, Tokyo and Milan have been an inspiration. In the spring of 2007 a range of heavy crystal plates was launched. Each of the cities lent its feel to a plate. The classic grid of streets is clear in New York. The many lines that cross each other in Tokyo are representative of the city's pulse. Last but not least, Milan's European elegance is reflected in the two simple lines that adorn the plate. The splendid series Polaris on the other hand was inspired by the frozen waves by the Arctic.
Martti's works have been exhibited in a great number of exhibitions, mainly in Sweden, but also internationally. The National Museum of Fine Arts in Stockholm, the Röhs Arts and Crafts Museum in Gothenburg and the Swedish Glass Museum in Växjö.
