Bertil Vallien
Bertil Vallien , actually Bertil Wallin (* 1938 in Sollentuna ) is a Swedish artist and glass designer .
Life, education and work
Bertil Vallien grew up in the villa suburb of Sollentuna north of Stockholm . The parents were Nils and Astrid Wallin and they had seven children together. Vallien's parents belonged to the Pentecostal movement ( Pentecostalism ), as a result of which he grew up in a strictly religious environment. The early contact with the artist Bo Notini, whom Bertil Vallien greatly admired, inspired him for the artistic work. According to his own statement, it was above all the impressive Studio Notinis - a treasure trove of sketches, preliminary drafts, antique sculptures and numerous curiosities - that made him return again and again. It was Notini who was the first to discover Vallien's talent and who was finally able to move him to embark on an artistic career.
First, however, after finishing elementary school, Vallien began training in his father's decoration business. The teacher at a business school was able to persuade Vallien to continue his school career, so that he ultimately acquired the university entrance qualification. At the same time, he worked as a window dresser and attended evening life drawing courses at Konstfack , School for Art and Design in Stockholm, where he then studied ceramics at Stig Lindberg for four years .
During this time he also met the artist Ulrica Hydman , whom he married in September 1963.
In 1961, Vallien left Konstfack with the award of the best student of his year, and from then on studied - with a royal scholarship - in Mexico and the USA. During this time, Vallien first worked for a glass designer in Los Angeles.
After his return to Sweden in 1963, the collaboration with the Åfors and Kosta Boda glassworks , the most important glassworks in the Swedish Kingdom of Crystal, began . There he is particularly known for his way of working to shape the glass mass in sand. With this technique he created shimmering glass sculptures of boats and heads. In 1996 the Viewpoints glass series came out . In 2002 Vallien created the altar shrine in Växjö Cathedral .
His artistic expression moves in a symbolic world in which the objects stimulate thought.
Bertil Vallien holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Växjö .
Awards
- 1961 “Best Student” award from Konstfack School of Art and Design in Stockholm
- 1962 First Prize “Young Americans”, Museum of Contemporary Art, New York City
- In 1981 voted "Most Influential Designer in His Field" by Japan Interior Design Magazine
- 1983 First Prize for Swedish Design, National Museum , Stockholm
- 1985 Second Coburg Glass Prize
- 1991 Formland Prize, Denmark
- 1995 Urban Glass Award for Outstanding Achievement in Glass, New York
- 2003 Honorary Doctor of Philosophy, University of Växjö
- 2004 Wilson Award, New Orleans
Teaching activities
- 1980–1996 visiting professor at the Pilchuck Glass Center , Stanwood, Washington
- 1991 visiting professor at Sunderland University , England
- 1999 visiting professor at the University of Hawaii
Some public exhibitions
- National Museum , Stockholm
- Corning Museum of Glass , New York
- Victoria and Albert Museum , London
- Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art
- The New Collection Munich, formerly: State Museum for Applied Arts, Munich
- Art Gallery of Western Australia , Perth
- Vida Museum , Oland, Sweden
- Hermitage (Saint Petersburg)
Bertil Vallien in Germany
Bertil Vallien designed the interior of a party hall for the Flamarium Saalkreis in Kabelsketal . Here he installed the work of art "Die Reise".
Web links
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Vallien, Bertil |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Wallin, Bertil (real name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Swedish artist and glass designer |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 1938 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Sollentuna |