Icons in Dialogue

Artek is turning 90 this year – and it’s throwing a celebration to remember with some of Finland’s most iconic cultural brands invited. Last year, the party kicked off with a playful collaboration with Moomin that saw the beloved characters etched into Artek furniture; now, it’s Marimekko’s turn to bring its signature patterns to the festivities.

When it comes to Finnish design, few names resonate more on the international stage than Artek and Marimekko. Artek is known for its pioneering approach to modernist furniture; while Marimekko’s joyful patterns have adorned everything from dresses to dinnerware since the 1950s. Now, in a collaboration that almost feels inevitable, the two brands have come together to mark Artek’s 90th anniversary.

Centred around some of Artek’s most recognisable pieces – Stool 60, Bench 153B and Table 80A – the collection uses marquetry to embed archival Marimekko patterns into the birch veneer surfaces. “It’s really a celebration of material,” says Artek’s Managing Director Marianne Goebl. “We deliberately avoided printing. Instead, we used laser-cut veneer to create a kind of pattern shimmer by combining grains that run in different directions.”

“At Marimekko we always seek to bring joy to people’s everyday life,” agrees Marimekko Creative Director, Rebekka Bay. “One way to do that is to use bold prints and colourways, but another is to surprise and delight. We have done so by really focusing on the most essential elements of each brand – for Marimekko that is the art of printmaking and for Artek the technology of wood.”

Seen from one angle, the surfaces appear almost untouched – but catch the light, and geometric patterns emerge, each drawn from Maija Isola’s Arkkitehti series: Kivet (Stones), Lokki (Seagull), and Seireeni (Siren).

The marquetry technique requires meticulous alignment and finish, with each piece of the pattern precisely laser-cut from veneer and then assembled with the grain running in different directions. Each piece is crafted at Artek’s a-factory in Turku, Finland, where a highly skilled team works alongside some equally impressive machines. “The production is a dance between man and machine,” observes Goebl. 

The subtle approach is deeply aligned with Artek’s founding ethos. Established in 1935 by Alvar and Aino Aalto with collaborators Maire Gullichsen and Nils-Gustav Hahl, Artek was conceived as a “sales and propaganda centre” for modern living – a radical convergence of art, design, architecture and industry that challenged traditional modes of production and presentation. Perhaps most importantly, pieces were designed to age gracefully – a founding principle that is celebrated today through the brand’s Artek 2nd Cycle, a platform for pre-loved Finnish design.

The Artek + Marimekko collection previewed this month in Copenhagen as part of 3daysofdesign, which ran from 18-20 June. Rather than a limited edition, the pieces will remain in open production until the end of the year. “We wanted the collection to feel special, but not exclusive,” explains Goebl.

As with all good collaborations, the partnership between Artek and Marimekko celebrates both brands in a way that is instantly recognisable yet entirely unexpected. “One might wonder how this collaboration has not happened yet,” says Bay. “As two Finnish design companies that are deeply rooted in functionalism and architecture, this collection highlights our similarities, shared values, and craftsmanship – and it brings something quite poetic.