Matti Klenell

Matti Klenell, born in 1972, lives and works in Stockholm. In 1999, fresh from graduating from Konstfack, Stockholm's renowned arts, crafts and design academy, he began working as a designer for several European and Asian companies. His clients include Iittala, NakNak, Källemo, Mauve, Bals Tokyo, Muuto and Örsjö, to name but a few.At the same time, he is making a name for himself in the art of Glass, developing a highly personal and unique style that has made him the protagonist of numerous solo exhibitions and earned him numerous commissions for the public sector. These two parallel careers often interact and influence each other. His work is characterized by an extraordinary variety of projects that blend art, craft and design, and have given life to a new, original approach to traditional Scandinavian design."In a certain sense, I think my way of working is related to that of the craftsmen of yesteryear. I have a lot in common with the early years of the industrialized era, when the term industrial designer had not yet been coined. Back then, industrialists hired artists to create objects for everyday use. I know my work has a romantic image, but it's also very concrete. The artistic projects I develop can be seen as a personal laboratory in which I explore materials, production techniques and human behavior, with no limits other than those I set myself. Matti Klenell's innovative creative process has won him numerous awards, including the Excellent Swedish Design Diploma, the +1 Award and the German Red-dot Design Award. In 2003, he was also awarded the Ljunggren Design Prize, and his work is included in the collections of numerous museums in Sweden and around the world.