Cabinetmakers

Kari Virtanen | Rudi Merz >>

Kari Virtanen (b. 1948) was born and raised in Ostrobothnia. His long career has taken him from being trained by the best of Jurva's woodcarving masters to the pinnacle of contemporary Finnish design.

Virtanen set up his first workshop at the age of 19. His ambitious approach to the craft soon caught the attention of the most powerful figures in Finnish design – his first collaboration partners were Alvar Aalto and Kaj Franck. Kari Virtanen has always been inspired by collaborating with designers and architects. He has been a sought-after partner for designers in need of a skilled cabinetmaker. Virtanen's works are widely used in public spaces and reception facilities.

Kari Virtanen's hallmark is the pure and restrained design. It evolves from the intended use of the object, its structure and the characteristics of wood. The goal is to create an "implicit" form. The inconspicuous nature of Virtanen's work has been acclaimed by the architect Steven Holl who chose Virtanen's chairs for the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma, since "it was undesigned".

In addition to running his own company, Virtanen has contributed to several projects in the field of wood design. He has played a key role in developing training in the field. Since the early 1990s, Kari Virtanen has been one of the leading figures in Fiskars Co-operative for artisans, designers and artists.
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