News 2009

Finland's oldest company celebrated its 360th anniversary (02 Nov 2009)

Finland's oldest company celebrates its 360th anniversary Consumer products company Fiskars celebrated its 360th anniversary on October 31. The company was founded in 1649 when the Dutchman Peter Thorwöste was granted permission by Queen Christina of Sweden to build an ironworks on the banks of the River Fiskars in southern Finland. Over the centuries since then, what started as a small business has grown into a consumer products company with operations worldwide and is now one of the oldest companies in Europe still in operation. The company's heritage site, known as Fiskars Village, is a dynamic centre of art, design, and handicrafts that is a popular destination with tourists and conference guests.

New exhibition: Fiskars Village as a living environment (01 Oct 2009)

Fiskars Village goes back a long way. Its rivers and shores have always attracted people, and industrial activity began 360 years ago. In recent years, artists and artisans have made the village their home. Sirpa Kolu, a sculptor, moved to Fiskars five years ago. She describes the exhibition entitled "Fiskars village as a living environment", which she has curated, as follows: "Every day I walk over ten kilometres with my dogs in this setting, in the forest and village, mornings and evenings. I've taken children from our school on my route to make notes and studies, recording the handwriting of the forest, plants, fields, river and buildings. The schoolchildren make regular visits to the workshops and studios of the craftspeople, designers and artists in the community, getting to know different materials and techniques. These moments, drawings and forms – together with the works of the professionals from the community – create a shared work of this landscape, its history, rhythms, forms and colours...Fresh and strong."
The exhibition will be opened on Saturday, 3 October at 3pm. It will stay open 4 Oct – 22 Nov 2009 Tue-Sun noon – 5 pm (entrance €2, children younger than 16 years free of charge).

Views from Fiskars (07 Jul 2009)

Our website now exhibits new panoramic pictures of the village; a click on the map will take you to a panorama view of the chosen location. New views and updates are planned for, so we wellcome you to return for more sights every once in a while.to the panoramas

Reflexions exhibition opens in Sweden (17 Jun 2009)

More than 60 artists from Sweden’s Finnish-speaking regions and Finland’s Swedish-speaking regions participate in the Reflexions exhibition with their art, arts and crafts and design items. The venue is a former brewery in Nora, Sweden: a unique four-story industrial building carefully redeveloped into an exhibition space and later to be converted into a cultural center. Fiskars-based participants include Camilla Moberg, Karin, Widnäs, Sade Kahra, Barbro Kulvik, Martti Aiha and Kari Virtanen.
Reflexions is an important part of the Nordic Delight project, which deals with associations, features, narratives and authority related to place and identity in the Nordic countryside (www.nordicdelight.eu).
The exhibition is open in Sweden from 18 June to 6 September, and will arrive in Fiskars in late November.

The Forge celebrates 10 years (15 Jun 2009)

The Forge in Fiskars celebrated its tenth anniversary in its new premises last Sunday. The forge belongs to Upi Anttila, a master blacksmith who previously worked out of the former plow workshop. The new forge behind the Granary was completed in 1999. The celebrations included hot sausages and naturally hot iron: guests had the opportunity to try their hand at forging, making hair pins and door latches under the supervision of the hosts. At the Forge you can watch blacksmiths at work, buy wrought iron items ranging from weather vanes to tube squeezers, and forge your own items (by arrangement only). Open daily 11am–6pm.

Delicious news! (08 May 2009)

This summer tastes of chocolate! Petri Siren has opened a chocolate shop in the old workers' tenements by the Fiskars main road. In addition to handmade chocolates, you can enjoy coffee, cakes and savory delights. Siren is an ambassador of Belgian chocolate in Finland, a recognition awarded to a handful of professionals. PetriS opened doors in early May and will stay open until 27 September, Tuesdays to Sundays 11am - 5pm.
www.petris.fi

New shops and artisans in Peltorivi (22 Apr 2009)

The old Fiskars factory building (number 27 on the map) has new residents. The linen makers LinLin moved their shop here from the former workers’ tenements this spring. The production of the company’s PilviPisara range has already been housed in the facility for 9 years; now it shares room with the shop.
In addition to clothes, the shop offers small, lovely items perfect for the bathroom, kitchen and table. LinLin is open Tue-Thu and Sat-Sun noon-5pm (closed Mon and Fri).
www.linlin.fi
LinLin's old neighbor, Nanna Bayer’s ceramics shop, is also about to move to the old factory. In addition to original, colorful neriage items, the workshop offers various courses in ceramics.
www.nannabayer.com
The third newcomer to the block is Fiskarsin Puusepät cabinetmakers. They specialize in high-quality furniture and related items, from individual prototypes to larger series. Thanks to the new premises, the company tripled their work space, and also recruited new staff. The workshop is open by agreement.
www.puusepat.fi

New works on display in Kantti Gallery (13 Mar 2009)

There is constantly something happening in the Onoma Shop, with new products arriving throughout the spring. The latest news is the new display in the Kantti Gallery, which is part of the shop. On the lower level there is a series of watercolors by Katri Pailos, themed around the fragility and uniqueness of the Baltic Sea.
On the upper level there are new works by nine artists: Eeva-Kaisa Ailus, Soili Arha, Lino Garghentino, Hanne Horte, Sade Kahra, Paula Kovalainen, Anja Snellman, Viivi Varesvuo and Katja Öhrnberg.

Fiskars Village exhibition reopens in Mexico (26 Feb 2009)

The Artisans, Designers and Artists Co-operative of Fiskars exhibition opened on 21 February 2009 at the Centro Cultural Santo Domingue, Oaxaca, and will continue until 26 April. The exhibition has previously been on display in two venues: at the Museo Franz Mayer, Mexico City from March 2008, and the Centro Cultural Clavijero, Morelia, Michoacán from July 2008. Although the exhibition officially ended at Morelia on 28 September, it was extended for a few days at the personal request of the Prince of Spain, who visited the city. The exhibition has gained wide coverage in the media, including TV, newspapers and radio. The exhibition attracted almost 50,000 visitors in Mexico City, and some 15,000 in Michoacán.

Winter season news (10 Feb 2009)

The CASE in point exhibition at the Copper Smithy is open Monday-Friday noon-5pm until 26 April. The display showcases boxes, vessels and all kinds of containers understood both as everyday items and pieces of art, along with a bit of history. Innovative, skilfully made items are also on sale.
The Restaurant Kuparipaja in the same building has been closed for kitchen refurbishment since January. The doors will open again on February 19, after which the establishment will be open daily as usual.
Many shops are open throughout the year; please refer to the home page for up-to-date information on opening hours. Don't forget to check the current weather from our webcam when planning a visit.

Fiskars Village welcomes Christmas (01 Jan 2009)

Fiskars Village is filled with Christmas atmosphere, although the beautiful snow cover melted away after a few days. Saturday 28 November saw the opening of the Fiskars Museum Christmas exhibition, themed this year around angels, and the Copper Smithy exhibition exploring boxes and vessels. These historical, practical, artistic, insightful and plain funny objects are on display until April. Much is happening this Christmas season: see the Exhibitions and events page for more information.