Kati Tuominen-Niittylä (Finish, b. 1947) is an internationally acclaimed ceramic artist living and working in Helsinki, Finland. Her elegant minimalist works blend multiple techniques with extraordinary skill alternating between wheel-throwing, casting, and hand-building with a prevalence of textured, carved surfaces, and all of which are high-fired. Evoking archetypal silhouettes reminiscent of functional vessels such as buckets and basketry, as well as shapes found in nature, Tuominen-Niittylä creates objects that are refined and sophisticated yet with a rough plainness that is further emphasized by the earthy neutral hues. The objects appear almost ancient or geological. The interchanging of techniques also affords a uniqueness to each piece and it often leads to new details and finishes. Although the works are suggestive of ancient functional forms, Tuominen-Niittylä creates each piece purely with artistic purpose.
Tuominen-Niittylä studied at the Aalto University School of Arts, Architecture and Design. She is a member of the Arabia Art Department Society and has designed for Arabia Studios. Her work is in the permanent collections of numerous public institutions including the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, the Finnish State Collections, and the Shigaraki Cultural Park Museum in Japan.
KATI TUOMINEN-NIITTYLÄ
B. 1947, Helsinki, Finland
EDUCATION
1976 University of Art and Design, Helsinki
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2011 Gallery Inger Molin, Stockholm, Sweden
Kuvia Immagini, Officine Saffi, Milan, Italy
2008 Kaj Franck-prize exhibition, Gallery Modus, Tampere, Finland
2007 Kaj Franck-prize exhibition, Design Forum, Helsinki, Finland
2003 Shadows, Alvar Aalto Museum Gallery, Jyväskylä, Finland
Gallery Inger Molin, Stockholm, Sweden
2001 Angle of Vision II, Arabia Museum Gallery, Helsinki, Finland
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2019 Design Miami / Basel, Hostler Burrows, Basel, Switzerland
FOG Design + Art, Hostler Burrows, San Francisco, CA
A Thing of Beauty, Officine Saffi, Milan, Italy
2018 Design Miami, Hostler Burrows, Miami, FL
2016 CHART | Art Fair, Gallery Lemmetti, Copenhagen, Denmark
2015 Collect, International Art Fair, Officine Saffi Gallery, London,
United Kingdom
Contemporary Ceramics, Officine Saffi, Milan, Italy
2014 SOFA CHICAGO, Art Fair, Officine Saffi Gallery, Chicago, USA
Collect, International Art Fair, Officine Saffi Gallery, London,
United Kingdom
2013 SOFA CHICAGO, Art Fair, Officine Saffi Gallery, Chicago, USA
Pyhaniemi summer exhibition, Lahti, Finland
Cheongju International Craft Biennale, Korea
2012 Arabia’s 9th floor, Gallery Arabia, Helsinki, Finland
MIC, Helsinki Fat Clay, Faenza, Italy
Gallerie Officine Saffi, Helsinki Fat Clay, Milan, Italy
Flow Gallery, London, United Kingdom
2011 Gallery Angelo, Pori, Finland
Helsinki Art Fair, Helsinki, Finland
2010 Galerie Marianne Heller, Heidelberg, Germany
Keramikmuseum Westerwald, Höhr-Grenzhausen, Germany
2009 Signals, Gallery Flow, London, United Kingdom
Gallery Besson, London, United Kingdom
Danske Keramisk Museum, Mitterfart, Denmark
2008 Collect Art Fair, Flow Gallery, London, United Kingdom
Gallery Oljemark, Helsinki, Finland
Art Fair, Wanha Satama, Helsinki, Finland
2007 Gallery Goed Werk, Zulte, Belgium
The Intern. Art + Design Fair, New York, USA
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS, CONT.
2023 Northern Latitude 60.20890: The Arabia Art Department Society’s 20th
anniversary exhibition, Iittala & Arabia Design Centre, Helsinki, Finland
2006 Collect Art Fair, Flow Gallery, London, United Kingdom
Septaria Gallery, Helsinki, Finland
The Intern. Art + Design Fair, New York, USA
Fiskars, Finland
Forum Box, Helsinki, Finland
2005 Scandinavian Stylish Design: Arabia Ware in Finland, The Shigaraki
Ceramic Cultural Park, Shigaraki, Japan
2004 A Touch of Finland, Flow-Gallery, London & Antrim, Northern Ireland
Ceramics 2004, European Ceramics, Fiskars, Finland
Syvällä Savessa, Finnish Handicraft Museum, Jyväskylä, Finland
Gallery Philippe Denys, Brussels, Belgium
2003 Retro, Fiskars, Finland
2002 Kosketuskohta, Gallery Laterna Magica, Helsinki, Finland
2000 Arabia artists in Retretti, Retretti Art Center, Punkaharju, Finland
Keramik, Höganäs Museum, Sweden
Finnish Glass Lives 4, Glass Museum of Finland, Riihimäki, Finland
Gallery Norby, Copenhagen, Denmark
Viewpoints II, Arabia Gallery, Helsinki, Finland
Galleri Norby, Copenhagen, Denmark
10 from Finland, Gallery Mokkumto, Seoul, Korea
SELECTED AWARDS
2007 Kaj Franck Design Prize
2002 Gold Medal, Mino, Japan
1998 Grand Prix, Mino, Japan
Honorary Mention, Mino, Japan
SELECTED COLLECTIONS
Arabia Museum, Helsinki
Art Museum, Helsinki
Finnish State Collections
Handelsbanken, Sweden
Hetjens Museum, Dusseldorf
Höganäs Museum, Höganäs, Sweden
The Israel Museum, Jerusalem
Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis, MN
Mino's New Ceramics Museum, Tajimi, Gifu, Japan
Nationalmuseum, Stockholm
Pohjola Companies, Helsinki
Röhsska Museet, Gothenburg, Sweden
Seoul Design Museum, Seoul
Shigaraki Cultural Park Museum, Japan
Statens Konstråd, Sweden
Ulster Museum, Belfast, United Kingdom
Victoria & Albert Museum, London
Wihuri Foundation Collections
