Troll’s Song
What does a troll’s song sound like, I found myself pondering today.
Would this siren of the forest, unrelated to its internet namesake, sing in a painful, melancholy way, or would the music be full of fun, games, and mischief?
Deep and hypnotic, pulling you into a trance, enchanting your scents, making the green forest turn blue; once you hear the troll’s song, you can’t unhear it.
I visited the Finnish glass designer Sarpaneva’s exhibition today. His latest works were completed when he was in his seventies, I noted, in Murano. He passed away at 80, so I might never find out the story behind the plate named Troll’s song.
For surely there must’ve been a story. Had he actually seen a troll? Did he want to attract one? Was he playful as an artist, or did he take himself very seriously? Was the name simply an accident?
The art itself was hypnotic. But, apparently, each glasswork requires a whole teamful of artisans, and only his name was on display. On the other hand, why should this be any different than when the names of architects are more visible than those of the construction workers who realised the vision?
I was further mesmerised by another plate called Sun in the forest. The sun was dark and it made me think of nighttime, stars, and the moon. The lighting made the objects appear shadowless. In my favourite piece, it looked like two apples were being pulled apart – or reaching for each other, depending on how you looked at it. Cup half full or half empty?
After writing this, I looked up some details and noticed that the exhibition (named Bubble) describes Sarpaneva’s work as “hypnotic” and “melancholy” – words I had just used myself!
The photos are of the designer Timo Sarpaneva’s work at Riihimäki Glass Museum, Finland. If you visit Helsinki and have time, I recommend dropping by! It’s less than an hour’s drive away.
