Design
Vas Vitreums design philosophy is to create beautiful everyday objects with the roots in Swedish and Scandinavian design and craft traditions.
By combining timeless classic clear crystal with inspiration from the beautiful colors and proportions found in nature, Vas Vitreum creates a balance between the historical heritage and the future.
Inspired by family history Vas Vitreum strives after producing glass in the true spirit of craftsmanship, to always push boundaries and preserve the Swedish proud tradition of exclusive handmade design objects, which can be passed on from one generation to another.
Vas Vitreums collections are today sold at selected retailers in more than 10 countries around the world.
Mikael Kenlind
At the age of 8, Mikael Kenlind, the fifth generation glass craftsman, got his first small glassblower bench made by his grandfather. Mikael grew up in a glassworks environment, trained by both the family and the Venetian master Benito Marcolin who was active at Vas Vitreum for eight years. In this way, he gained an early early understanding of the material and the craft. Today, Mikael is one of the few glass designers who can actually manufacture the final product. He strives for perfection both as a craftsman and a designer.
Lars Börnesson
In 1985, master engraver Lars Börnesson, the fourth generation of glass artisans, decided to found his own company. The name Vas Vitreum is Latin and means: object made of glass. Since then, the glass factory has had many large commissions, including, together with Lisa Bauer, executing one of the worlds largest handmade glass engravings, the Maria Choir in Linköping Cathedral. The engraving consists of 180 windows with the Virgin Mary dressed in flowers. About ninety species from the Nordic flora can be seen in the windows. The entire work took ten years to complete.
Co Derr
Biography
Co Derr (1921-2011) was born in Amsterdam, but lived in Sweden since the 1950s. Training sculpture at the Gerrit Rietveld Academie Amsterdam, trained by among others Le Corbusier and Gerrit Rietveld.
Co Derrs acclaimed bird shapes have now for the first time been produced in pressed, fire-polished crystal, in partnership with the Vas vitreum. Birds are for me a form concept have Co. Derr commented.
Exhibitions: Kalmar Art Museum, Design Center Nybro, Ölands museum Himmelsberga, Nordform Liljevalchs, Shape of Center etc.
Honorary member of the Swedish Association of Craftsmen and Industrial Designers KIF.
Represented eg at MoMA, the Museum of Modern Art, New York.