Björn Weckström

At first, his works represented a clean Scandinavian style, but in the 1960s Weckström found his own, a totally new style which is closer to sculpture than traditional goldsmithing.

The recorded working language is Finnish and Swedish. Places of work recorded in the authority are Espoo and Pietrasanta. Residence is recorded at Espoo. Works named in the authority record are Fazer's rooster, Yhdessä and The Whistling City-Dweller. Work by Björn Weckström is recorded in the collections of HAM Helsinki Art Museum, Art Gallery of South Australia, Museum of Fine Arts Boston, National Museum of Scotland and Rijksmuseum. Distinctions recorded are Lunning Prize, Pro Finlandia Medal of the Order of the Lion of Finland, Kaj Franck Design Prize and Commander of the Order of the White Rose of Finland.

• Honorific Prefix — Professori • Name — Björn Weckström • Birth Name — Björn Ragnar Weckström • Born — 8 February 1935 • Birthplace — Helsinki • Occupation — sculptor, designer • Years Active — 1956– • Notable Works — Fazer Rooster statue, 1991 The Whistling City-Dweller statue, 1995

Rough matt surfaces, uncut semi-precious stones and asymmetrical forms are typical to his golden jewelry. Inspiration comes often from nature. When working in silver, Weckström can for example portray the snowy, Finnish winter landscape with its frozen lakes. Weckström considers jewelry as an art form and his designs as miniature sculptures. In 1963 Björn Weckström started co-operation with jewelry manufacturer Kruunu-Koru Oy (later Lapponia Jewelry) and its owner Pekka Anttila. Weckström became company’s designer and art director. In 1965 Weckström took part in the International Jewelry Contest in Rio de Janeiro, where his yellowgold and tourmaline necklace “Flowering wall” won the Grand Prix. Through this award, the company received worldwide recognition, launching Lapponia’s international success. His designs have been in continuous production with Lapponia ever since. Probably the best-known piece of Weckström’s jewelry is necklace Planetoid Valleys which Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) wore in George Lucas’ film Star Wars in 1977. Necklace was designed for Lapponia in 1969. Björn Weckström was the first designer who combined silver and acrylic in jewelry. Especially silver-acrylic ring Petrified lake achieved international attention when Yoko Ono was filmed wearing it on the Dick Cavett Show in 1975 For Nuutajärvi glass factory Weckström has designed, inter alia, glassware series “Kanerva” and “Fortuna” and produced dozens of glassworks together with factory’s glassblowers. In 2010s, he worked together with glassblower master Kari Alakoski.

• HYY Group, Kaivopiha, Helsinki: sculpture “Together” 2018 • "The whistling City-dweller "-sculpture, Helsinki 1995 • YLE Headquarters, Helsinki 1993: sculpture "Narcissos " 1993 • Monument in honour of Fazer's 100th Anniversary, Helsinki: "Fazer's rooster " 1991 • Fazer Headquarters, Vantaa: sculpture "Domina" 1989 • Wallrelief for Rettig Strengberg, Turku 1986

More than 60 exhibitions in Europe, USA, Australia and Asia in 1963–2016 Nowadays Björn Weckström lives in Espoo, Finland, but travels to Italy several times a year. He has an atelier both in Finland and in Italy. Bazar publishers has published Weckström’s autobiography Mitt liv som Björn in 2018.