Metall the Exhibit

by Hannah O’Connell

The work of Åke Gustafsson featured in the METALL. Photo courtesy of Eckerö Post & Tullhus.

Every year the museum Eckerö Post & Tullhus presents exhibits featuring local artists and craftsmen. This year’s exhibit METALL, showcases twenty-two metal workers and goldsmiths. Three of the craftsmen and the exhibit curator Julia Nyman spoke to the Swedish Finn Historical Society to tell us about their work, how life on Åland inspires them, and why the people of Åland are so creative.

METALL takes inspiration from the book 25 Years of the Åland Home Crafts Association published in 1954, which says “tools and other objects had always been forged locally on farms’ own forges.” Julia Nyman, curator of the exhibit, speculated that there are so many craftsmen in Åland because people had to make their own tools for much longer. Maria Karlström, head goldsmith and director of the jewelry company GULDVIVA, is the great granddaughter of Teodor Karlström, who in 1902 emigrated to Portland, Oregon, where he settled in a Scandinavian community and built a Sears catalog home. By the time he left Portland in 1912, his American home had electrical lighting. Back home in Åland he became a member of the first Åland Parliament. “[Teodor] tried to introduce modern American building methods to no success, he was a bit ahead of his time. No one really got into it.” Maria explained. “The village where he resided was electric in 1954. It was probably a very different world from the modern Portland that he had left.”

Helsingfors and Norway trained goldsmith, Titti Sundblom, has owned her own workshop since

Jewelry created by Maria Karlström, center, is featured in the METALL. Photos courtesy of Eckerö Post & Tullhus and Maria Karlström.

1992. She is one of the founding members of SALT, a joint operation located in Mariehamn–started by craftsmen which aimed to house the members’ workshops and store under one roof. Sundblom believes that Åland has produced so many creatives because “Ålanders have always been very curious and open minded. One can say even nosy. Ålanders have sailed around the world and brought home new ideas and influences.” Titti shared that Haddom Sundblom, creator of the Coca-Cola Santa Claus is her relative.

Every person from Åland will tell you how beautiful it is. Maria Karlström said, “Islands are generally great inspirations, they are small microcosms in themselves and all are different.” One of Karlström’s favorite pastimes is walking on the islands gathering rocks for her jewelry, looking at plants and beach finds. “I think this shows very clearly in my creations.” Karlström describes her goldsmith techniques as traditional. She has managed to preserve a large part of the goldsmithing history on the Åland Islands. Maria owns many of the tools, workbenches, and shop fixtures from the 1900s. A few of these relics are on display at Eckerö Post & Tullhus, and many of these items she uses in her work or are on display in her shop.

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Teodor Karlström and wife in front of their Portland, Oregon home, c. 1910 Maria Karlström and family visiting Teodor’s house a century later. Photos courtesy of Maria Karlström.

Anna Sundholm-Westerlund has been working in Föglö as an artist for twenty years. She started in 1995 at the smithy in Sjökvarteret in Mariehamn. She went on to study wood and metal at the Åland Craft School. Later, she graduated from the University of Design and Crafts, at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden with a bachelors in art forging and metal design. “I want to highlight phenomena, injustices, abuse of power in society with art. I work with feather light acid etchings from several hundred kilos in cast iron, heavy sculptures.” Sundholm-Westerlund spends her free time by the sea, where she says she gets endless inspiration for her art. She swims in the Baltic Sea year round. “I immerse myself in the cool, sometimes icy water, with eagles circling above my head.”

Titti Sundblom also describes her methods as traditional. “I do not cast my designs, so everything is hand sawed, filed, soldered, and polished. I do of course use some machines but I am interested in old metal techniques.” Sundblom believes that not everything needs to look factory produced. Her work is mostly in gold and silver. She adds gemstones, natural fibers, acrylic, dried rowan berries, and more. Sundblom said “Humor is an important part of my designs. I do a lot of animal shapes.” Karlström says it is easy to get started as a craftsman in Åland. “Islanders are generally keen to help their own, but when living on an island with a limited population it is very hard to make a living.” Sundblom says “There can be a benefit to coming from a small place like Åland. People get curious about you and your work. It used to be easier to reach through noise in our local media and build a name for yourself, but with today’s social media you can reach out all over the world, and I do not think people care about where you are from. If they like your designs, they will buy it.”

Eckerö Post & Tullhus was built in 1828 and designed by the architect Carl Ludvig Engel. It is considered to be one of his most important buildings, and it served as Eckerö’s post office and customs station. Today the building is owned by the Åland government, where the building serves as a postal museum, art gallery, and artist residency. If you are interested in visiting Eckerö Post & Tullhus and METALL in person, the exhibit runs until September 18th.

You can see more of Anna Sundholm-Westerlund work online at www. anna.ax or on Instagram @annasw.ax Her art is for sale during exhibitions or contact her through her website.

You can purchase Maria Karlström’s jewelry collection online at www.guldviva.com/en or in person at her store in Mariehamn, as well as onboard the Viking Line, the Silja Line, and the Eckerö Line in Finland.

You can see more of Titti Sundblom’s work at www.titti.ax, Instagram @ tittisundblom. You can purchase her designs through email, Instagram direct message, or at SALT in Sjökvarteret in Mariehamn.