World-renowned Swedish glass designer Göran Wärff has created the Freemuse Award statuette, which is presented for the first time ever to the Ivorian reggae star Tiken Jah Fakoly in Dublin, United Kingdom, on Saturday 23 August 2008.
 

By Ole Reitov, programme officer, Freemuse

“With its secretariat based in Scandinavia, Freemuse wished to present a a piece of art which reflects the unique glass tradition of this part of the world,” says Marie Korpe, executive director of Freemuse. “We wished to make use of a graphic lay-out from our World Conference in Istanbul in 2006 and asked Göran Wärff whether he could suggest a glass artist to work out from this idea,” she tells.

Göran Wärff, who belongs to an exclusive group of Swedish artists whose work is as well-known among glass aficionados abroad as well as in Sweden, then offered to personally design the award statuette.

The result is a unique glass creation that combines the original design produced by Turkish graphic designer, Ümit Kurt with Göran Wärffs’ excellency in creating simple forms that takes on unexpected dimensions.

Swedish glass art factory
Göran Wärrf has created the award statuette with assistance from Kjerstin Ask at Sweden’s leading Glass Art Factory, Kosta Boda.

Göran Wärff has worked with Kosta Boda since the mid-1960s. His work is represented at museums in USA, Japan, Australia and Europe.

Swedish rock singer's foundation
This Freemuse award is given to a person or an organisation who “have worked for Freedom of Musical Expression in a remarkable way — or in a lasting manner. The award is sponsored by BAIK — the Björn Afzelius International Culture Foundation, which was initiated in memory of Swedish rock singer Björn Afzelius, who passed away in 1999.