Fiskars

In 2017, Fiskars celebrated the 50th anniversary of their iconic Orange-handled Scissors, originally designed by industrial designer Olof Bäckström. To honor this design milestone, Fiskars invited artists, designers, and creatives worldwide to participate in the #OurScissors exhibition, showcased at the Design Museum as part of Helsinki Design Week.

JUDiTH+ROLFE was privileged to be invited to contribute to this commemorative event by crafting a series of paper artworks inspired by the distinctive orange scissors.

The first custom artwork features an array of flora emerging from an open pair of scissors, meticulously crafted entirely from paper. The concept symbolizes the boundless creativity unleashed when equipped with the right tool. All the flowers are in shades of orange to complement the iconic plastic scissor handles, a groundbreaking innovation that replaced the heavy, unwieldy metal scissors previously used.

Our invitation to participate in Our Scissors exhibition, together with a shiny new personalized pair of scissors gifted by Fiskars; in the background, the paper scissors that is part of the FRESH CUT FLOWERS artwork.

FRESH CUT FLOWERS

On-edge paper on mat board

30” x 24” x 1” | 762 x 310 x 254 mm

The second concept, titled CUT. COPY. ROTATE., explores the versatility of the scissors. Multiple scissor motifs are multiplied to form abstract radial patterns, resembling intricate floral designs. These three-dimensional pieces are precisely composed of layered and stacked 2-dimensional paper cuts, showcasing the transformative power of the humble scissors in the hands of skilled artisans.

Fiskars Our Scissors exhibition at Helsinki Design Museum in Finland, 2017.

Fiskars Our Scissors exhibition, Helsinki Design Museum, Finland, 2017
Fiskars Our Scissors exhibition, Helsinki Design Museum, Finland, 2017

photo credit: Eloise Corr Danch / Instagram

photo credit: Rebecca Earley / Instagram

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