Lisa Johansson-Pape

Furniture, textile and interior designer

Lisa Johansson-Pape’s career as a designer was long and varied. Johansson-Pape’s career in the design of light fixtures began in 1942 when she designed a number of contemporary design light fixtures for the Stockmann-Orno
design light factory, among others. Johansson-Pape also served as artistic director at Orno. ”It was quite by accident that I became a design light artist. By education, I am a furniture designer, but I had to make lamps during the
war. The light fixtures began to interest me to such an extent that I set aside furniture design. I am slightly more interested in lamps and light than in design. I wish to provide every Finnish household with good light”.

The materials used in the light fixtures she designed included enameled metal, acrylic and glass. Johansson-Pape’s lamp designs always stressed technical functionality and practical use. Lisa Johansson-Pape began to collaborate with the glass blowers at the Iitala glass factory in the 1950s. A new collection of glass lamp designs was born through these experiments. Johansson-Pape designed light fixtures for many public spaces, such as hospitals, churches and ships. Lisa Johansson-Pape’s works represented Finland in many international exhibitions, dating from the 1930s. Her lamps received awards at the Milan Triennials in 1951 with a silver medal and in 1954 with a gold medal in design.

“A lamp is not the actual purpose, but more like an instrument. It must fulfil its purpose as a provider of light, but at the same time it must also satisfy the aesthetic demands. A good light fixture must be simple and its structure and function must be both neat and correct”.