Merja Winqvist

Merja Winqvist is a Finland-based artist who specializes in textile and sculptural art. Within her work, Winqvist applies the ideal of functionalism by simplifying the forms as much as possible, while avoiding unnecessary decoration. She has explained that in the parts of her works that appear decorative, there's actually an important functional significance in terms of the cohesion and durability of the sculptures. 

Selected collections and exhibition venues:
Church of Finland Art Collections: Laajasalo Church Helsinki; Paper Art Museum, Fredericia, Denmark; Finnish Embassies in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania; Berlin, Germany and Moscow, Russia; Ministries of Foreign Affairs Art Collection, Helsinki, Finland; Design Museum, Helsinki, Finland; Marketing Institute, Helsinki, Finland; Jyväskylä Provincial Archives; Finnish State Collections of Art: Ministry of Environment, Helsinki, Finland, University of Joensuu, Savonlinna, Finland. Recipient: 2003 TEXO Textile Artist of the Year; Grant, for artistic work 2001-2003, Design Competition Savonlinna District; Honour Diploma, Finland Designs Exhibition; Textile Art Competition, First Prize: Union Bank of Finland.