What is Boat art glass series by Bertil Vallien?

Boats – art glass objects. Each piece in the series is slightly different from the others, as they are handcrafted by the master, making every one of them unique.

Bertil Vallien has been working for nearly 40 years at the flagship art glass factory Kosta Boda, the most renowned in Sweden today. He is now the principal designer at Kosta.

In 1978, inspired by traditional boats from the western part of Ireland, Vallien began creating boat sculptures out of glass. These boats are imbued with deep inner meaning. According to Vallien himself, these are the Boats of Life: they provide support to people beyond solid ground, sailing through the currents of life itself.

The boats have become Vallien's most famous and successful project.

And, of course, the boats are quintessentially Scandinavian. Since ancient times, Scandinavians and Vikings have sailed boats into the dangerous northern seas, conquering new territories and discovering new lands.