This lecture concentrates on the height of Scandinavian Modern design in the 1950s, when it took America and Europe by storm. It unpicks the machinations behind the scenes which led to the creation of modern classics. It examines 19th century design reform, leading to the functionalist and ideological roots of Scandinavian Modern in the 1920s and 1930s. It shows how design became a key propaganda tool of the Nordic social democratic project until well into the 1960s.
It also explains how Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway broke away from Bauhaus and International Style to create softer, more organic furniture and graceful ceramics, glassware and textiles. But, using IKEA catalogues from the period, it shows just how resistant consumers were to the new, state-sanctioned, clean lines.
Featuring designers such as Bruno Mathsson, Josef Frank, Astrid Sampe, Finn Juhl, Arne Jacobsen, Hans Wegner, Tapio Wirkkala and Alvar Aalto, the talk explores just how ‘democratic’ Scandinavian design really was and asks whether our conception of it is based on a marketing myth, concealing hidden treasures, appalling copies and regional variations.
The presentation revolves around three ground-breaking exhibitions: The Stockholm Exhibition (1930), Design in Scandinavia (1954-1957) and H55, Helsingborg (1955) to show how global conceptions of Scandinavian Modern became so completely different. And finally, there are tips for how to survive an afternoon in IKEA, by learning to identify what really is Scandinavian Modern and what isn't.
