Locals attribute their relatively low profile to many factors, from oil level and poverty to the temperament of the country. Norway was bombed in World War II and its furniture factory was destroyed. The cottage industry on the narrow west coast of the countryside took its place. Between the fjord and the mountainous area, farmers who have been making furniture for themselves and have the opportunity to enter forestry have started to do business. Such an entrepreneur is Lars Karl Geyer, and the third generation brand LK Geyer is still produced in Sykkylven village.
Morten Hippe of Eikund, a young furniture brand in Norway, said: "It was not about handicrafts at that time, but about producing simple designs that could be delivered quickly."
With the recovery of the country in the 1950 s, these basic furniture needs to be upgraded. A group of talented design graduates who just graduated from university led the work. They were trained by Arne Colesmo, director of furniture and interior decoration at the Norwegian National Institute of Arts and Crafts. Cosmo is an architect with international influence. He is famous for his villa designs, some of which are considered as masterpieces of Norwegian pragmatist Villa Stenersen in 1960s.
He and his wife Gerrit Prytz kittel are both talented tableware designers. He went to the United States to meet with modernists, including Frank Lloyd Wright, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Charles and Ray Eames. "They are an amazing couple, and they have established contact with celebrities in the field of architecture and design," said Benedicte Sunde, curator of the annual contemporary design exhibition "Norwegian Existence".
Dr. Vida Harlan, director of design and decorative arts at the Oslo National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design, said that after returning to China, Colesmo's experience meant that his graduates were "on par with their neighbors". Many people, such as Frederick A. Kaiser, Tolbeach? RnAfdal and Torbj? RnBekken makes fashion works for those workshops on the west coast. Along the way, they and their companions participated in a roving exhibition of Scandinavian design and won international awards.
Business flourished until the discovery of oil in Norway in the 1960s. The gain of this country is the loss of design. "Technicians left the industry, and now we have the money to import furniture. We lost a lot of production here, "Heep said.
We don't want to brag or highlight. We are a shy country.
Sander elaborated: "When the oil hit, the government's attention and funds entered the North Sea, and the concern for export design disappeared. Small manufacturers can't keep up. " ? Just as the Norwegian government turned its eyes away from the design ball, its neighbors (only dreaming about Norway's natural resources) were supporting their furniture manufacturers with state funds and vigorously promoting overseas designers.
However, in any case, Hippe does not believe that this method will be useful to the Norwegians. He thinks that the idea of self-promotion is not suitable for them. He said, "We don't want to brag or stand out. We are a shy country. " ? Historically, Norwegians have always been known for their conservatism and alienation, which is hardly suitable for boasting.
So, although Norway's best furniture stopped production in the middle of this century, its competitors let the flag fly through unremitting reissue. From Finn Jules' 45 easy chair, hans wegner's wishbone chair to Aalto's 60 stools, Jacobson's egg chair and Swan chair, these parts have all been promoted as the symbols of Scandi's design.
Nowadays, even in Norway, it is difficult for contemporary creative people to attract Norwegian designers in the JP era. Nina Tolstrup, a Danish designer in London, bluntly said: "From 1900 to 1990, Norway was invisible in the design world." ? Only a master in the middle of a century would think of her: Hans Bratrude, the designer of the Candea chair.
But these designs have been lost or forgotten to a great extent, and they are really in the hands of contemporary people. Dr. Harlan said that in those countries that did not die out in the 1950 s, "contemporary designers regarded it as a burden-they could not come up with new ideas because replication was so dominant." ? "This has hindered their development."
As a Danish, Tolstrup thinks: "The advantage of the previous generation of Norwegian cutting-edge designers is that they don't have a long design history, which is a burden for Danish designers for many years, because it is difficult to exceed this standard. A long history of design heritage. "
The foundation is less conspicuous and gives Norwegians more freedom. Norwegian designer Hallgeir Homstvedt told BBC Designed: "The design field in Norway has really flourished in the past decade." ? He quoted Larson? E) Dots are a series of large wooden clothes hooks. "Millions of points have been sold, which inspired the new product category of sculpture hangers," Homstvedt said.
This freedom has become a strange thing. Elizabeth Heron, the export manager of LK Hjelle, said: "Many (Norwegian designers) are considered to have a strong interest in the products they design," said the Norwegian pioneer design studio, which produces smart boys Poufs.
Hjelle is one of the few local brands, founded by some of the most famous living designers in the country, including Homstvedt, Andreas Engesvik, Anderssen&Voll and Norway Says. In contrast, its neighbors can own more world-famous brands, such as Hay in Denmark, Hem in Sweden and Muuto in Finland.
They don't pursue the beauty that people expect, so it makes us think about beauty in different ways-Benedict E. Sonder.
This strange and sturdy appearance was reflected in this year's Norwegian style show, and a large number of raw material experiments, such as stone trimming and waste aluminum, were obvious. Ali Gallefoss casts aluminum with stone, while Vilde Hagelund and Nils Stensrud make aluminum with birch. Sunde described this method as a response to charm. She said: "This gives them a primitive aesthetic and has their own aesthetic feeling. It doesn't look so sweet and elegant, and high-end people will buy it. This is trendy and avant-garde. They don't pursue the beauty that people expect, so it makes us think about beauty in different ways. "
Norwegian Presence and Fj's 1 1 designer's works? Seven local manufacturers, including rdfjesta and Vestre, are neck and neck. However, because local brands can rarely do design, they have exported a large number of design talents. "Norway mainly trains designers who continue to work for international brands," Homstvedt said. Except tearing? In addition to his work for Muuto, E also quoted Bollo chair of Foll of Engesvik, balance light of Luce Plan of Daniel Rybakken, Magis of Tibu of Anderssen&Voll, and Half&Half designed by him and Jonah Takagi*** for Roll&Hill.
At the same time, for those "lost" designers, it is time to catch up. For Norwegian brands such as Fjordfiesta, Eikund and Hjelle, this is a call to re-publish their national mid-term works. "Now, our task is not only to sell fish and pump oil; But? We need to understand our traditions. " Heep of Ekud University said.
Dr. Halén believes that the next step is to adapt to retro nostalgia and also need new talents. "We want excellent new designers to flourish, but we also want to buy icons. Need balance. "
Perhaps in Norway, contemporary design can flourish and classics can be revived-this is an interesting two-pronged approach that can help the country take its rightful place on the desk designed by Scandi.