obliqdesign: 2012

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Greta Magnusson Grossman : a Swedish designer in California

The Pasadena Museum of California Art (PMCA) presents, from the 28th of october to the 24th of february, Greta Magnusson Grossman: A Car and Some Shorts, the first-ever retrospective of work by pioneering Swedish-American architect and designer Greta Magnusson Grossman (1906-1999). Beginning with her education and early career as one of a handful of female designers defining Swedish Modernism in the 1930s, the exhibition chronicles her meteoric rise upon settling in Los Angeles, where she received prestigious commissions from such firms as Barker Bros. and Ralph O. Smith, and began her career as an architect exemplifying the California modernist style. Since Grossman’s death, her role in the Southern California design movement has been largely under-recognized; this exhibition rediscovers her influential and rare accomplishments as both an industrial designer and architect.

http://www.pmcaonline.org/exhibits/73/index.html

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Wandering through PIerre Bergé's next Auction

Jeudi 20 septembre 2012 à 19h00

Palais d’Iéna - Siège du Conseil économique, social et environnemental

9, Place d’Iéna 75116 Paris

http://www.pba-auctions.com/html/index.jsp?id=13702

Orla Molgard & Peter Hvidt

Chairs Wegner

Kerstin Hörlin-Holmqvist

Nanna Ditzel & Finn Juhl

Finn Juhl

Nanna Ditzel

Grete Jalk

Peter Hvidt & Orla Molgard

Grete Jalk

Table, Bodil Kjaer

Kay Bojesen

Bertoïa

Monday, September 17, 2012

Finn Juhl's centenary

Various exhibitions and wonderful auctions sales (Bruun Rasmussen, Denmark, Sept., 18-27 http://www.bruun-rasmussen.dk/vfs/news/120821.html) celebrate Finn Juhl this month.

Bruun Rasmussen : Finn Juhl: Unika. Freestanding two-seater sofa. Deep-buttoned back and sides upholstered with dark grey wool, seat and buttons with light wool cover. Estimate: DKK 100,000-125,000.

Bruun Rasmussen : Finn Juhl: A pair of chairs with teak frame, original cover. Model NV 45. Made by cabinetmaker Niels Vodder. Estimate: 75.000-100.000 .

In Paris, do not miss Dansk Mobelskunst's :

"Dansk Møbelkunst marks the 10^th anniversary of its Paris gallery with an exhibition celebrating the centenary of renowned Danish architect Finn Juhl

Dining Chair, 1953, Borvirke

A master of organic and innovative furniture, Finn Juhl is widely recognized as a leading designer of the 20^th century. In the 1940s Juhl broke with the established furniture tradition, designing a number of expressive and sculptural creations that regenerated Danish furniture design and paved the way for the international recognition of modernist Danish furniture.

Finn Juhl’s design is characterized by an original and unmistakable artistic touch. For Juhl the mantra “form follows function” did not suffice. On the contrary, the understanding of furniture as being closely related to the experimental idioms of fine art was very important to him. In 1952 he wrote: “The craftsman’s ability to form is probably the same as that of a sculptor. A chair is not just a product of decorative art in a space; it is a form and a space in itself". Juhl often found inspiration in contemporary art, in particular in the organic forms of modern abstract sculpture. His furniture is characterized by a playful and light elegance and he is known as a pioneer of the organic variant of international modernism.

The Paris exhibition will showcase a selection of Finn Juhl’s most exquisite pieces. Among them the much admired “NV-45 chair”, designed for the Copenhagen Cabinetmakers’ Guild Exhibition in 1945. In this chair the seat and back float above the wooden frame accentuating the balance between 'the supporting' and 'the supported' elements – creating a very organic, light and slender form. Another greatly recognized and rare piece on show is the 'Judas' table designed in 1949. Made of teak with a sophisticated pattern of inlayed silver 'coins', this oval dining table is one of Juhl’s most notable works and a highly sought after collector’s item.

The exhibition opens with a reception Friday 14 September from 6-9pm and continues until 27 October."

Dansk Møbelkunst Gallery

53 bis, Quai des Grands Augustins

75006 Paris

Opening hours: Tuesday-Saturday from 11am - 7pm

www.dmk.dk

"Judas Table", Niels Vodder, 1949

Kay Bojesen, Bowl, 1951

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Krenit bowls by Herbert Krenchel

1953

Herbert Krenchel (b. 1922) graduated with a Master of Engineering from the Technical University of Denmark. Herbert Krenchel’s research was focused on materials and fiber reinforcement. Since the 1950’s, simultaneously with his research, Herbert Krenchel has worked with design. The enameled Krenit bowl won the gold medal at the 1954 Milan Triennale.

"I am exited about shapes and structures. The surface on a design object is important because it makes people want to reach out for it. I also believe that there has to be a balance between function and aesthetics. A good design must therefore contain more than one aspect to make the perfect overall impression. My inspiration comes from several things surrounding me – it can’t be explained. For me design is a way to express yourself – it’s a way to create things just the way you want it."

(http://normann-copenhagen.com/designers/herbert-krenchel)

Civil engineer and materials scientist dr.techn. And professor emeritus at the Technical University of Denmark, he is behind the design of enamel bowl in 1953, known as Krenit bowl. The bowl is currently very popular with collectors and are found in many parts of the world. It has a distinct design, with its matt-black exterior, thin edge and colored enamel interior. The cup won in 1954 a gold medal for his unique design of the Milan Triennale. Until production stopped in 1966, the bowl had been produced in more than 1 million units.

(http://www.madebyarchitects.com/pages/herbert-krenchel)

The krenit bowls are still in production by Nordmann

http://normann-copenhagen.com/designers/herbert-krenchel