By the harbour in Copenhagen, you will find the Royal Library, which is much more than just a place for books. There, you can enjoy a magnificent view, beautiful architecture and impressive art. The new section of the Royal Library from 1999 is designed by Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects. It is called the Black Diamant and has a façade consisting of 2,500 m2 of granite that mirrors the sky and sea connecting the city with the harbour.
When you walk up to the third floor, there is a bridge connecting the new and the old library, and when you look up, you find a 210 m2 oval-shaped mural created by the Danish artist Per Kirkeby.
“Per Kirkeby created the mural, which is located above the bridge that connects the old and the new library. Not only does the bridge connect the two parts of the library internally, but it is also visible from the outside. It is visible from Christians Brygge, the public street directly below the bridge. This makes the mural into a form of street art – most likely the biggest of its kind in Copenhagen. Therefore, this particular place becomes a focal point for the experiencing of the building,” explains Bjarne Hammer.
The painting emphasises the transition from old to new, and the abstract lines invite the spectator to stop and reflect and to allow oneself to get lost in the painting.
“In Per Kirkeby’s artworks, we find that he has a special understanding of building integrated art. He is a master at working in this scale, and he is a fabulous narrator. His pieces contain several layers of narration,” says Bjarne Hammer.
This story is part of a three-piece series, originally published as the DANISH™ single; "When Art meets Architecture".
Words DANISH™ (edited from original) Photos OLE HEIN PEDERSEN
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We're having a look at some of our favourite Just Female garments from their autumn/winter 2018 collection. And can we say; it's not easy to choose just a few when everything is just stunning!
The Just Female ambition is to create a contemporary brand that believes in dissecting seasonal trends and mapping out where clean and contemporary fashion is heading
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The Deco Vase from Design House Stockholm is the perfect super stylish and Scandi chic vase to house both bouquets and simple greens. The inspiration for the print comes from "patterns in nature and the world of textile fabrics with a mixture of effects in the weave,” designer Ann Wåhlström explains.
And of course, the vases are equally beautiful on their own, as simple decoration or vessels. The artistic look with black-and-white watercolour paints gives the Scandinavian minimalism a zen vibe - simply upgrading any home decor to the next level.
World-renowned grafitti artist Andreas Welin may have started out just playing around, but now his works are highly respected and incorporate three-dimensional designs that are often the result of only a short design process. DANISH met up for a chat about his work.
How did you learn graffiti? Three things are important to make it as an artist: 1) You need to spend a lot of time networking, meeting other painters, going to graffiti jams and festivals and time and money to invest in traveling.
2) You need to acquire the ability to locate good spots (walls and other areas) that can showcase your work in the best possible way.
3) You need a constant urge to develop and upgrade your technique. The term "Street Art" covers a variety of styles and techniques. As for me, my work is very three-dimensional and has roots in the classical art of paint. It was beneficial for me to work with croquis drawings and to just draw everyday things from my everyday life. It's definitely an advantage to take drawing classes. When I paint, I often move far away from my piece to have a critical look at it so I can see what needs to be corrected. If you consistently work like this, you become more and more aware each time about what's working and what's not.
And then one last thing, use references to situations people know and let yourself be inspired: by other painters, classical as well as other street artists, physical designs and images online.
How do you recognise a Welin Job? I don't feel that I have found myself 100{42e511ede14fa23f71d9ffd9bcfe7d2adfa8c9c1c8e0ff87cc285b41f814e7a0} as an artist yet. In reality, I don't know if I'm ever going to succeed in that. My works very often have a three-dimensional depth to them. From a distance, my art looks soft and smooth, but if you walk closer to it, I actually have quite a rough style. My concepts are driven by humour, and I like to add a certain notion or story to my works.
What is your design process like? I'm autodidact but have taken a few classes in design processes. Sometimes, I use mood boards and brainstorm ideas, but I really appreciate the ability to make my own decisions… in other words: I'm probably not the biggest fan of processing too much before the work. My work tends to evolve as I work. That's my way of keeping myself productive.
Words DANISH (edited from original)
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Stine Goya and Won Hundred get it right with these stunning garments, that ooze of next level craftsmanship and classic Scandinavian design with a little something extra.
Oh yes, pastels are keeping their must-have status for this autumn and winter. We're in love with these perfect pieces from WACAY and Just Female.
You can almost hear sleigh bells and smell newly fallen snow when looking at these two stunners from Designers Remix and Holzweiler. They're going to be our favourite winter sweaters for many seasons to come.
Need even more inspiration for your sweater collection this season? Have a look at these gorgeous garments.
Is there a place for trends in timeless design? The spirit of a moment will always make an impression on an object. Our focus on “century products” is most likely part of an ongoing trend. If you look at Achille Castiglioni’s works, for instance, they were very much expressions of his time. Yet they continue to be meaningful because they are unique representations of unique content. It’s not that a Nedre Foss item shouldn’t be trendy. We just believe that sculptural quality surpasses shifting fads.
What are the hallmarks of timeless design? A timeless object stays relevant by inherently inviting different people to read it in different ways over time.
Is there anything you have to sacrifice for an object’s longevity? There’s a physical aspect and an emotional aspect that contribute to the longevity of an object. Physically, solidity is important to us — in terms of a continuous shape in one material, and in terms of sheer mass. We choose materials and surfacing that age well, or no surfacing at all. From an emotional point of view, it is impossible to ensure an object will stay relevant for 100 years. We approach that problem by choosing categories that have been a part of our collective culture for centuries. We draw inspiration from a timeline that stretches well before modernism and the birth of the industry.Does your interest in sustainability extend to other parts of your life? I’m not really a slow living kind of guy. However, we only bring high-quality objects into our home. I don’t have a car, and I walk a lot, and I spend a lot of time cooking.
Your objects are meant to be used for generations. Do you have any prized possessions that have been passed down to you? No, my parents are very much alive and keep their possessions close! However, one of my most cherished items is a small brown bear figurine carved from pine wood. I don’t know the origin because it came from a thrift shop in Arvika, Sweden. It holds a mysterious sadness that I love.
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Wondering where to keep all those fantastic fashion and interior design magazines, you love to flip through while relaxing on the couch? Well, there is no better solution than Curva from Danish AYTM.
The clean Scandinavian design and inviting curves makes it the perfect companion to any stylish home. Curva is built to last with plated iron and comes with either gold, black or silver finish.
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Stine Goya's prints are artworks of their own, and we think her incredible Frida Still Life silk dress is just right for an afternoon of art indulgence at galleries and museums. The stunning, gold velvet pants from the same brand make for perfect companionship (and they're coming soon in our webshop!!). We're accessorising with Designers Remix' bright red Gigi pouch and blue pumps from Gardenia Copenhagen to compliment the colour scheme but still add an extra pop. A pair of Woodstock Effect glasses with tinted glass from Kaibosh is the intellectual-yet-cheeky cherry on top.
In this getup, we're almost afraid to steal all the attention from the art. But oh well, we'll do our best to endure the admiration.
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“We wanted the hallway to be able to embrace all the different people that come through it. By adding the artwork, we created a space that embraces and welcomes the visitor. 2D and 3D supplement each other as space and the architecture meet the artwork,” says the Senior Creative Manager at Arkitema, Mette Skibsholt, adding, “the artwork possesses a lot of qualities, and with this project, the qualities from the art world and the architectural scene melts together."
Abstract motifs decorate three-metre large acrylic glass plates that are lit up by LED strip lights, making the artwork change colour every minute. The ever-changing expression makes a magnificent contrast to the sleek and minimalistic form of the building.
Peter Skovgaard explains, “You could say that I set fire to the painting. It is a bit old school in contrast to the building and slightly informal compared to the very formal building. It is a deliberate way to enhance the contrasts”.
Peter Skovgaard’s art continues upwards as you ascend the floor to where the accountancy firm Deloitte’s office is. A 28-metre long artwork embellishes the wall and doors of the hallway. As a complete contrast to the downstairs artwork, this one is matte and sets a beautiful background to the amazing view you have over the city from this floor.
The different expressions of the two artworks supplement each other and connect the diverse functions of each floor by interacting with the architecture, which, as a result, seems more spacious.
“When art meets architecture in the right way, both the architecture as well as the art reach a new dimension. It is a demanding process but is successful when both parties are humble” says Peter Skovgaard.
Your Rainbow Panorama is the result of a close collaboration with Danish architecture company Schmidt Hammer Lassen, the building owner and Olafur Eliasson, and a great example of what can happen when art and architecture merge.
“There is no doubt that Your Rainbow Panorama as an artwork supplements the building in a very distinguished way, both geometrically, as well as proportionally, but also on a more philosophical level it completes Dante’s story “From Heaven to Hell”, which is the idea that ARoS is based upon. Furthermore, the artwork also adds something very unique to the city and the way in which you experience the city. The artwork enhances the way in which we experience the city and the building,” says Morten Schmidt, Senior Partner at Schmidt Hammer Lassen. Your Rainbow Panorama is a large circle that you can walk inside, while a big silver ball in the centre of the circle projects different colours as the visitor moves through the artwork. You will experience a feeling of walking inside a rainbow while looking over the city of Aarhus. With Your Rainbow Panorama, architecture and art merge and present a new fundamental experience of the city’s skyline.This story is part of a three-piece series, originally published as the DANISH™ single; "When Art meets Architecture".
Words DANISH™ (edited from original) Photos OLE HEIN PEDERSEN
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What’s a typical day at the New Works office? I split my time between creative work and running the business, but my partner, Nikolaj, takes over most of what I’d consider the boring stuff, allowing me to focus on the collections. Still, the New Works team is just four people. We all have our hands in everything.
What’s a defining characteristic of your workspace? We call our office a studio because it’s where we display all of our samples. We’re not a company who hides the creative process. That’s always been part of our identity and how we work.
What motivated you to design your own pieces for the New Works collection? I have my sketchbook with me every day, so I’m always working on ideas. Sometimes I’ll pitch them to the team and collaborate with other designers, and other times I’ll design a piece myself. However, that’s become less frequent as the company has grown.
Is that frustrating? Not at all. It’s just the result of people - myself included - expecting a lot from New Works. It’s important to hold on to the philosophy that we started out with: If we design 10 pieces, three must be an experiment in collaboration with a craftsman or artist. That was easier in the early days because we just did what we thought was right and no one expected anything from us. But today we have a responsibility to grow. It’s a tough industry, and we need money to make the fun stuff.
What’s at the front of your mind when you design? Simplicity. I try to let the rawness of the materials speak, and I always try to take risks without overcomplicating things.
What frustrates you about the current state of Scandinavian design? In a way, what frustrates me is what led to the establishment of New Works. I have a lot of respect for the big players in New Nordic design, but five years ago I was struggling to understand why Scandinavian design had become so feminine. It was too polished, too colorful. I wanted New Works to be more - this isn’t the word I want to use, but I’m not sure how else to say it - masculine. Everything felt so clean, and I wanted to step away from that.
Where do you escape to at the end of the workday? I’m a romantic person who spends a lot of time in the garden. We live outside of Copenhagen in a 100-year-old house with a garden on a lake, so I spend a lot of time tending to the flowers and mowing the lawn. It’s a huge contrast from the rest of my day, but it’s a good way to meditate when I’m outside the city.
What’s the most important lesson you learned about yourself through design? I’ve learned to separate the person from the designer. For a long time, I was worried that if I didn’t do something right in my work, it would affect how people saw me. But my work is not me. Despite loving each piece I’ve designed or curated, I don’t have the entire collection in my house. I don’t even have half of what I’ve designed. Doing what I love is a privilege, and I care so much about New Works - it’s my baby. At the same time, it’s also just a job. What matters most is who’s waiting for me at home.
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“Studies show that even watching cat videos makes you happier,” she explains. “We hope Pet People can spread those good feelings.”
How has the magazine been received? Hilda: People who love pets are often ridiculed or seen as fanatic, and readers have told us they finally feel like they’re taken seriously. We’ve created a space for them to talk about life with their pet in an intimate, casual way that others can connect to. Linnea: We often hear that people like the juxtaposition of soft, cuddly pets with clean, minimalistic design. The tactile experience is as important as content.Which independent Scandinavian magazines do you read? Hilda: The independent magazine scene in Scandinavia isn’t big yet, but we’re excited to see it growing. We like Nuda Paper (Sweden), BLAD (Denmark), LEON (Finland), The Way We Play (Sweden) and Ord & Bild (Sweden). What's the most surprising thing you’ve discovered while publishingPet People? Hilda: We’ve confirmed a thesis we had since the beginning: pets have a positive effect on your physical and mental health. They keep you company when you’re down, affect your social and physical behavioural patterns, and can even be a form of therapy.
Is Sweden a good place to raise an animal? Linnea: It’s common to raise animals here. Almost every friend had a cat or dog growing up, and pets are allowed in most rented apartments. We talked to a couple that actually moved here from London in part because it was so hard to find a pet-friendly apartment there.
Hilda: In Berlin, where we made our second issue, dogs walk without a leash and they never bark at each other. They’re also welcome in most establishments. That’s not really the case in Sweden. Which pet makes the best companion? Linnea: After meeting a bunch of pets and people, we can conclude that there can never be one perfect pet for everyone. However, everyone has a perfect pet. You just need to find the one that fits your personality and lifestyle.