20th May 2016

The Comeback Kids

Whether you take a cursory or an in-depth look into the origins of Scandinavian design, the internet will tell you it was mostly a slew of furniture designers from Finland, Denmark and Sweden who helped make the term one that's synonymous with clean lines, high-quality craftsmanship and clear functionality. But despite Norway’s notable absence in most mid-century modernism discussions, the country’s creative minds were very much involved in the beloved Nordic movement during the 1950s and ’60s, and picked up numerous awards along the way.

Why then, isn't Norwegian designer Arne Tjomsland—who was included in North America's celebrated 1954 exhibition “Design in Scandinavia”—as household a name as that of Denmark’s Arne Jacobsen? (Even the show’s manifesto states, "No dominant nationality emerges; the personality of each country is distinct.”) Well, because the discovery of oil in the North Sea made the people of bountiful Norway little interested in marketing anything else. Peppe Trulsen, a well-known proponent of vintage Norwegian furniture, summed it up in an interview with The Japan Times: "We didn’t need to export other merchandise to keep the country running, and it was easier and cheaper to just import (goods). A lot of the industries in Norway kind of died out."

With a new wave of Scandinavian simplicity at the forefront of the 21st century design aesthetic, it seems Norway has vowed not to be left out of the (Instagram feeds) history books this time around, and is blissfully supporting its creative class by hosting exhibitions during London, Milan and New York’s dedicated design weeks. It's in part thanks to this that Norwegian design is having a bit of a moment, but from where we stand, this new crop of talent is proving it’s not about to slow down anytime soon.

The most recent case and point: ‘A Few Good Things: New Designs from Norway’. The exhibition, curated by Metropolis magazine's editorial director Paul Makovsky and on view at this year’s WantedDesign fair, highlighted 10 designers whose work stands out for both its aesthetics and sustainability. What it also showed was that this group, as well as their peers on view at Sight Unseen's OFFSITE, are poised to become an enduring generation representing the core philosophies of Scandinavian design.

Collectively, designers Anderssen & Voll, Andreas Bergsaker, Fimbul, Kristine Five Melvær, Lars Beller Fjetland, noidoi, Runa Klock, Sara Skotte, Sverre Uhnger and Martin Solem showcased prototypes and products already in production which speak to the need for restraint in our consumer-driven world. Individually, they demonstrated a diversity of concept; handmade blankets constructed from 100% Norwegian lambswool, cold-forged cutlery created in collaboration with the country’s oldest silverware producer, ceramics designed for a luxury hotel made by inmates at Oslo's largest prison, and wooden lamps inspired by the way mushrooms appear in nature are just a handful of examples. "Each work has been chosen for the way it reflects the vibrancy of the ideas that animate the Norwegian design scene today—through the materials, concepts and techniques it embodies,” says Makovsky.

Minimalist, democratic, functional…The objects in 'A Few Good Things’ made a bold statement for understated design and its place not only in Scandinavia, but the rest of the world as well.

Above 1: Mushi lamps by Andreas Bergsaker, Below 2: Curator Paul Makovsky on the opening night, 3: Fold by Sverre Uhnger, glass prototypes from Magnor Glassverk, 4: Kristine Five Malvær's Åsmund Pilows and Blankets, 5: Vei tableware by ceramicist Sara Skotte, 6: Fimbul show their Lundhs Stone Elephant, 7: The Vava stool by Kristine Five Malvær, 8: Solem table, designed by Martin Solem for Bernhardt, 9:Fimbul with their Canary Wharf Brush, 10: From left to right - Kristian Jul Røsjø from the Norwegian consulate in New York, Ida Røijen from DOGA, curator of A Few Good Things and Editor of Metropolis magazine Paul Makovsky and project manager of the exhibition (and designer) Silje Nesdal.