Scandtastic! From Aalto to Wirkkala
Excerpt from the book 'Scandinavian Design' by Charlotte and Peter Fiell
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Perhaps the single most important unifying trend in the Nordic region over the last 500 years has been the movement away from tyranny towards a social world in which the voice, desires and efforts of the individual have played an increasingly significant role - one in which the maintenance of a prosperous, modern, democratic nation has been crucial. Indeed, while the basic common ideal of individualism is modified in practice by the varying degrees of socialism in each of the five states, today the Nordic countries are among the most affluent, just, humane, and democratic in the world. The most obvious inherent characteristic of the Scandinavian people, however, is their pervasive practicality, and nowhere has this had a greater effect than on the development of modern design. For centuries "the home" has been the central focus of the Scandinavian people's existence as it not only offers a vital haven from hostile climatic conditions, but also functions as a framing structure for family life. This age-old "household culture" was additionally prompted by the fact that self-sufficiency was often an economic necessity in remote rural communities. It is not surprising, therefore, that over the long history of the applied and decorative arts, Scandinavian designers have tended to concentrate on the production of functional yet attractive wares for the home which reflect the craftsmanship and essentialist principles that throughout the ages have guided the making of tools, weapons and domestic implements. In Scandinavian countries well-designed products are commonplace because the whole notion of "good design" has permeated their socially inclusive cultures. Spurred on by Ellen Key's call for Skönhet åt alla (Beauty for All) and the Svenska Slöjdföreningen's (Swedish Society of Craft and Industrial Design) catchphrase Vackrare Vardagsvara (Good Everyday Goods - or as directly translated, More Beautiful Everyday Objects), Scandinavian designers in their pursuit of affordable, beautiful, yet useful household objects have historically adopted an approach to design whereby products are developed within a humanist interpretation of the formal, technical and aesthetic principles associated with Modernism.
For the majority of Scandinavian people, design is recognized not only as an integral part of daily life, but also as a means of effecting social change. There has also been a historical tendency among Scandinavian designers to seek an optimum balance between the man-made and natural worlds in their work. The climate in Scandinavia - nine months of dark wintry cold and three brilliant months of glorious and abundant summer - has also meant that designers have sought inspiration as much from the delights of the natural world as from the concept of the warm and cheerful home. The Scandinavian peoples have traditionally relied on design ingenuity for their very survival and have become adept at skilfully handling the limited material resources available so as to use them as efficiently as possible. This reliance on design as a means of survival has led them to regard it is an important element of their cultural, social and economic welfare. Although the majority of Scandinavian countries have enjoyed a long history of design excellence, it was not until the 1950s that the concept of "Scandinavian design" was first widely popularized through exhibitions such as the seminal "Design in Scandinavia" show, which toured the USA and Canada from 1954 to 1957.
Page [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]
Page [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]
Perhaps the single most important unifying trend in the Nordic region over the last 500 years has been the movement away from tyranny towards a social world in which the voice, desires and efforts of the individual have played an increasingly significant role - one in which the maintenance of a prosperous, modern, democratic nation has been crucial. Indeed, while the basic common ideal of individualism is modified in practice by the varying degrees of socialism in each of the five states, today the Nordic countries are among the most affluent, just, humane, and democratic in the world. The most obvious inherent characteristic of the Scandinavian people, however, is their pervasive practicality, and nowhere has this had a greater effect than on the development of modern design. For centuries "the home" has been the central focus of the Scandinavian people's existence as it not only offers a vital haven from hostile climatic conditions, but also functions as a framing structure for family life. This age-old "household culture" was additionally prompted by the fact that self-sufficiency was often an economic necessity in remote rural communities. It is not surprising, therefore, that over the long history of the applied and decorative arts, Scandinavian designers have tended to concentrate on the production of functional yet attractive wares for the home which reflect the craftsmanship and essentialist principles that throughout the ages have guided the making of tools, weapons and domestic implements. In Scandinavian countries well-designed products are commonplace because the whole notion of "good design" has permeated their socially inclusive cultures. Spurred on by Ellen Key's call for Skönhet åt alla (Beauty for All) and the Svenska Slöjdföreningen's (Swedish Society of Craft and Industrial Design) catchphrase Vackrare Vardagsvara (Good Everyday Goods - or as directly translated, More Beautiful Everyday Objects), Scandinavian designers in their pursuit of affordable, beautiful, yet useful household objects have historically adopted an approach to design whereby products are developed within a humanist interpretation of the formal, technical and aesthetic principles associated with Modernism.
For the majority of Scandinavian people, design is recognized not only as an integral part of daily life, but also as a means of effecting social change. There has also been a historical tendency among Scandinavian designers to seek an optimum balance between the man-made and natural worlds in their work. The climate in Scandinavia - nine months of dark wintry cold and three brilliant months of glorious and abundant summer - has also meant that designers have sought inspiration as much from the delights of the natural world as from the concept of the warm and cheerful home. The Scandinavian peoples have traditionally relied on design ingenuity for their very survival and have become adept at skilfully handling the limited material resources available so as to use them as efficiently as possible. This reliance on design as a means of survival has led them to regard it is an important element of their cultural, social and economic welfare. Although the majority of Scandinavian countries have enjoyed a long history of design excellence, it was not until the 1950s that the concept of "Scandinavian design" was first widely popularized through exhibitions such as the seminal "Design in Scandinavia" show, which toured the USA and Canada from 1954 to 1957.
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Scandinavian Design
Flexicover, 19.6 x 25.2 cm (7.7 x 9.9 in.), 704 pages
$ 39.99
$ 39.99
Scandtastic! From Aalto to Wirkkala, more than 200 outstanding Sandinavian designers of the past century
Alvar Aalto, Aalto vase for Karhula, 1936 - later produced by Iittala - this version of Aalto's famous vase was also intended to be used as a simple serving tray
Finn Juhl, teak bowls executed by the Kay Bojesen workshop, 1950