We would like to invite you to a lecture of the Bydgoszcz Academy of Art.
Scandinavian design is an example of a design oxymoron, as it combines seemingly mutually exclusive elements such as tradition and modernity, minimalism and extravagance or mass production and craftsmanship. The latter have become a hallmark of the products manufactured in Denmark and Finland, which have uninterruptedly combined the achievements of modern technology with traditional craftsmanship and fine materials since the 1930s. To understand the fascination with craftsmanship in Northern design, it is necessary to look at the locally available materials through the lens of changing style trends. Indigenous wood species in the hands of skilled craftsmen allow for varied visual effects, and the timeless form favoured in Scandinavia is a testament to the utilitarian approach to ensure access to high-quality products on a large scale. By tracing the most important historical and contemporary craft trends in Danish and Finnish design, it is possible to understand the phenomenon of design based on respect for local resources that underpin designs that resist the passage of time.

Dr Anna Wiśnicka – art and design historian, specialising in design and contemporary art. Author of the book “Simo Heikkila – Designer’s Life and Work” on Finland’s design. Academic lecturer, ambassador of the anniversary exhibition “Echoes 100 Years in Finnish Architecture and Design” organised by the Finnish Embassy in Poland. Privately, a keen traveller, passionate about contemporary prose and Scandinavian and Italian design.

21.09.2022, 6 pm
Gdańska 20