An exhibition throughout 3 Days of Design showcased the huge archive of Jens Quistgaard, who’s certainly one of Denmark’s most profitable designers, regardless of being comparatively unknown.
Quistgaard, who handed away in 2008, was answerable for bringing Scandinavian design to properties throughout America.
As chief designer for US-based homeware producer and retailer Dansk Designs for 3 a long time, he designed greater than 4,000 objects, many distributed to a whole lot of shops nationwide.
Quistgaard’s title is nowhere close to as properly often called the merchandise he designed, so his contribution to Danish design historical past is essentially unrecognised.
With Jens Quistgaard Round The Desk, archive consultancy Type Portfolios hoped to advertise a wider appreciation of this “world-famous unknown Dane”.
The exhibition was on present at Type Portfolios’ Copenhagen workplace for 3 Days of Design.
“Together with his 30-year collaboration with Dansk, Quistgaard was the design genius behind the scenes of that seminal model,” mentioned Mark Masiello, CEO and founding father of Type Portfolios.
“He was extra dedicated to bringing Scandinavian trendy design into American properties than constructing his personal design legacy,” he instructed Dezeen.
Quistgaard was recruited in 1954 by Dansk Designs founders Martha and Ted Nierenberg, who have been impressed by a cutlery set that the designer had beforehand developed.
Most of the designs that Quistgaard produced for the model have been tableware and kitchenware, which is why Type Portfolios made a eating desk the focus of its exhibition.
The desk offered show area for dozens and dozens of Quistgaard-designed objects, together with plates, cutlery, candleholders, glasses, cooking pots, jugs and extra.
Behind the desk, rows of cabinets accommodated a collection of sculptural peppermills.
Because the designs for which Quistgaard is almost certainly to be remembered, these turned-wood peppermills recall the shapes of acquainted objects, from chess items to items of fruit.
“The peppermill designs clearly present the love of sculpture that flows by Quistgaard’s work,” mentioned Masiello.
“His daughter, Henriette Quistgaard, mentioned he hoped the peppermills on their very own may very well be the beginnings of nice dinner conversations,” he said.
The exhibition additionally featured bigger objects, together with a handful of furnishings designs. Masiello pointed to the Stokke Armchair (1965) and the Sculptors Chair (2004) as being significantly noteworthy.
“I discover his inventive vary so inspiring,” Masiello mentioned. “Working with completely different supplies and object varieties, he was all the time pushing his design apply to new frontiers.”
“He’s extra well-known for the kitchen objects, however he was all the time exploring different designs too, together with chairs, stools and tables,” he continued.
The present was curated in collaboration with Stig Guldberg, writer of the monograph Jens Quistgaard: The Sculpting Designer, which was revealed by Phaidon in 2023.
Most of the displays have been sourced from the house the place the designer spent his ultimate years, a farmhouse on the outskirts of Copenhagen the place Henriette Quistgaard nonetheless lives as we speak.
“My father was a visionary of design, bridging the previous world of expertise into the brand new world of producing,” Henriette mentioned.
“It’s thrilling to see the complete physique of his life’s work being proven.”
Jens Quistgaard Across the Desk was on present from 12 to 14 June as a part of 3 Days of Design. See Dezeen Occasions Information for extra structure and design occasions world wide.
The images is by Sofie Hvitved.
