Iceland on the periphery of the Scandinavian−design movement

Iceland on the periphery of the Scandinavian−design movement

Árnadóttir, Arndís S.

Article:

Design and industry were literally unknown factors in Iceland until the inter−war years. This paper examines furniture as functional objects / artefacts in order to establish in what way this island territory, positioned on the Nordic periphery, was a part of the more centric Scandinavian−design movement during 1950−1970. Based on recent research of archival and visual resources and local furniture collections the paper looks at diverse roles acted out by the Home Industries Movement, local furniture manufacturers, craftsmen and a growing number of urban consumers along with a new profession of architects and furniture designers. It can be argued, in the case of Iceland, that furniture became a material novelty, as well as a leading carrier of memory for design in the early 20th−century rather than the inherent tradition of textiles, carving and metalsmithing, so distinctive of the peasant society. On the other hand Scandinavian design became the most prominent force in the post−war period (1950−1970) and important model in furniture manufacturing during a period of flourishing furniture trade and production where authorship often became an issue. Concluding, in the case of Iceland, that peripheral territories tend to turn to regional – in this event Nordic − rather than global centers as models for local design.

Design and industry were literally unknown factors in Iceland until the inter−war years. This paper examines furniture as functional objects / artefacts in order to establish in what way this island territory, positioned on the Nordic periphery, was a part of the more centric Scandinavian−design movement during 1950−1970. Based on recent research of archival and visual resources and local furniture collections the paper looks at diverse roles acted out by the Home Industries Movement, local furniture manufacturers, craftsmen and a growing number of urban consumers along with a new profession of architects and furniture designers. It can be argued, in the case of Iceland, that furniture became a material novelty, as well as a leading carrier of memory for design in the early 20th−century rather than the inherent tradition of textiles, carving and metalsmithing, so distinctive of the peasant society. On the other hand Scandinavian design became the most prominent force in the post−war period (1950−1970) and important model in furniture manufacturing during a period of flourishing furniture trade and production where authorship often became an issue. Concluding, in the case of Iceland, that peripheral territories tend to turn to regional – in this event Nordic − rather than global centers as models for local design.

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DOI: 10.5151/despro-icdhs2014-0027

Referências bibliográficas

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Como citar:

Árnadóttir, Arndís S.; "Iceland on the periphery of the Scandinavian−design movement", p-225-230. In: Tradition, Transition, Tragectories: major or minor influences? [=ICDHS 2014 - 9th Conference of the International Committee for Design History and Design Studies]. São Paulo: Blucher, 2014.
ISSN 23186968, DOI 10.5151/despro-icdhs2014-0027