Nordic Part 1 - day by day

 On Sunday 3 May the group of 12 curators embarked upon the first leg of a research tour through the Nordic countries. We arrived in Copenhagen in the evening – Nicolai Giessing thoughtfully met us at the airport to welcome us to Denmark. Nicolai is the Director of Danske Kunstahdverkere and went out of his way to support our group

Danish Crafts – day 2 in Copenhagen

Small staff (5) but they work with external curators. They’ve been going since 1999 under auspices of Ministry of Culture and their role is to market crafts nationally and internationally.

Each year they promote a collection of works from a number of maker-designers, from hand-made to small production. The group of designers are supported with a professional development programme as well as promotion, additionally Danish Crafts act as a broker between the maker and industry.

Danish Crafts can been seen at may international fairs such as 100% and Salon del Mobile in Milan. They see the main change in Danish craft since the 90s as a shift from “hand craft” to “mind craft”. They see current contemporary practice as a reaction to slick modernist aesthetic. Their views are presented in their many publications.

Danish Crafts has a close affinity with the design sector – and much lesser relationship with experimental craft.

Statens Vaerksteder for Kunst hog Handvaerk (The National Workshops for Arts and Crafts). – day 3 in Copenhagen

We were taken around this incredible facility by its Director Frederik Hardvendel – it’s a renovated warehouse building owned by the government. The workshops are funded by the Ministry of Culture to enable artists and designers to realise demanding commissions and projects. Ceramic, metal, textile and wood-working studios are fantastically equipped and supported by technicians.

Around 160 projects are facilitated each year with visual artists making up over half of those completing project each year. There is a huge demand for workshop space and a selection process has been introduced with National Workshop committee members applying a criteria based on artistic value and the requirements of production. 5-10% of the projects are carried out by non-Danish artists but the project must be linked in some way to Denmark.

Danske Kunsthandverkere (Danish Arts and Crafts Association) – Day 3 Copenhagen

We had some really interesting debates with Nicolai (MD), Mark (Chair) and Hanna (incoming Chair) and better understood why the Craft sector was struggling in Denmark. Rural character of Denmark has in the past strengthened and preserved traditional crafts. Up until 15 years ago an apprentice system existed in Denmark along with Technical Schools that emphasised skills. Then in the 80s these Technical Schools were given University status and the emphasis shifted to focus on design and theoretical studies. The education system now produces conceptual based craft practitioners.

There appears to be a political drive to industrialise craft practice and thereby marginalise studio practice. There is a fight against this being waged through Uni tutors, organisations and publications. Private schools have begun popping up in Jutland and there is an International Ceramic Centre in the south of Denmark, funded by local government.

They have a national office based in Copenhagen then local groups in the five regions and they are currently responding to a political shift to encourage regionalisation in cultural branding. Danske Kunsthandverkere (Danish Arts and Crafts Association) is a membership organisation and members are elected by a selection committee and based on a criteria set by the Board.

More to follow……