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Abundant natural resources and pristine landscapes has played an instrumental role in the evolution of Norway’s culture of fostering a deep appreciation for materials, as well as a knack for problem-solving and innovation amongst designers and manufacturers; as they rise to meet the challenges of the landscape.
Design and Architecture Norway (DOGA) presents Matter by Norwegian Presence from 7June 2022 to 12 June 2022. The exhibition will be curated and designed by the Oslo creative studio Kråkvik & D’Orazio, which is run by Norway-native Jannicke Kråkvik and Italian-born Alessandro D’Orazio. A celebration of Norwegian materiality and ingenuity, the exhibit, in the anticipatory return of Milan Design Week in June 2022, is set to feature some of the most exciting designers and progressive manufacturers working in the country today. “A brand new generation – and with it, a new set of ideas – has entered the Norwegian design scene in the past few years. They are more experimental, more conscientious, more playful in their expression – and the most daring Norwegian manufacturers are following suit. Together, they are looking to the future, determined to be the ones that shape it,” shares Cecilie Molvær Jørgensen, exhibition director of Matter by Norwegian Presence.
Set against the historic backdrop of Brera’s grand Galleria Milano, Matter by Norwegian Presence brings together an interesting showcase of products from 10 leading design talents and projects from Norway’s most respected manufacturers. The programme, helmed by exhibition director Cecilie Molvær Jørgensen, celebrates the material honesty, sustainable practices, solution-oriented thinking, and nature-inspired aesthetic that define the Norwegian design landscape today.
After a three-year hiatus from curating, Kråkvik and D’Orazio mark their return to the exhibition, highlighting the country’s natural resources that have moulded its design identity. “This year, we wanted to study Norway’s natural resources and the possibility of a more environmentally friendly future. Profound knowledge of our natural resources paves the way for a forward-thinking industry,” says Jannicke Kråkvik, co-curator of Matter by Norwegian Presence. The exhibition will also feature the ‘Material Lab’, a special exhibit that chronicles the transition from raw material to finished product, demonstrating how a material’s inherent natural visual and textural characteristics are expressed in the final design.
The manufacturers and design line-up resonate with the vision and ideas chartered by the pair. From specialists in a single material like Hydro and Lundhs or one of Norway’s globally renowned design houses – such as Vestre, Fjordfiesta and Jotun all are marking their presence for the exhibit.“With the last years’ global challenges and the absence of Norwegian Presence’s usual exhibition platform in Milan, the design scene has almost been at a standstill when it comes to the all-important physical presentation. Despite this, it seems like Norwegian designers have used the opportunity to dig deeper, to research and experiment, exploring new materials, techniques and collaborations. The result is an innovative design, always imbued with the Norwegian spirit,” affirms Alessandro D’Orazio, co-curator of Matter by Norwegian Presence. Studios participating in the event are Brave New Lines, Anna Maria Øfstedal Eng, Henrik Ødegaard among others.
Read our initial coverage of the announcement of Norwegian Presence making a comeback at Brera here.
Matter by Norwegian Presence will be held from 7 to 12 June 2022 at Galleria Milano, Brera, Milan.
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