Maison&Objet’s Rising Talent Awards Highlight Nordic Design
2024 marks 30 years of the biannual trade fair Maison&Objet. At the September exhibition at Paris Nord Villepinte, all eyes are on up-and-coming designers from the Nordic countries. Emerging designers under 35-years-old and hailing from the Scandinavian countries of Sweden, Denmark, and Norway, plus Finland and Iceland were selected to show their work by an esteemed jury including Danish architect David Thulstrup and Franco-Swedish design team Färg & Blanche.
Why the Nordic focus? “Nordic countries are extremely dynamic and underpinned by a rich history, world-renowned talent, and considerable expertise. Northern Europe has a different relationship with time and natural materials, which are often left in their rawest state. The younger generation is asserting its new language of craft and collectible design.” says Dereen O’Sullivan, head of the Rising Talents Awards at Maison&Objet.
Here are the emerging designers taking part in the exposition, which wraps September 9:
Ali Sha Gallefoss
A striking sandcasted aluminum base supports this amorphic beech tabletop by Bergen-born and Oslo-based designer Ali Sha Gallefoss. Says the designer, “I’m inspired by nature, its subtle movements, and the life it brings. I live in the city and I miss Mother Nature.”
Antrei Hartikeinen
Born in Outokumpu in eastern Finland, Antrei Hartikeinen studied woodworking, taking after his cabinetmaker father. The designer looks to nature for works like Mysena, a wooden sculpture in ash, oak, and elm, its charred base meant to emphasize the importance of soil for growth.
Christian + Jade
Christian + Jade, the Copenhagen-based duo of Christian Hammer Juhl and Jade Chan, first select a material—for Reflecting Flame, it was aluminum– when starting a project, then the design follows. The wall-mounted candlestick holder is crafted in limited numbers and hand-finished.
Frederik Gustav
Frederik Weber and Gustav Dupont, aka Frederik Gustav, craft their architecturally-inspired furniture in Copenhagen, such as their FAB table which takes its form from the Factory for Art and Design building’s rooflines and its pastel hues.
Lab La Bla
Originally from the small town of Luleå on Sweden’s Lapland coast, the design team of Axel Landström and Victor Isaksson Pirtti now reside in Malmö. Their work is experimental, often involving tinkering and play, including their striped Viper bench composed from spruce, copper mining waste, pigment, and lacquer.
Studio Flétta
Studio Flétta consists of Icelandic designers Birta Rós Brynjólfsdóttir and Hrefna Sigurðardóttir. They upcycle waste into design objects, such as the pair’s delectable Pizza Time felted wool pies made from leftovers from the Icelandic wool industry.
Malin Ida Eriksson
Presented by Ateliers d’Art de France, Malin Ida Eriksson’s work represents the Craft Talent for the fair. Based in Stockholm, Sweden, the musician-turned-artist works in clay to produce organic forms speaking to the changeable nature of time.
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