The 3 Days of Design exhibition from Danish furniture brand Fredericia reveals how iconic designs by Hans J Wegner and Børge Mogensen have been subtly adapted in line with today’s standards.
On show at the Fredericia headquarters in Copenhagen, Crafting the Present showcases the craft processes, tools and makers behind the brand’s furniture.
Curated by designer Maria Bruun, the exhibition shows how designs including Wegner’s Ox Chair and Mogensen’s Spanish Chair have been carefully reworked in line with modern manufacturing technologies and environmental standards.
Rasmus Graversen, CEO of Fredericia, believes it is important for design classics to move with the times.
“We sometimes need to challenge the way we do things; something that was good 50 years ago isn’t necessarily good now,” he explained during a tour of the show.
“If you don’t have a culture of craft in your company, you might think the way that something was done in the past is the only right way.”
Graversen, who is also the grandson of brand founder Andreas Graversen, wanted the exhibition to highlight how this culture of craft is at the heart of Fredericia’s approach.
The company has a specialist upholstery workshop in Svendborg, south Denmark, a facility that was established by Erik Jørgensen in 1954 and acquired by Fredericia in 2020.
The exhibition includes live demonstrations from both the workshop production team and from artisans at leather manufacturer Tärnsjö Garveri.
Crafting the Present also showcases the tools used in these production processes, alongside models that reveal how the furniture pieces are assembled.
“We wanted to showcase the talented craftsmen and women whose hands touch every piece of furniture,” Bruun said.
“Here, craft is not a marketing gimmick. It is not a layer added onto the furniture afterwards. It is the heritage of this company and has an influence on everything.”
“All of the tools you see are used for real,” added Graversen. “Nothing was picked just because it’s pretty.”
“These are all used in the actual production; it’s an extraordinary experience to see what happens.”
Textile curtains suspended from the ceiling provide a scenography that divides the space into different sections.
Metal trolleys create multi-level displays, while larger models are raised up on trestles.
The Pioneer, a design developed by Bruun for Fredericia in 2023, is also featured.
Dotted through, the stool provides seating so that visitors can spend time watching the artisans at work.
Crafting the Present is on show for of 3 Days of Design, which takes place in Copenhagen from 12 to 14 June. For more events, exhibitions and talks in architecture and design visit Dezeen Events Guide.
Source: Rooms - dezeen.com
