FindersKeepers at Øksnehallen - March 2022
/This weekend saw the return of FindersKeepers to Copenhagen after a break of two years because of the pandemic.
FindersKeepers organise large design markets in Copenhagen and Aarhus to show the work of young artists, designers and makers and small new independent companies who present a wide range of ceramics and glass, jewellery, textiles and fashion with interesting indoor plants, household objects and some furniture.
This weekend, set out in the large and well-lit space of Øksnehallen in the old meat market, there were 200 designers and "creative entrepreneurs."
With such a wide range of work on show, it is difficult to make broad assessments or suggest more than a general overview although it was obvious that there was more pattern, more complex shapes - rather than designs being stripped down and simple - and there were darker colours and echoes of the 60s with more denim than I have seen for a couple of decades and even rag rugs and tie dye so, maybe, the hipsters are being edged out by new hippies!
This time, there was also a large area of second-hand and high-quality vintage clothing that indicates a significant and growing movement away from big-brand names and a clear move towards buying accountable and sustainable clothing.
silicone bibs for kids from Danskk
Le Lune Ceramics
tables from Bønnebordet
rag rugs from Nyt Liv
hand-turned lamps from Retrogade
Uma Studio
Isabel Anne Ceramics
illuminated sculpture from flacoDesign
Petit Cadeau
The FindersKeepers market provides an opportunity to look at the work of a wide range of makers and designers. Here, I have focused on four very different designers or companies to illustrate the diversity of the works shown under that broad umbrella of Danish design but also show the huge amounts of talent, inspiration and dedication and focus that can be found across the board.
Flickering Light
Sofie Østergaard Neble has taken the opportunity of maternity leave to develop a simple but very effective idea for mobiles that capture and reflect light through strips of film in a carefully-chosen range of colours. They were shown against fine linen and would be amazing suspended in a window reveal. Designers work with colour and texture but rarely seem to explore shadows and the potential of reflection in this way.
This is a brilliant (pun intended) example of the way young designers realise ideas and push forward to production. Sofie told me that she had received extremely positive feedback and so she is now trying to move her ideas forward.
Sofieneble@hotmail.com
Simone's Sprælledukker
I thought that these “jumping jacks” are brilliant.
They are laser cut from birch plywood and many are specific commissions to commemorate events or relationships.
The style is a comfortable merging of gentle cartoon impressions of individuals but with a strong element of the simple outlines and strong colours of illustrations from books for children.
One of the figures is from the book Sticky Monsters and is a collaboration with the author John Kenn Mortensen.
THEAS handmade textiles
Thea Dam Søby is a textile designer and a teacher who uses a range of techniques including tie dye and resist.
There is a distinct Japanese quality to her choice of colours and to the techniques she uses that are inspired by Japanese shibori or tie dyeing and the practice of careful and appropriate repair and patching of cherished textiles with stitching and embroidery called Sashiko.
She finds and repairs and then dyes antique linens that have an amazing quality.
Thea organises demonstrations and sessions of teaching and from the 28 March through to the 10 April she will be be showing her work at MUJI in Illum’s department store in the centre of Copenhagen.
Pure Dansk
Astrid and Malene Søgaard come from a farming family in Jutland and they have set up Pure Dansk to promote and to market Danish dried peas, beans and lentils.
These are traditional Danish foods that have rather gone out of fashion so the company, as part of their marketing, has produced good and up-dated recipes to inspire cooks.
These recipes are printed as cards that can be found at events like this but they are all also available on the Pure Dansk web site.
Graphics for the web site and through the full range for packaging are good and shows how important it is, at all levels, to get the details right.
The current range includes:
Ingrid Ærter / Ingrid Peas
Anicia Linser / Anicia Lentils
Hestebønner / Broad Beans or Horse Beans
