Nordic Models + Common Ground
The American-Scandinavian Foundation’s Scandinavia House presents Nordic Models + Common Ground: Art and Design Unfolded, an exhibition organized by Norsk Form in collaboration with The American-Scandinavian Foundation (ASF).
The exhibition is curated by the internationally renowned architecture firm Snøhetta, which also designed the installation, in collaboration with Situ Studio. The first in a series of programs marking the ASF’s centennial, Nordic Models + Common Ground offers a visionary look at contemporary Nordic art and design, examining nascent trends and their impact on the global art and design communities. All of the Nordic countries—Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden—are represented.
The exhibition examines architecture, product design, fine art, graphic design, fashion, and photography by thirty-five artists and designers. This diverse, boundary-crossing body of work demonstrates the many ways in which contemporary Nordic designers are embracing socially responsible design that reflects the egalitarianism inherent to their societies. Moreover, with projects ranging from a violin to textiles, from a public outdoor shelter to lamps made from dried codfish skin, the exhibition demonstrates not only functionality, craftsmanship, and the use of natural materials, but also humor, cultural commentary, and a focus on new technologies.
Organized by Norsk Form – The Foundation for Design and Architecture in Norway in collaboration with The American-Scandinavian Foundation, Nordic Models + Common Ground was made possible by support from William B. and Inger Gundersen Ginsberg; The Barbro Osher Pro Suecia Foundation; the ASF Centennial Fund; the Royal Norwegian Consulate General in New York; and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Exhibition design: Snøhetta & Situ Studio.
Read more about the exhibition and related public programs Co-presented with Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum at www.scandinaviahouse.org.
Source: Royal Norwegian Embassy in Washington
