Nanna Ditzel – Taking Design to New Heights
On 28 September, Trapholt opens the special exhibition Nanna Ditzel – Taking Design to New Heights about the greatest female Danish designer of the 20th century. For the first time ever, Nanna Ditzel’s universe of inspiration and ideas unfolds when the museum presents her entire body of work in a sensory-saturated exhibition of furniture design, jewellry, textiles, and total installations.
Nanna Ditzel combined a solid craftsmanship approach with artistic and cultural inspiration, resulting in unique and universally acclaimed design icons. She felt an urge to challenge conventions and go against the norms and, in an interview, called Danish furniture ”very nice, but equally boring.” Nanna Ditzel had a special love for colours, and her approach to the design profession was curious and investigative. She loved life and found inspiration for her furniture, jewellery, and textiles in nature, architecture, fashion, and in other people.
She distinguished herself from her contemporary designers from the beginning of her career, not only because of her gender but also because of her persistent insistence on exploring new ways of design and her ability to work with spaces and furniture in a new and innovative way. Ditzel was educated at the Royal Academy and, like other legendary designers such as Børge Mogensen and Hans J. Wegner, was taught in the functionalist tradition of master architect Kaare Klint. However, she quickly detached herself from these strict and formal design rules and gravitated towards a more poetic and sculptural expression.
The exhibition celebrates the fact that Nanna Ditzel would have turned 100 years old in 2023 and tells the story of how one can unfold and develop when in touch with the inspiration that art, culture, nature, and everyday life offer. More than any other Danish designer, Nanna Ditzel prioritized the perception of everyday living environments and was the designer who took the visions for design culture to new heights.
Nanna Ditzel – Design to New Heights is supported by the A.P. Møller Foundation, the Aage and Johanne Louis-Hansen Foundation, the Augustinus Foundation, the William Demant Foundation, the Knud Højgaard Foundation, the Consul George Jorck and his wife Emma Jorck Foundation, and the Lemvig-Müller Foundation.
