Egeværk
Mette Bentzen and Lasse Kristensen, known collectively as Egeværk, create meticulously made sculptural pieces, while drawing on craft traditions dating back generations in Danish fine furniture.
The ICE series, a significant design project initiated with the gallery in 2019, is the result of a major body of practical research and design development. The concept originated from Egeværk’s deep-rooted connection to the landscape in their native homeland and neighbouring countries, specifically the harsh winter icescapes of Denmark, Sweden and Norway. The artists sought to capture the fluid aesthetics of ice in their opposingly solid medium of Danish Ash wood.
‘A strong wind at the coming of winter had caused wavy patterns in several layers on one side of a puddle – almost like a delicate frill… complex and breathtakingly poetic, microcosmos are a thing of great beauty. Poetry in stopped motion.’ - Egeværk
For months the artists transported huge blocks of ice to their studio to study the melting process under natural and controlled conditions. They examined its unhurried dissolve during moderate spring temperatures and the summer heatwave; they also manipulated the blocks by placing them under dripping water or drilling holes straight into the ice to stimulate the thawing process. Placed shoulder to shoulder in the workshop or on the harbour front, these blocks were carefully catalogued in photographs and used as inspiration in a series of carved maquettes. The final large-scale furniture pieces are the result of a slow and thoughtful process of making; they embody the language of ice in form and texture, achieved through Egeværk’s gentle and refined carving techniques.
Kristensen (1985) and Bentzen (1978) were both trained at the esteemed PP Furniture, a Danish joinery established in 1953 and famous for its large portfolio of modern Danish furniture. They are the recipients of a number of prestigious awards and accolades, including the 2019 Snedkerprisen (the Danish Carpentry Award). In 2020, their work was selected for the Danish Pavilion in Tokyo during the Olympic Games and they were the Winners of the Arts & Craft Category of the Design Award in Denmark.
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Design Miami/ 2022 concludes successful 18th edition under the theme "The Golden Age: Looking to the Future"
Jose Villarreal, Art Daily -
Design Miami 2022: Further Coverage
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The Golden Age
Hani Oh, ELLE Design, January 2, 2023 -
The Most Memorable Moments From Miami Art and Design Week 2022
Hannah Martin and Lila Allen, Architectural Digest, December 9, 2022 -
Highlights from Design Miami/ 2022
Design Miami, December 8, 2022 -
What we loved at Design Miami 2022
Elana Castle, Effect Magazine, December 7, 2022 -
5 DESIGN TRENDS WE SPOTTED DURING MIAMI ART WEEK
Ingrid Abramovitch, Parker Bowie Larson and Sean Santiago, Elle Decor, December 6, 2022 -
5 Standout Wood Furnishings at Design Miami Revive the Humble Material for the 21st Century
Adrian Madlener, Artnet, December 5, 2022 -
As Art Basel Turns 20, Miami Art Week Enters a New, Slightly Less Hyped-Up Dawn
Spencer Bailey, The Slowdown, December 2, 2022 -
Design Miami 2022 Gives Sights, Sounds, and Plenty of Seats
Joshua Glass, Cultured, December 1, 2022 -
A preview of a selection of this year’s exhibitors reveals some cutting edge contemporary works
Charlotte Abrahams , The Design Edit, November 21, 2022