• image courtesy of Design House Stockholm

    Design House Stockholm's New Home

    Written by Fashion Tales

    Design House Stockholm has found the perfect location for its showroom, event space and head office at the very heart of Stockholm. At Götgatan 14, once the home for Record-Teatern, one of Stockholm’s oldest and most spacious cinemas, they have landed right by the reborn Slussen that links the Old Town with the vibrant creative Södermalm, the South isle of the Scandinavian design capital. They say that they will have their love for design on permanent display here, and all true Scandinavian design aficionados are invited to come along and share their passion.

    Some sixty designers has seen their ideas been brought to life with the keen expertise of Design House Stockholm for some 28 years. The storefront’s generous window display will bring to life this ever-changing selection of design classics and novelties, an unending series of creative innovations that continues to imagine new possibilities in both contract and home settings. Do step inside to browse a floral installation by a local flower shop showcasing eco-designs such as Atelier 2’s indoor greenhouse. Or meet a minimalistic stage-set with Carina Seth Andersson’s low-key tableware for Nationalmuseum along with Lena Bergström’s wool and leather-rimmed rugs. Behold Alexander Lervik’s Luna hailed as the ultimate globe pendant, and Tatu Laakso's Olivia Chair that offers balance lightness, sturdiness, and comfort: slender in appearance yet comfortable to sit on. The interior will change with every exhibition and will also offer the possibility to meet with both famous designers as well as aspiring newcomers right here in the middle of Stockholm. Step down the old cinema’s well-trodden marble stairs to visit their creative workspaces where their unique publishing house of design continues to assemble the very best design talents. Participate in their discussions with designers, and go right into every detail in some of their most famous designs. Delve into their choice of materials, designs, and workmanship. Learn more about 15 producers around the world and their code of conduct. Challenge them and their designers on bespoke designs for architectural projects. And Partake in their quest for the best ergonomics and a truly sustainable slow-design that creates new archetypes for modern living. Their space will of course be as easily visited virtually through their soon to be reborn website.

    Götgatan 14, in the very centre of Stockholm, is our new home after many years in different locations. And Södermalm is spot on as the very apex of their Stockholm based design. Right here Götgatsbacken rises in a steep slope almost up to Mosebacke where August Strindberg situated his radical satire The Red Room that brought the young novelist immediate fame, and where one enjoys a wide view of Stockholm cityscape distributed on a multitude of islets. Greta Garbo was born just a block away some decades later, as well as much earlier on the poet and musician Carl Michael Bellman. And do not forget the philosopher Emanuel Swedenborg, who had his summer house here in the 18th century, or Stieg Larsson’s Millennium Trilogy, which is acted out here. Today quite a pedestrian Södermalm is full of fashion and vintage shops, cosy restaurants and beer gardens, while at the same time hosting a major part of Sweden’s architecture offices. Slussen is a new meeting spot in the city with a newly renovated City Museum, and with a new Nobel Museum about to be built. Another treat is Fotografiska showing photography from all around the world with an acclaimed restaurant. Södermalm is without doubt the very birthplace of a large part of a Swedish design sporting that unmistakable energy and easy-going attitude that characterise Design House Stockholm. Not surprisingly, a lot of their designers have their workshops in this former working class neighbourhood, and they surely aim to bring along and show their diversity, expertise and standing at Götgatan 14.

    Link to website here!
     

    image courtesy of Design House Stockholm
    image courtesy of Design House Stockholm

  • photography Sandra Myhrberg

    special thanks to CFHILL

    Everything I Do, Every Step I Take, Has to Be Connected to Reality. A Conversation With Ylva Snöfrid.

    Written by Astrid Birnbaum by Sandra Myhrberg

    Known for her innovative blend of painting and performance, Ylva Snöfrid has captivated audiences worldwide with her unique exploration of existential themes. Her works are deeply introspective, often drawing on historical motifs to delve into the human experience. Her current exhibition, part of the Cosmos Vanitas series, is titled Jungfraujoch – High Altitude Paintings and is showcased at CFHILL in Stockholm. It takes us to Jungfraujoch, the second-highest viewing point in Europe, where Snöfrid’s artistry melds with the breathtaking elevation. The resulting celestial maps chart the intimate terrains of human existence. Central to Ylva’s work is the theme of ‘Vanitas’, reflecting on life's transience. Her paintings don't just depict this; they embody it, with each brushstroke and color choice resonating with the vibrancy of life amidst change.

    Ylva, I would like to begin at the beginning. Looking back, what first inspired you to pursue a career in art?
    I think I understood very early that I was an artist. My parents were also making art, even though they had ordinary jobs. They lived like artists. Even though my childhood was a struggle in many ways, they were very supportive of me making things. There are specific moments from my childhood when I realized I was an artist. One was when I was around six and I made some drawings of the queen from Elsa Beskow's Midsummer tale. The queen was helping the wild weeds and the flowers to get together to have a party. The tale is about a girl who falls asleep and sees the world of these plants. I tried to make a portrait of her, but I couldn't manage to draw her like Elsa Beskow. I was so disappointed with myself. It was such a struggle, and I could not stop. It was more important than many other things in my life at that moment.

    Part of my life as an artist began during my childhood. I had a mirror twin who lived behind the mirrors, named Snöfrid, while I was Ylva. I wrote a poem about her as a child, and she gradually became more real, embodying my artwork. Once, I created her as an alcoholic beverage that I distilled on paintings for an installation, inviting people to 'drink' her. During interviews, she accompanied me and even answered questions. Consequently, some interviews featured Ylva, Snöfrid, and the interviewer. Unable to rid myself of her presence, I eventually created a life-sized doll with my proportions. When my family and I moved to Athens, I felt the need to take the next step in my artistic practice, necessitating a transmutation. This eight-hour ritual, performed through a mirror, was part of a show in Montpellier curated by Nicolas Bourriaud. I sat on paintings, inviting the audience to participate. In a small tent, I conducted the actual ritual, meeting Snöfrid in the mirror. I painted my vagina on small paintings and invited people to sit down, serving her—us—on these paintings.

    Through this process, I abandoned my surname and became Ylva Snöfrid, uniting us as one. We are now physically connected all the time. I wear gold joints—gold jewelry around my waist, wrists, neck, and fingers—gradually covering my entire body. These joints symbolize our connection and frequently appear in my paintings. The use of gold has multiple reasons. In my childhood, within an anthroposophic environment, I received gold injections to strengthen my sense of self and create a boundary between the outer and inner worlds. I administered these injections myself into my belly.

    Your current exhibition, 'Jungfraujoch – High Altitude Paintings,' shown at CFHILL, takes us to the heights of the Swiss Alps. What drew you to this remote location?
    In my artistic practice, I have always worked with my own life and body as the foundation for my artwork. My approach is highly subjective and intuitive, building on my personal experiences. I have explored themes from my own childhood to motherhood, including significant events like giving birth. For instance, my father was a heroin addict during my childhood, and this profoundly influenced my paintings and overall artistic practice. For me, art must be as real and tangible as the ordinary reality I perceive.

    In the five years before starting the project that culminated in this exhibition, I lived in Athens with my family. In Athens, I created a secluded artwork that was essentially a home, complete with furniture and paintings. We slept on paintings, we ate on paintings. This immersive experience prompted me to look beyond the confines of this project and explore the external world in a more existential manner, recognizing that I live on Earth, a planet that offers a broader, planetary experience. This exploration extended to the cosmos and my connection to the world on a larger scale. As part of this study, I created three monumental paintings, “Cosmos and Vanitas,” each 7x6 meters high, which are installed in Lund. This project involved visiting various places to explore the connection between mass and atmosphere. My husband, Rodrigo, discovered the Jungfraujoch research station, situated at an altitude of 3,500 meters. It is one of the highest research stations globally, attracting researchers from around the world. Rodrigo applied on my behalf for the opportunity to stay there. Therefore, I went up this high mountain.

    How did the environment of Jungfraujoch affect your creative process?
    I went there thinking I was going to do a study on the atmosphere and mass. But I didn't really think that it could affect me physically. When I arrived, a whole other process started within myself, inside my body. The first thing I felt was this very high pressure on my brain. Later, my eyesight improved dramatically because my eyeballs actually adjusted to the pressure. I felt very bad physically. I started to get high altitude sickness, and I was just in that feeling somehow. I got worse and worse, hour by hour. The nights were the worst. Visually, things were very strong. I am not sure if I was hallucinating, but I saw snakes coming out of the sky. I saw everything moving. Either it was because I had such a clear view and it was reality, or it was hallucinations. I became more and more affected. The second night I had a very hard time sleeping. I slept a little, but I woke up because of the pressure on my brain. The brain actually gets bigger. I understood I couldn't fall asleep too deeply. I felt I was losing it a little bit, but at the same time, I was drawing and painting up there.

    I know you have a strong connection to rituals in your work and life. Can you tell me about that?
    Every task or habit, everything I have to do, has to be a ritual. Life is sacred somehow. For me to make it necessary to live, I have to make everything important. As a ritual, it is necessary. It's the same with my artwork. I want it to be necessary—it cannot just be an illustration. It has to be needed for me; it's a personal thing. In my personal life, I have probably taken it to an extreme. I have developed it through the years. The family also agrees on this way of living—and I understand if they would not, but they do. Everyone sleeps on paintings, everyone eats on paintings, even the sofa is paintings. It's for the sake of the artwork. It's a bit like when Edvard Munch had this outdoor studio in the snow, and the snow was hardening the paintings. The soul of the painting might be there or not. For the paintings to be a part of daily life and rituals is toughening them up a little bit. We become connected somehow. In my case, this is my path. And I totally understand there are other ways. This is what makes it worth living for me: to make life necessary.

    How did your rituals look up in Jungfraujoch?
    The same, actually. I don't have many things, but they always conduct everything equally. I have these different objects with me and I do the same rituals. Maybe it's less or more hard to execute things. For instance, at the end of my time up there, I couldn't even really walk. I had to lean against the wall. I was in such bad shape, but it didn't stop me from my rituals.

    I forgot to ask: How long were you actually up there?
    In my drawing, you can see it starts from day 1 to 3. I came on a Friday and left on Sunday morning.

    What do you hope viewers feel, think, or learn when they view your work?
    I don't hope for anything. My question for myself is always: Does this artwork have the right to exist in the universe? I ask that question for every work I make. If I see that it adds something that is not a burden, I let it continue to live in the world. Otherwise, I burn it or destroy it. People can think or experience whatever they want. I am happy that people see them; that is enough for me.

  • INTERVIEW TAF Studio x Odalisque

    Written by Jahwanna Berglund

    When two design geniuses put their heads together, the outcome resulted in a new timeless and functional at home classic.

    TAF Studio was founded in 2002 by Gabriella Lenke and Mattias Ståhlbom after graduating from the Department of Interior Architecture and Furniture Design at Konstfack.Their design is recognized for its minimalist yet functional approach to design, creating pieces that blend simplicity with a touch of whimsy. They work across various disciplines, including interior design, product design, architecture, and furniture design.

    The studio's portfolio boasts collaborations with numerous well-known brands like Muuto, Hay, Design House Stockholm, and now String Furniture. Their designs often showcase a balance between form and function, with an emphasis on clean lines, thoughtful details, and a Scandinavian aesthetic.

    Their work has been exhibited internationally and has received several prestigious awards, cementing TAF Studio's position as a prominent design studio within the global design community. Throughout their journey, they've maintained a commitment to creating innovative, sustainable, and visually striking designs, leaving a mark on the world of contemporary design.

    String Furniture is a Swedish design icon that emerged in the mid-20th century and has since become synonymous with Scandinavian design. It was created by Swedish architect and designer Nils Strinning and his wife, Kajsa Strinning.

    The history of String furniture dates back to 1949 when Nils Strinning entered a design competition organized by Bonnier's Book Club. His submission was a shelving system that consisted of simple side panels and shelves supported by thin wires. This innovative design allowed for customization and flexibility, enabling users to adjust the shelves to their liking without the need for tools. The winning design, known as the “String System,” became an instant success and was launched into production by the manufacturer, String Furniture AB.

    Over the years, String Furniture has maintained its timeless appeal and relevance in the design world. The original String System continues to be manufactured and sold, while the brand has introduced new variations, colors, and materials to adapt to contemporary design trends and technological advancements.

    Nils and Kajsa Strinning's legacy lives on through the enduring popularity and influence of String furniture, which remains an emblem of functional and elegant Scandinavian design.

    How did the collaboration between TAF Studio and String Furniture come about, considering both entities' rich design legacies?
    We started our collaboration when designing a wall shelf for the Nationalmuseum of Stockholm. The Museum collection is since then available in the String Furniture range

    What unique elements or insights did each partner bring to the table during the creation process?
    It is of course a great pleasure working with a producer that has such specific knowledge when it comes to shelves and storage. String Furniture knows everything about wall shelves and we brought our knowledge as designers and interior architects when it comes to a free standing piece. Relief is designed to be as nice from the back as from the front to be able to position in the middle of room and double as a room divider.

    TAF Studio is known for its minimalist yet functional approach, while String Furniture embodies timeless Scandinavian design. How did these philosophies converge in your collaborative project?
    For us it is like working with a good friend – someone that you have a lot of things in common with. String Furniture works with a strong legacy and with their classics and we, even though it is very hard, try to achieve new things that can age as well and live as long as the classics. That meeting ends up in a natural dialogue on what we can do together.

    Could you tell us about the specific design principles that guided the creation of this new furniture classic?
    We think of the Relief as a basic background piece with a reduced expression. Almost like a podium under a sculpture. Something that can store and carry other objects rather than “objectify” itself.

    String Furniture has a longstanding history, while TAF Studio represents a more contemporary design approach. How did you balance honouring the heritage of String Furniture while injecting modern elements into the new design?
    Despite the reduced aesthetics we also believe that an object designed today needs to be a footprint from our time. We used modern and contemporary techniques in our design process, as does String Furniture when it comes to the actual production. We hope that gives a contemporary expression in a subtle way.

    What were some of the key challenges faced during the design process, considering the rich legacy and expectations associated with both TAF Studio and String Furniture?
    We have worked very much with the detailing and proportions in order to be able to transport the system in a more sustainable way/knock down and to store it in an efficient way. All the dimensions have their origin in an ambition to fit on a EU pallet. The true challenge was to make them also work for all the different functions when assembled.

    Can you elaborate on any innovative techniques or materials used in the creation of this furniture piece?
    We have looked at many new materials and techniques and made tryouts and mock-ups but found no advantages. In the end we have been using wood, mdf and cast aluminium.

    How did you prioritise functionality without compromising on the aesthetic appeal of the furniture piece?
    The visual appearance is very boxy and we have had pixels as a reference but there are a lot of hidden functionality. For example with all the fittings – there is an invisible connection bracket to connect more than one part. Under the squarish handle there is a soft curve that you do not see but feel when opening the drawers. A row of hooks in the same widths could also be added to take care of things you do not want to keep in the drawers.

    Both TAF Studio and String Furniture have made significant impacts on the design world. How do you envision this collaboration contributing to your respective legacies?
    We hope of course that the reception of the new collection will be good and used in a way that we were aiming for – a background piece focusing on storage, and help to create different spaces working as a room divider. A little bit like a white shirt in your wardrobe. A basic piece that can be used in many ways and context.

    QUOTE: Bo Hellberg, Chief Marketing Officer at String Furniture

    “It’s always a joy to work with TAF Studio, we share many values.

    Relief is an extremely well-thought-out system that fits in all rooms, and with its straightforward design enhances the expression in all environments, regardless of how it is combined and placed. The product has an exceptional high quality in manufacturing that many people notice. We have heard things like ’this is where my cashmere pullover should live’, which is tremendously rewarding”, says Bo Hellberg, Chief Marketing Officer at String Furniture.

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