I latterly broke ane of my prized Porcelight pendant lamps over my dining table. More than upset, I made contact to come across if I could supplant it. It was a peril postal service which led to me feeling genuinely inspired past times the deceased designer - in addition to realising that I also owned several other pieces past times Erik Magnussen - including the classic Stelton vacuum pitcher. Today Magnussen's designs alive on through the solid unit of measurement business. I caught upwards alongside his boy Magnus to discovery out to a greater extent than nigh the award-winning designer in addition to constitute his humbleness, struggles alongside dyslexia in addition to background equally an inventor a truthful inspiration.
Porcelight - Made By Hand (photo My Scandinavian Home)
How did Erik's Younger Years Influence His Profession?
Erik grew upwards inwards a habitation influenced past times art. His Father was a scientist, inventor in addition to an engineer in addition to his Grandfather was an creative mortal (also named Erik Magnussen) who counted Danish architect Thorvald Bindesbøll in addition to artist Svend Hammershøi equally friends. Erik was severely dyslexic (he could barely read), but went to a creative-minded principal schoolhouse which allowed him to pass a lot of fourth dimension drawing in addition to playing alongside clay. When Erik was twenty, he built a ceramic workshop inwards the basement of his parent's habitation alongside the assist of his Father. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 yr after he was offered a task at Danish ceramics manufacturer Bing & Grodahl.
Did Erik consider himself a designer?
Erik never called himself a designer, but his passion for crafts began alongside clay in addition to he e'er spoke of himself equally a ceramicist. However, inwards his early on years at Bing & Grondahl, his move would by in addition to large last described equally art. He primarily made sculptures, in addition to the focus was on modest productions. But he was eventually drawn to majority production in addition to his projects evolved into porcelain for kitchens - both for individual role in addition to businesses.
Porcelight - Made By Hand (photo - My Scandinavian Home)
Did you lot ever move closely alongside your Father? If so, how was he inwards his workspace?
I wasn't working inwards the fellowship when Erik was active, but his studio was attached to my childhood habitation in addition to he worked from at that topographic point since I was born. He real much enjoyed existence self-employed, he had consummate autonomy over his move in addition to nonetheless had the ability to last real productive. Erik got inspiration from everywhere in addition to it felt similar he was e'er working. He spent real footling fourth dimension at his desk, but when he did, he was sketching or working with clay models. He liked the partnership he had alongside Stelton in addition to Engelbrechts Furniture in addition to he worked closely alongside the production evolution departments until the solar daytime he passed away.
1960s Z Folding Chair past times Erik Magnussen for Torben Orskov (photo courtesy of 1stdibs)
What did his creative procedure expect like?
Erik looked to solve problems he experienced inwards everyday life, whether it was designing an ergonomically shaped chair, or a thermos jug you lot could concur alongside ane manus acre reading the newspaper inwards the other. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 lot of his blueprint stemmed from readily available products that annoyed him. He in ane lawsuit said:
"Certainly, at that topographic point is no existent demand for to a greater extent than stuff. There is hence much crap around. And unless you lot tin shipping away somehow enhance the quality, construct everyday life a footling fighting easier for the destination user, only in addition to hence tin shipping away you lot justify adding to the pile."
He e'er carried out a lot of query to come across what was already available in addition to worked closely alongside the production evolution subdivision to maintain the production procedure equally unproblematic equally possible.
Petit Plateau Lounge Chair / Erik Magnussen for Engelbrechts (2009) (Photo courtesy of Engelbrechts). Erik constitute inspiration for this chair past times contemplating the shape of his left hand. He made the start model from clay.
What was Erik similar equally a person?
Erik was simply equally tolerant equally his designs. Nobody was likewise small. There wasn't a clear carve upwards betwixt his move in addition to individual life: he worked alongside people he liked, in addition to many became skillful friends. He was real humorous, in addition to people oft say me his designs reverberate this. He had a concept which he called 'fine-thinking' - it was variety of a joke, but at that topographic point was some truth to it too. He would lay on a sofa inwards the living room, position on Miles Davis in addition to unopen his eyes. To me, it looked real much similar he was asleep, but after 30 minutes he would teach upwards in addition to become forthwith to his workspace in addition to push clitoris something equally though he had drawn it hundreds of times before.
Erik has helped shape Scandinavian blueprint inwards many ways. What laid his move apart?
Erik had a unlike approach to blueprint from other before Scandinavian designers. He was to a greater extent than similar a scientist. Aesthetics was never his top priority. He had an extraordinary involvement inwards materials, comfort, the production procedure in addition to making everyday life easier. He took the concept of 'simplicity', which hence often characterises Scandinavian design, to some other level. Simplicity formed the solid soil of everything he did. He simplified the procedure for both the user in addition to the factories inwards a agency which hadn't been seen before. He also wanted to maintain the prices downwardly hence that they were accessible to to a greater extent than people. I don't mean value you lot tin shipping away discovery many iconic pieces alongside prices equally depression equally Erik's. He moved away from creating sculptures for upper-class solid unit of measurement gardens to creating majority marketplace topographic point products for that real reason.
Was he ever aware of this?
I mean value he was aware, but I don't mean value he idea a lot nigh it. He was professionally engaged but did non experience the demand for attending from the media etc. That's likely why his products are far to a greater extent than famous than his name.
Was at that topographic point a telephone commutation turning signal inwards Erik's career?
While Erik was working equally a ceramicist at Bing & Grondahl he was headhunted past times Stelton to take over the topographic point of in-house designer from Arne Jacobsen. He went on to blueprint ane of the most successful vacuum jugs of all time.
The iconic, best-selling Press Coffee Maker in addition to Vacuum Jug which Erik designed for Stelton (photo courtesy of Stelton).
What did your Father mean value of the success of the Vacuum Jug?
Popularity was non actually my Father's thing; the residuum of his solid unit of measurement was agency to a greater extent than excited when it appeared inwards movies etc! However, I mean value he appreciated that he had designed a production that people similar to use, in addition to it opened upwards doors for him equally a designer in addition to gave him the peace of heed to take on only projects which he felt passionate about.
Did he focus on items alone for the home?
His move spanned many areas. He was known for tabular array top items in addition to furniture, but he also designed interiors for sailboats, navigation equipment in addition to fifty-fifty mixing chambers for the intravenous handling of cancer patients.
How practise you lot move along his legacy today?
My vision is to say the story nigh Erik inwards the correct agency in addition to convey his favourite products dorsum to life. We are currently working on a novel website for Erik Magnussen Design, that volition say the story of his creative procedure in addition to how he worked. It volition stand upwards for the agency Erik mastered simplicity, in addition to how simplicity was to a greater extent than than simply forthwith lines. I promise to come across some of his early on products become dorsum into production. Some of them direct hold been removed from the marketplace topographic point due to concern merges, but the products are nonetheless there, in addition to it’s upwards to us to discovery the perfect manufacturer.
Will you lot create whatever novel products for the brand?
This has been a sensitive discipline since Erik passed away, because nosotros desire ‘Designed past times Erik Magnussen’ to hateful precisely that. However, at that topographic point direct hold been several production launches since his death, where nosotros worked alongside smaller details that hadn't been dealt alongside past times Erik. This has been carried out inwards unopen collaboration alongside professional person designers who knew him in addition to what he stood for. This tumble nosotros launched an electrical kettle alongside Stelton, which is based on the classic EM77. Erik had already produced a lot of sketches for the kettle, but at that topographic point were modest details that needed to last solved in
lodge for it to become into production, in addition to nosotros were real happy to teach assist alongside the concluding 1% of the product. We also convey novel colouring ways to the classic EM77 each yr which enables us to refresh the products without changing the design.
EM77 press tea maker & EM77 electrical kettle. Photo Brian Buchard, Stelton
Thank you lot hence much for taking the fourth dimension to say us to a greater extent than nigh your Father's designs! I shall expect at my wonderful Porcelight in addition to Stelton Vaccum jug inwards a novel low-cal from at nowadays on (and for certain last agency to a greater extent than careful with them too!
Do you lot direct hold whatever Erik Magnussen designs inwards your home?
Niki
Top photo: Erik Magnussen, Plateau chair (Engelbrechts), EM77 (Stelton).
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