lectures in conjunction with the exhibition
All lectures will be held in the Martin Luther King Jr. Auditorium
at the Main Library.
March 8, 2007 at 6:30 pm
PH Alias Poul Henningsen—The Genius of Danish Design: A biographical
look into the life of Poul Henningsen
Erik Steffensen, Professor, Royal Danish Art Academy, Copenhagen
Photographer and author, Erik Steffensen was born in Valby, Denmark in 1961. He has been a professor at the Royal Danish Art Academy in Copenhagen since 1998 and has been an art critic for the Danish newspaper in addition to curating several art and design exhibitions. As a writer, Steffensen has delved into the lives and works of such artists as Asger Jorn, Poul Gernes, Helmut Federle, Per Kirkeby, Ole Jensen and Poul Henningsen. His written works also include biographical pieces titled, “Valbyenglesk” (2003) and Desperado (2006) as well as more concise books covering a myriad of other topics.
He was instrumental in the creation of the BBC’s televised program, “Michael Palin and the Mystery of Hammershoj” and has exhibited his photographic works throughout the USA and Europe. In fact, some of his images can be found gracing the walls of the world renowned Louisiana Museum in Humlebaek and Fotomuseum Wintherhur.
Today, Steffensen resides and works between Copenhagen and Leasoe.
February 8, 2007 at 6:30 pm
Nordic Attitudes: Modern Furniture in Denmark
Michael Sheridan, Architect and Designer/Curator of Poul Kjærholm— Furniture Architect Exhibition at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Denmark
Scandinavian achievements in architecture and furniture design are one of the richest chapters in the cultural history of the 20th-century. Scandinavia architects and designers translated ideas of Modernism into a regional culture that combined craft and technology, local practices and international currents, to produce humanistic buildings and interiors. These objects and environments remain practical and beautiful more than 50 years after their creation.
Michael Sheridan will present a lecture examining the development of modern furniture in Denmark during the 20th century. He will trace influences from a variety of sources, including Alvar Aalto, Mies van der Rohe and Charles and Ray Eames, and their translation into the Danish furniture tradition. The lecture will focus on two of the 20th-century’s most important creative figures; Arne Jacobsen and Poul Kjærholm.
Michael Sheridan is an architect in New York City, where he established his own practice, Sheridan Architect, in 2005. His work focuses on spaces for artists and art-related activities, as well residential projects. The retrospective, Poul Kjærholm – Furniture Architect, which he designed and curated at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Denmark, was recognized as one the outstanding exhibitions of 2006 by Artforum magazine.
Prior to starting his own office, Mr. Sheridan spent years in the office of Gluckman Mayner Architects where he served as Project Designer/Architect for a number of notable projects including the Ellsworth Kelly Studio and the bookstores for the new Museum of Modern Art. Mr. Sheridan holds degrees in architecture and urban design from the University of Minnesota (BS Arch) and Columbia University (MS AUD). He is a licensed architect in the State of New York.
In addition to his practice, Mr. Sheridan is a noted expert in the field of Nordic Modernism. His books on the subject include Room 606 – The SAS House and The Work of Arne Jacobsen (Phaidon, 2003) and Poul Kjærholm – Furniture Architect (Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, 2006). He has received grants and fellowships from the Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts, the New York State Council for the Arts and the Architectural League of New York.