Everything Is Connected: Norwegian Design

How does a country of 5 million people make such a dent in the quality of living, happiness and even good design surveys? The answer was at the tacit core of Everything is Connected, a Ventura Lambrate exhibition of Norway’s best in craft and design, including the creative infrastructure and ethos that make them possible.

The six-day showcase featured the work of 30 of the country’s most celebrated designers, makers and studios. Highlights included Ann Kristin Einarsen’s totem-stack porcelain vases, Fam; Sara Polmar’s classic cardboard object that transforms into a set of shelves, Matchbox; and Jonas Stokke’s garden furniture inspired Tjøme chair.

Curator Katrin Greilling used furniture, lighting, glassware, ceramic and textile prototypes to weave her theory on how geography and nature can influence material trends and design thinking — and how countries can use their unique narratives to produce a positive brand result in the market.

“Norway is a such a good example of how to nurture the design and craft industries, acknowledging their impact on the national image,” she explained the exhibition supported by Klubben, DOGA Design, and Architecture Norway and Norwegian Crafts. “My hope is that visitors can understand design within its context, reflecting on the importance of the choices they make as consumers.”

Besides the ingenuity, material sourcing and common aesthetic evident across the board, the exhibits were further united by Kråkvik & D’Orazio’s exhibition design. The Norwegian-Italian studio used mirrors to celebrate and expand on the theme of interconnectivity.