85

From the exhibition

Svenskt Tenn EXHIBITED 85 21.09.2018 – 28.10.2018

The architect and designer Josef Frank (1885–1967) grew up in an assimilated Jewish family in Vienna, Austria. Due to strong antisemitic sentiment in the country, in December 1933 he left for Sweden together with his Swedish wife, Anna. January 1934 saw the beginning of his close cooperation with Svenskt Tenn’s founder Estrid Ericson, and only a few years later the duo achieved their major international breakthrough at the world fairs in New York and Paris.

From the exhibition

It’s now 85 years since the arrival of one of Sweden’s best-known designers, who enriched his new home country with innovative designs, vibrant patterns and timeless interiors. To mark this anniversary, in the autumn Svenskt Tenn is putting on an exhibition called ‘85’, featuring furniture and objects created by Josef Frank.

The newly produced furniture in the exhibition is based on Josef Frank’s sketches and drawings that are nowadays preserved in Svenskt Tenn’s archives. Cabinet 2215, Sideboard 567, Chair 789, Stool E8 and the round dining table 1020 bear many of Josef Frank’s classic features and signature details, with elongated legs, transparent chair backs and an elegant mixture of different types of wood and materials.

The exhibition is initiated by Svenskt Tenn’s former managing director (1979 – 1999) Ann Wall, who will be turning 85 in the autumn of 2018. It is a tribute both to herself and to the company’s iconic designer, Josef Frank.

From the exhibition
From the exhibition
From the exhibition