Coffee table book discussing the topic of 'art versus design' through works and insights from 66 Danish artists

Press Release · Copenhagen · 6th of November 2014

'Danish Art Prints - Art Versus Design' is the name of a new coffee table book edited by Hanne & Tobias Scheel Mikkelsen from the Copenhagen based design studio WhatWeDo. The book is a 200 page compendium with interviews of and examples of works by 66 contemporary Danish art print makers. The main focus of the book is the cross field between art and design. The book is printed in Denmark and is written in English.

The theme of 'art versus design' is being discussed throughout the book in the interviews and in 2 prefaces and 3 comments written by personalities from the Danish art and interior scene.

The first preface is written from an art perspective by Tom Jørgensen, art critic at Jyllandsposten (Danish newspaper) and editor in Chief at Kunstavisen (a Danish magazine about the Danish art scene) where he argues why the distinction between art and design does not make sense to him. The second preface is written from an interior design perspective by Anja Hellberg, editor at Bolig Magasinet (Danish interior design magazine). She talks about art prints as an affordable way to quickly change your own style of interiors.

The comment by Danish trend expert Mads Arlien-Søborg focuses on how art prints should be seen in context of the poster art from the 1920's and the pop art from the 1960's, but should also be judged on its own as an autonomous genre. The comment by Art Rebels' Carla Cammilla Hjort and Scott Cooper talks about a generation that craves for self expression and how the internet and social media has made this possible. The blogger and stylist Malene Marie Møller has written a comment about her personal perception of the concept of art and how the definition of art has become a lot more flexible.

Some participants confidently answer 'Art!' when given the question: 'Would you categorize your prints as art or as an interior decoration product?', while others answer more fluently and reveal extra layers in the debate about what art is and who is to judge.

The participants also share insights from their work process and curiosities from their creative life. One question given to the participants is f.ex. 'What is on your own walls?'. The answers to this question are diverse and gives the reader a unique insight into the minds of the participants. Another question which teases the readers curiosity is 'What is your tagline?' which gives the reader some odd pocket philosophic insights and wise quotes from the participants favourite icons.

The featured artists have very different educational background and their techniques span from digital collages over drawings by hand to embroidery. The 66 featured artists are:

Elkeland, Ruth Crone Foster, Sofie Børsting, Madstitch, a mile in the woods,
Karina Bækkelund, Sune Jørgensen, Nynne Rosenvinge, No17, Julie Hyld,
Silke Bonde, Marie Willumsen, Gefiltefish, Lisbet Krøll, KLAM, Somebody Else,
Louise Overgaard, Toril Bækmark, Kristine Mandsberg, Anita Karlsen,
Sacre-Botanica, Hamide, Mette Hørsted, Wordless, Joanna Jensen, Nadja Rahr,
Berit Lysdal Bærentsen, Anétmai, Jonas Gejl, Maria Permin Berger,
GORM · copenhagen, Maria Louise Andkær, Tine Wessel, Kristina Krogh,
I LOVE MY TYPE, Julie Bjarnhoff, Anne Philipp, Julie Gry, Lea Hoffmann, Mesterwerk, Frohline, Lene Nørgaard, Kristina Dam, Monika Petersen,
Anne Bundgaard, Thomine & Art Fellow, ViSSEVASSE, Martin Schwartz,
Vibeke Rohland, Mormor, Bine Jo Mortensen, About Graphics, namesEARLE,
Design by Jelle, Petmonkey, Pernille Folcarelli, Bob Noon, Solveig Mønsted Hvidt,
Christina Haxholm, YapYap, Mahmud Sahan, Animade, Yespr, øjeRum, Strups,
and WhatWeDo.