A TALK WITH NICHOLAS SHUREY

Five years ago, British-born sculptor Nicholas Shurey left a stressful job in architecture for a working holiday on a farm in the Swiss Alps. An introduction to wood carving from a shepherd-cum-sculptor would ignite his passion for slow craft and a new-found sense of freedom. Today, Shurey’s pieces are making quite a stir as striking and functional works of art with an irresistible, tactile appeal.

Experience Shurey’s sculptures in the exhibition Wonders of Wood, made in collaboration with Carl Hansen & Søn, throughout 2023.

“In 2018, I decided to leave my architecture job and spend a month in Switzerland working with a farmer-cum-sculptor. The days were spent helping on the farm, tending the sheep and crops, making hay, and building greenhouses. During my breaks, I drew sketches in the barn and orchard, and in the evening, I made raw models in clay or wood. It was incredibly liberating to start with a block of solid wood and chip away to reveal the form hidden within it.

We are often discouraged from touching sculptures because we give it a sort of preciousness. Making sculptures with a practical purpose circumvents this issue and engages us with the pieces.

I typically work with green (undried) logs, using these as the starting point to inform ideas for sculptures. I source the vast majority of timber from trees that have to be felled around Copenhagen, collaborating with local tree surgeons to take logs that would otherwise be used as firewood. All of this means I have to be quite flexible depending on what is available.

The strong tradition and pedigree of Danish design and crafts were certainly one of the things that drew me to move to Copenhagen, but I think it’s the proximity to nature that influences my work most. We recently relocated our workshop to a building on a disused airfield north of the city, and I get to spend lots of time outdoors. My commute takes me through Hareskoven, where I walk Max, the dog, and take in the trees. This connection to nature keeps me feeling balanced and inspired.”

Poul Kjærholm

PK1 Chair

With an inherent simplicity and a refined combination of materials, the PK1 Chair was designed by the internationally revered architect Poul Kjærholm in 1955 as his first chair design. Originally, the lightweight and stackable PK1 was made of brushed steel and wicker, but in the new PK1, the durable FSC-certified paper cord complements the steel elegantly and is a material that Carl Hansen & Søn has a long tradition of working with.

The all-in-one seat and back of the PK1 chair is hand woven with 180 meters of cord by a skilled craftsman, taking 15 hours. The intricate weaving technique was specially developed for the chair and is inspired by Kjærholm’s original work with wicker. Updated to match modern proportions, the PK1 increased by 6% from its 1950s design while respecting Kjærholm’s original vision.

1929-1980

During his relatively short career as a furniture designer, Poul Kjærholm made his mark as one of the finest representatives of modernism. With his ideals of simple form and outstanding craftsmanship, he is viewed as one of the fathers of modern Danish design. Kjærholm was also deeply influenced by Danish furniture designer Kaare Klint, who helped found the Department of Furniture Design at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. Klint’s vision of simple and clear expression had a major impact on Kjærholm, who, like Klint, was uncompromising in his work with proportions and materials, as well as in his craftsmanship.

Kjærholm made a name for himself primarily with his functional steel, leather, and glass furniture. After completing his training as a cabinetmaker in Hjørring, Denmark, in 1949, he studied furniture design at the Danish School of Arts and Crafts in Copenhagen, graduating in 1952 and returning to teach shortly afterward.

Function and clarity became the hallmarks of Kjærholm’s career as an educator and a furniture designer. He did not see himself as someone who designed objects but rather as someone who created spaces. He often designed furniture with places in mind, doing so with a rigor and level of detail that continues to garner admiration.

Hans J. Wegner

CH45 Rocking Chair

From the beginning of Hans J. Wegner’s career, he was fascinated by designing rocking chairs. As always, he took a methodical approach to his design, focusing on the function. As a result, the CH45 Rocking Chair, designed in 1965, is perfectly proportioned, so one can sit relaxed and rock easily but rise effortlessly from the chair. The reclining backrest adds a dynamic expression to the overall composition. The kinship with the other furniture in the series is evident in the shaped bars, the envelope-patterned seat of paper cord, and the uniquely curved armrests, which are elevated at the rear. These design elements are classically Wegner, as the elevation allows for a solid joint. The grooves at the top of the backrest are also a typical Wegner detail, as they appear decorative and can be used as suspension for a neck pillow.

Hans J. Wegner

1914-2007

Danish designer Hans J. Wegner is considered one of the leading furniture designers of the 20th century. He was a driving force in the Danish Modern movement, which helped change how people viewed furniture in the 1950s and 1960s. Wegner created almost 500 chairs, many of which have achieved iconic status. He described design as an organic process, in which he started with the function and focused on refining and simplifying, to reduce the chair to its simplest possible form.

Wegner is renowned for his precision, great insight into craftsmanship and uncompromising approach to design. This resulted in perfect joints, exquisite shapes, a constant curiosity about materials and a deep respect for the nature and inherent potential of wood. His furniture designs exhibit an intuitive connection between minimalist expression and an organic and inviting form that appeals to the senses.

Hans J. Wegner

Ch004

Nesting Tables

Hans J. Wegner’s Nesting Tables, launched in 1952, have a distinctive light and organic look that reflects Wegner’s unique ability to design furniture that harmonizes with its surroundings and remains relevant for the future. With functional and space-saving properties, these tables can blend seamlessly into any interior with their discreet appearance. Wegner paid close attention to the details and entirety of his designs, achieving a sense of harmony between dimensions and materials. The three tables’ parts are proportionately scaled, featuring rounded and tapered legs, subtle curves on the supports, and classic mortise joints requiring high craftsmanship.

Kaare Klint

KK44860 Side Table

KK66870 Coffee Table

Kaare Klint’s two coffee tables were designed to meet a day’s needs –the square coffee table was originally intended for displaying a radio, while the circular model was designed for entertaining, with ample space for bottles and glasses.

The KK66870 Coffee Table from 1930 has a refined appearance and is one of Kaare Klint’s more detailed designs. The table’s angled legs have vertical grooves which stop at the shelf and continue under the tabletop, an elegant and decorative detail that celebrates good craftsmanship and adds character to the piece. The KK44860 Side Table from 1932 has a more discreet and minimalist aesthetic, testifying Klint’s pragmatic approach to design, where the function is paramount, and the wood serves as decoration.

Vilhelm Lauritzen

1894-1984

Vilhelm Theodor Lauritzen was one of Denmark’s most influential architects and a father of Danish Modernism. Today, many of his projects remain as lasting examples of what was then a new and revolutionary approach to architecture in which form followed function. Throughout his career, he maintained that architecture should be an applied art that serves all, not just the privileged few. Among Lauritzen’s most famous and acclaimed works are Copenhagen Airport’s first terminal (1939), which is now known as the Vilhelm Lauritzen Terminal, Radiohuset broadcasting building in Frederiksberg (1945), Vega music venue in Copenhagen (1956), and the Danish Embassy in Washington D.C. (1960).

Vilhelm Lauritzen was born on 10 September, 1894, in the town of Slagelse, Denmark. He graduated high school from Sorø Akademi in 1912 and from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts’ School of Architecture in Copenhagen in 1921. The following year, he founded Tegnestuen Vilhelm Lauritzen (known today as Vilhelm Lauritzen Architects).

Lauritzen’s talents extended to interior design. Over the course of his career, he created everything from door handles, ashtrays and railings to lamps, sofas and chairs.

Vilhelm Lauritzen

VLA61 Monarch Chair

In 1944, Vilhelm Lauritzen designed a project that never materialized, but the VLA61 Monarch Chair he created was produced in 10 copies. Until now, it was a coveted collector’s item sold at auctions worldwide. The VLA61 Monarch Chair is named after the majestic Monarch butterfly, a tribute to Lauritzen’s lifelong interest in them. With its generous upholstery, curved armrests, and organic, teardrop-shaped curvatures, the chair embodies an artistic expression that is light and sumptuous.

Experienced cabinetmakers face a complex and time-consuming manufacturing process. All details are hand-polished before assembly, and the entire chair is hand-polished again, especially around the joints, for a perfect finish. The backrest is upholstered only after mounting the chair to achieve precise finishes, which requires great care.

Alfred Homann