Scan Magazine, Issue 126, July 2019

JULY 2019 ISSUE 126 PROMOTING BRAND SCANDINAVIA

THOMAS BUTTENSCHØN: DOIN’ HIS DRUGS VISIT DENMARK – A TRAVEL GUIDE OUR TOP TEN SCANDINAVIAN NATURE PHENOMENA MADE IN SWEDEN: DESIGN AND INNOVATION

Scan Magazine | Contents

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Contents

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COVER FEATURE 38

Thomas Buttenschøn: Positive Stigma Buster Born HIV positive in Zambia, Thomas Buttenschøn lost both of his parents to the disease before he was nine. Now a celebrated musician in Denmark, the former Denmark’s Got Talent judge is on a mission to break the stigma surrounding HIV, among other aims, through his new documentary film, Doin’ My Drugs.

DESIGN 6

journey through Denmark. Alongside, perhaps surprisingly, a pivotal moment in America’s socio-political history, inspired by a Dane.

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From a life-changing shelving system and worldrenowned glass art to perfectly ethical wool wear and a success story conquering the world with happy socks, we celebrate Swedish innovation and design with classics as well as new brands for you to love.

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Fika, Print Clashing and Nordic Architecture

Visit Drammen Drammen, just south-west of Oslo, is a great place for a daytrip or a weekend away if you want to combine refreshing nature experiences with the buzz of an urban hub. Here, we present a topthree list to pay attention to when planning your dining and drinking.

Resident design editor Ingrid Opstad provides a masterclass in the art of ‘fika’ as well as an introduction to this season’s love of pattern clashing. We also take a closer look at some of Scandinavia’s leading architecture firms, alongside the usual combination of classic wooden furniture and sustainable fashion.

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Made in Sweden

BUSINESS SPECIAL FEATURES 28

Nature, Travel and a Bizarre Bar Everyone’s seen photographs of fjords and untouched sandy beaches, but what are the nature spots you just cannot miss when planning your next Scandinavian holiday? We list our top ten. Also read on to find out about a magical hotel, Sami art, and a bizarre bar.

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Who’s Your Sidekick?

We all like a good story of a strong leader, an almost evil genius of sorts. But did you ever stop to ask who stood beside them? Keynote writer Nils Elmark ponders this, while we chime in to celebrate the idea of teamwork with an unusual spot for a team day out.

CULTURE

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SPECIAL THEMES 44

Visit Denmark Lush gardens, Japanese zen, and a colourful way to explore Denmark’s past as a Viking hub are among the things we discovered on our cultural

119 Festivals and Fun from Scandinavia Experimental jazz via Norway, Finnish house and techno, Danish thriller drama, or an indie music haven complete with Sigrid? Find out about all of the above, as well as the biggest food event in Scandinavia, in this month’s culture calendar.

REGULARS & COLUMNS 6 Fashion Diary | 8 We Love This | 96 Teambuilding Experience of the Month 100 Restaurants of the Month | 105 Hotels of the Month | 107 Attraction of the Month 108 Architects of the Month | 112 Museum of the Month | 113 Artists of the Month | 118 Humour

Issue 126 | July 2019 | 3

Scan Magazine | Editor’s Note

Dear Reader, While editing this issue of Scan Magazine, I had what you might describe as a bit of a philosophical moment. Reading about Asger Jorn and the museum set up in his honour, I learnt about the three-sided football pitch: a pitch with three goals, removing the typical element of attack from the sport and making it more about collaboration and strategy. I couldn’t get the image out of my head.

Isn’t that what creativity and innovation is all about: the ability to turn something on its head to gain a new perspective, increased understanding, and potential for improvement? As keynote writer Nils Elmark discusses the importance of our world’s most celebrated entrepreneurs’ wingmen and women, he suggests something similar: that the world isn’t always what we might think it to be at first sight – but more complex, more diverse.

I think the Scandinavian nations are experts at this innovation by enquiry, as evidenced by the ingenious brands highlighted in our Made in Sweden special this month, and the tickling Danish museums and cultural events we’ve explored. Dane Jacob A. Riis went to America and provided a whole new perspective with his book How the Other Half Lives, while the guys behind Happy Socks created an entire new fashion segment out of pure passion and by moving the goal posts a little. Cover star

Thomas Buttenschøn, meanwhile, shows that there are different ways to look at illness, life and loss, and that stigma is a beast we can beat.

I find that looking at the world this way is quite refreshing, not only because it shows that we can let our guards down and get out of attacking mode, but also because it suggests that almost anything is possible if you just look at things from another perspective and rewrite the rules as needed. Sweden has certainly managed to take the rhetoric around generous parental leave as a costly burden on society and turned it into a hugely successful USP that is admired across the world.

What else can we make happen if we put our minds to it? From a wool wear producer insisting on paying 60 times the outsourced seamstress salary in order to keep production in Sweden, to a teambuilding entrepreneur putting the pedals on the wrong side of the racing car, this issue has plenty to inspire and get those creative juices flowing.

Enjoy!

Linnea Dunne, Editor

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Scan Magazine | Design | Fashion Diary

Fashion Diary…

This year, mixed patterns are a big trend. We dare you to not be afraid to mix it up, and be bold with print clashing. By combining feminine patterns and stripes with bold colours, you get a casual chic look with a dash of fun. This summer, more is more!

By Ingrid Opstad | Press photos

Soft florals are a big part of the current trend, and perfect for a timelessly feminine look this summer. This pleated ‘Georgette’ dress from Ganni is perfect for casual summer days and can easily be thrown over your swimsuit for trips to the beach. Add this bright yellow leather drawstring bag with tortoise shell acetate detail, and you will shine like the sun.

Ganni, pleated ‘Georgette’ dress, approx. £120 Ganni, leather drawstring bag, approx. £440 www.ganni.com

With the current nostalgic trend in the fashion world, the scrunchies are back! We think this decorative yellow silk scrunchie is a great way to add a touch of print to your outfit. Wear it around your wrist or in your hair.

Ganni, silk mix scrunchie, approx. £14 www.ganni.com

We adore this cute swimsuit from Becksöndergaard, a Danish brand creating accessories for women who love unexpected, playful and colourful design. The frill details, striped print and pastels will make you look great on the beach this summer. Why not put a skirt over it and use it as a top too?

Becksöndergaard, ‘Stria Teo’ swimsuit, £75 www.becksondergaard.com

The more patterns, the better. Mix these high-heel sandals with another floral pattern, stripes, or even graphic prints, for a daring look. The sandal comes with a printed band to wrap around the ankle and a small strap underneath to make sure the sandal sits nicely on the ankle. The printed band is removable.

Custommade, ‘Marita’ print sandals, £200 www.custommade.dk

Scan Magazine | Design | Fashion Diary

The oxholm shirt and frilund shorts combo, both from minimum, is perfect for a cool, relaxed summer look with a twist. Achieve a matching outfit, as seen here, or mix the top or bottom with a different pattern or coloured item for a unique and eye-catching style. minimum, ‘oxholm’ shirt, £80 minimum, ‘frilund’ shorts, £80 www.minimumfashion.com

If you are scared to add too many patterns and want to tone it down a bit, this modern-fit blazer from Sand Copenhagen is a great choice. It comes in a delicate pinstripe pattern that is easy to mix with other patterns, and has a cut that sharpens the silhouette. Made of pure linen, it adds a luxurious feel.

Sand Copenhagen, ‘White Star DB’ blazer, £445 www.sandcopenhagen.com

Tie dye has made a serious comeback this year, and is an easy pattern to play around with. The tie dye effect on this tee from Nudie Jeans Co is designed to look like a clouded summer sky. When wearing it, you will bring a little rain with you wherever you go.

Nudie Jeans Co, ‘Roy Meanwhile Tie Dye’ T-shirt, £65 www.nudiejeans.com

Happy Socks creates high-quality socks that combine unique designs and craftsmanship, spreading happiness by turning an everyday essential into a colourful design piece. With their Swedish edition box, you get three pairs of Swedish-themed socks featuring the Dala Horse, the traditional kurbits pattern, and a multi-coloured elk – the perfect gift for any lovers of Swedish culture.

Happy Socks, ‘Swedish Edition’ gift box, £29.95 www.happysocks.com

Issue 126 | July 2019 | 7

Scan Magazine | Design | We Love This

We love this…

Time to slow down and enjoy the little things in life. The concept of ‘fika’ is an important part of Swedish culture. In case this word is new to you, it simply means taking a coffee break accompanied by sweet or savoury pastries together with friends. To help you discover fika, we have selected a few items to get you started.

By Ingrid Opstad | Press photos

This fun tray with ‘In Sweden we call it a fika’ written on it is the perfect starting point for your break. Created by illustrator Karin, the owner of BahKadisch, this item has travelled the world teaching a lot of people about the Swedish coffee culture. The design is also available on mugs, kitchen towels, postcards and prints.

BahKadisch, ‘Swedish Fikabricka’ tray £18.72 butik.bahkadisch.se

Made in matte black stoneware with a shiny glaze, the Theo coffee maker is both rustic and elegant. It is part of the Nordic series inspired by the Nordic landscape and design values, while representing the Scandinavian way of living with a ‘less is more’ attitude. Turn it on and your home will soon be filled with the lovely scent of freshly brewed coffee.

Stelton, ‘Theo’ slow brew coffee brewer, £62.95 Stelton, ‘Theo’ tea mug, £20.95 Stelton, ‘Theo’ tray, £31.95 www.stelton.com

The Little Book of Fika: The Uplifting Daily Ritual of the Swedish Coffee Break, written

by Lynda Balslev, is a book that offers a lovely introduction to the tradition of fika, including interesting facts, quotes, helpful tips, and 20 delicious sweet and savoury recipes so that you can establish your own fika practice.

Andrews McMeel Publishing, The Little Book of Fika: The Uplifting Daily Ritual of the Swedish Coffee Break by Lynda Balslev, £6.99 www.waterstones.com

What better way to start the day than with a nice cup of coffee?

Now, with this cute little wooden, Swedish-style toy set, your little ones can join in on your morning routine too. Designed in Scandinavia by Kids Concept and lovingly hand-crafted using the finest wood, this beautiful set is great for fika time at home or for picnics in the park.

Kids Concept, Swedish fika coffee set, £36.95 www.scandiborn.co.uk

Mon Amie was designed by Marianne Westman in the early 1950s, and has become one of Sweden’s best-loved tableware collections. With the classic floral pattern, distinct blue colour and clean, modern lines, the porcelain series is the perfect way to make your table ready for enjoying coffee and cakes with friends or family.

Rörstrand, ‘Mon Amie’ coffee cup, £17 Rörstrand, ‘Mon Amie’ small plate, £16 Rörstrand, ‘Mon Amie’ jug, £43 Rörstrand, ‘Mon Amie’ cake stand, £66 www.nordicnest.com

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Scan Magazine | Architecture Profile | EYA

Designs that get a lot out of a little Architecture and design features can often be subtle, making the most of something that is small. These intricate characteristics slowly show themselves as a space is used – a skill that the architects and designers at EYA have perfected with their incredible work on the Faroe Islands.

By Josefine Older Steffensen | Photos: EYA, Finnur Justinussen and Edith Johannesen

The remoteness of the Faroe Islands means that everything that is used there is imported, and the use of the resources has to be optimised. “We live in a small country, but that doesn’t mean we have to compromise on our design,” explains Eyðun Eliasen, owner of EYA. Eliasen started the company while building his own house. “Throughout that process, we learnt a lot about how to get the most out of materials as well as being detail-orientated and ensuring that the

Eyðun Eliasen.

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whole project was well thought-out, all of which are things we focus on with every project we take on.”

From architecture to design After completing the house, Eliasen even wrote a book about how to plan and build a house, and today, EYA works on newbuilds across the Faroe Islands. Outside of buildings, they also work on a variety of designs. “Lighting design is one of our specialties. We’ve recently been working

on the lighting in a road tunnel, where we’ve had to understand how people experience lights in a given environment.

By putting different-coloured lights and brightness in the tunnel, the safety is actually increased as it helps people to stay alert,” explains Eliasen.

Outside of lighting design, EYA also designs structures that help to enhance the landscape, as well as graphic and interior design for companies using design to create a consistency between a company’s design and the space they are in.

“It is important to us that we understand the context within which we’re working, whether it’s in a building or when designing a new logo, because it helps us to create something that is subtle and useful, and to give our clients something that continues to inspire them. Our aim is to create architecture and design that embody quality, details and intentionality,” concludes Eliasen.

Web: www.eya.fo Facebook: eyaforoyar

Living room, Italy - Oliver Gustav.

Architecture illustrated Transforming the visions of architects into their most aesthetic expression while remaining true to details, scale and surroundings – this is the task of architectural illustrators. Among the first in Denmark to specialise in digital illustrations, Peter Krogh-Hansen, the founder of Archivisuals, has had ten years to refine the balance between art and craft.

By Signe Hansen | Photos: Archivisuals

A decade ago, most architects in Denmark were still using manual drawings to illustrate their visions. However, in recent years, the possibilities and advantages of creating digital 3D illustrations and visualisations have convinced both architects and clients of the benefits of putting the pen away. The shift has not only allowed – and compelled – architects to include a new level of detail, but also enabled clients to foresee the full potential of a project. “In most cases, there’s a huge amount of material behind each illustration – it’s very precise in regard to facades, descriptions and the economy of the project, and, in most cases, that’s what will de12 | Issue 126 | July 2019

cide whether the project becomes reality,” explains Krogh-Hansen. “But it’s also vital that a client gets to see the potential of the project, and that’s the primary purpose of my work – to give clients the visualisations that can help them make the right decision.”

tecture, chose to dedicate his architectural career to illustrating other people’s designs. But to the 45-year-old, who worked with multimedia authoring for six years before embarking on his architecture degree, it makes perfect sense. “I come from a completely different background. When I first started at the School of Architecture, I was the only one to bring a laptop, and a lot of people found it really odd. But when I left, five years later, everybody had a computer,” he says.

“While studying, I worked with an architect who did everything by hand – the roof, the tiles and so on – and every time

In 2009, Krogh-Hansen founded Archivisuals, and since then, the firm has illustrated projects for many of Scandinavia’s leading architects.

A decade of illustrations It may puzzle some that Krogh-Hansen, a graduate from The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, School of Archi-

Peter Krogh-Hansen.

Scan Magazine | Architecture Profile | Archivisuals

there was a small change, he had to redo the whole thing. That’s when I started doing 3D illustrations and realised that, at that time, that was not a skill a lot of people had.”

Today, the technology and method of digital illustration are used in projects of all scales, from cityscapes to small interior design projects. “Whether it’s the roads, pavements and green areas of a neighbourhood, or the furniture and lighting of a jazz club – once it’s in my digital universe, I can work with everything,” says Krogh-Hansen.

Bringing it to life With numerous architects using 3D illustrations today, it begs the question of how much an individual illustrator can affect the success of a project – is it a skill-based craft or is there an element of artistic expression that sets one illustrator apart from another? The answer is not straightforward, says Krogh-Hansen.

“In reality, it’s a craft – it’s like being a traditional portrait painter. We all use the same tools, but of course every illustrator has his or her own style, and though it’s an honest craft, no one will make anything that looks bad.”

One important function of 3D illustration is to visualise the interplay between a proposed construction and its sur-

Tjørnely, Greve - Tegnestuen Lokal.

roundings. It is a function that also allows the illustrator to set and create the ambiance of the project. “That’s what my material can do, create an atmosphere using the surroundings, the location and the light. That’s where, while keeping everything at the correct scale

so there’s no cheating, I can add a sense of atmosphere, an aesthetic expression that can lift the proposal as a whole,” says Krogh-Hansen.

Web: www.archivisuals.dk

Nyt SUND, Odense - Medic OUH.

Issue 126 | July 2019 | 13

Scan Magazine | Architecture Profile | LONE BACKS Arkitekter

Photo: UDFORM

Left and Top Right: In 2017, LONE BACKS Arkitekter’s renovation of an old shipyard in Holbæk harbour was nominated for a national award for the best renovation. Middle Right: Designed by LONE BACKS Arkitekter, the landscape surrounding the 24 new homes in Wegeners Have, Holbæk, will include a safe but aesthetically pleasing system for rainwater drainage. Bottom Right: The municipality of Holbæk has just accepted LONE BACKS Arkitekter’s proposition for a new park area in the harbour.

Local pride — global responsibility Anchored in its local community and with a decade of experience, LONE BACKS Arkitekter is behind a string of new-builds and energy-optimising restorations on Zealand. The architecture firm, which was nominated for a national renovation prize in 2017, is proud to work locally but, when implementing sustainability, think globally.

By Signe Hansen | Photos: LONE BACKS

Having headed up a local architecture firm in Holbæk for a decade, last year, Lone Backs and her then partner decided to divide the firm. Thus, LONE BACKS Arkitekter was created. This means that even though the firm is new in name, Backs and her team have a string of highly varied projects behind them.

From new homes to cultural centres and renovations – the firm has had a hand in shaping much of the area in and around Holbæk. “We have a broad range of projects for both private and public clients in our local area – and we’d like to keep it that way,” says Backs. “Some firms don’t want to be associated with their local community, but though we 14 | Issue 126 | July 2019

also get work from clients further away, we’re very active in and passionate about our own area.”

Energy optimisation of older buildings is one of the areas where the firm is experiencing increased interest from both near and far. Among the firm’s recent projects in this segment are both a major restoration of a residential complex in Albertslund and a privately-owned villa in Holbæk. “There’s a lot of interest in refitting homes to become more sustainable – also from private home owners. It’s something which we work a great deal with, both in our restorations and, of course, also in our new-builds,”

explains Backs. “Currently, we’re working on a very exciting project, Wegeners Have in Holbæk. It’s a residential area with 24 new homes in close connection to nature, and in line with new guidelines, the landscape is designed with a safe and aesthetic system for rainwater drainage into surface lakes.”

In 2017, LONE BACKS Arkitekter’s renovation of an old shipyard in Holbæk harbour was nominated for a national award for the best renovation. The project saw the old shipyard turned into a cultural hub and a focal point for future development for the area. And the firm is not done when it comes to improving Holbæk’s waterfront. Most recently, the municipality accepted LONE BACKS Arkitekter’s proposition for a new park area in the harbour.

Web: lonebacks.dk

Morten with some of his most popular pieces: the American-inspired Low Rocker, the Low Back Lounge Chair and the Triplex Dining Chair, accompanied by the Sunflower light and his Columnae table.

A story of creation Ten years ago, Morten Stenbæk decided to try to make his own chair, picking up the necessary skills from the internet as he went along. Then, as one does, he thought that he should make every single piece of furniture in his house himself. Seven years later, the demand for his work had reached the point where he decided it was time to dedicate his professional life to his furniture. In just three years, Morten Stenbæk’s beautiful, sculptural creations have found their way to living rooms and furniture galleries as far afield as the US.

By Louise Older Steffensen | Photos: Courtesy of Morten Stenbæk

Passion and creativity radiate off of Stenbæk. He is a classic artisan, turning the ancient craft of furniture-making 16 | Issue 126 | July 2019

into art. He spends most of his day in his workshop, where he builds and shapes each chair, table and lamp entirely by

himself, and when he can’t be there, his mind flutters between different curves, lines and shades of wood. “I’m deeply inspired by organic sculptural forms,” he says. “My greatest wish is to marry form and function into one piece, so that people don’t have to choose between comfort and aesthetics in their home.

Furniture should both serve a useful purpose and be eye-pleasing objects.”

While a large part of Stenbæk’s time is taken up by making custom versions of

Scan Magazine | Design Profile | Morten Stenbæk

Established pieces like Flamingo Beak can be made to order, handcrafted by Morten, in several types of wood.

his established range, his speech brims with ideas for future pieces and experiments he wants to carry out – when he gets a moment to do so – and thoughts on how to adapt his existing pieces to newly conquered materials, shapes and techniques. “As Wendell Castle, father of the art furniture movement, famously said, ‘if you hit the bullseye each time, the target is too near’,” Stenbæk smiles. “Ingenuity comes from daring to try things out, and accepting those times when you go ‘what on earth was I thinking?’.”

The Magnus Lounge Chair, another one-of-a-kind piece by Morten Stenbæk.

Morten created the fantastical one-off Fluctus II in red elm and resin. His custom-cast resin table top lets onlookers admire the meandering sculptural form below and the beautiful grain of the wood.

Stenbæk, who trained as a multimedia designer, spent ten years as a professional musician before turning to interior design. His musicality is evident in each creation. There’s a flow and a swagger to each piece, a joyful playfulness to every line – and yet, his creations demand to be taken seriously.

His three-legged lounge Whale Chair or sculptural Columnae table would not look out of place in Copenhagen’s design museum, but there’s a quiet flamboyance about them that isn’t quite Scandinavian.

“Nordic design tends to be very light and precise and regimented, but for me, the greatest strength lies in the place where contrasts meet: the lightness of a curve in a strong type of wood, for example.

Some people have said my furniture reminds them of Gaudi a bit. I must admit I never studied his furniture closely, but I find it very flattering.”

Web: www.mortenstenbaek.dk Facebook: craftedbystenbaek Instagram: @mortenstenbaek

The three-legged Whale Chair is one of the most soughtafter lounge chairs in Morten’s hand-crafted design collection.

Issue 126 | July 2019 | 17

The former prison is a unique exhibition space.

At full speed and on fire Norwegian artist Ingun Dahlin is an expert in modelling and shaping sculptural expressions – figurative and rustic – with the aim of creating life through clay. “I want my art to speak freely where words fall short; to say something that words cannot, and be like visual music,” she says. This summer, Galleri Fenka is proud to host Dahlin’s biggest exhibition to date. This unique gallery, located inside a building with an interesting history, is a place bound to amaze and inspire you.

By Ingrid Opstad | Photos: Merete Haseth / Hattrem

Art has always been a big part of Ingun Dahlin’s life. As a new student at the Norwegian National Academy of Craft and Art Industry, she experienced an artistic beginning in meeting with teacher Ingeborg von Hanno. “She was someone old and wise who, with empathy and drama, told us that if we were to remember only one thing after years of study, it would have to be that ‘good craftsmanship should be ripped out of the heart’s roots’.” This sentence made an impression on the young artist and has stayed with her through 30 years as an artisan. “I never forgot it, and I try to live by it. The creation process is painful and requires empathy. One cannot touch another heart unless one is oneself touched,” Dahlin explains.

18 | Issue 126 | July 2019

‘My art is my language’ “For me, my work is about creating life in clay. I find that everything is about communication, relationship and association.

But life first arises in the communication between art and man,” she says. “I want to express something that I find difficult to say with words. I want my art to be able to speak where words fall short. Be like visual music – sensual, happy and melancholy. I want the art I create to live its own life and to mean something to someone.

My art is my language.”

Our eyes and hands follow us through life and are strongly linked to our personalities, believes Dahlin, who often creates sculptures without these features for

several reasons. One is to remind us what The Little Prince says: ‘The essence of life we see with the heart’. “I choose not to have eyes and hands, to see the observer and recognise what they themselves feel. I work with each millimetre – the sculptures smile with you when you are happy and feel with you when you are sad,” she says.

This summer, Galleri Fenka is proud to host Dahlin’s biggest exhibition to date.

At Full Speed and On Fire is a collaboration between Dahlin and gallery owner Elisabeth Ben Riala, and will showcase

Artist Ingun Dahlin and gallery owner Elisabeth Ben Riala.

Scan Magazine | Design Profile | Ingun Dahlin and Elisabeth Ben Riala

150 of Dahlin’s clay sculptures alongside Ben Riala’s glass art.

“The rough stoneware clay is a contrast to the play with light portrayed by the glass, and together they create a space filled with colour and energy. Dahlin’s sculptures arouse emotions like energy, passion, pain, grief, hope and joy in a way only she can convey,” Ben Riala says. The title of the exhibition is not only a description of the artists and their collaborative energy, but also the process where glass and clay are created and burnt several times before the product is ready to be exhibited. “Dahlin’s art speaks to us in a completely unique way and should certainly be experienced. It really hits you right in the heart,” she says.

A gallery in a former prison Fenka is a building with an interesting history. “It was actually built in 1898 as a prison with associated courtrooms, cells, prison guard residences, and a City Hall. The word ‘fenka’ comes from the Swedish slang word ‘finch’, which means prison,” the gallery owner says. Centrally located in the centre of Levanger in Nord-Trøndelag, it became the start of an artistic adventure for Ben Riala 11 years ago. Today, the historic building houses a gallery with a focus on quality and diversity, showcasing a large selection of modern art by some of the country’s foremost artists, whether they are established or at the start of their career – a true treasure trove of visual art,

Galleri Fenka is the main gallery for Pushwagner in the central and northern parts of Norway.

sculptures, photography, graphics, crafts and ceramics.

“We want to make art more accessible to ensure that more people get to experience good-quality artwork. Our goal is to give the public the opportunity to not only see art, but also gain knowledge about artists and their impact on the individual and collective life,” Ben Riala states. And what better place to do so than inside this old prison with all its charm? The old City Hall is located on the second floor, which is where the main exhibitions are on display. Furthermore, the prison cells on the ground floor and in the basement have been kept, to give the gallery space a completely unique atmosphere. The former outdoor area for the inmates has now been transformed into an exotic meeting place. “Here, you can sit down with a good cup of coffee or a glass of bubbly and take in the special ambiance of the space,” the gallery owner

smiles. “I want to give my visitors the opportunity to take a break from their everyday life and to experience art. Everything in my gallery is for sale, also in our online shop, so maybe you will find yourself a treasure.”

Gallery programme 2019: Until 25 July: At Full Speed and On Fire, Ingun Dahlin and Elisabeth Ben Riala 27 July: Anne Kristine Thorsby 7 September: Knutsen & Ludviksen, Øystein Dolmen 26 October: Pushwagner

Artist Ingun Dahlin: Web: www.dahlin.no Facebook: ingun.dahlin Galleri Fenka: Web: www.fenka.no Facebook: Gallerifenka

The Boxer. Shows will and courage to portray the importance of never giving up.

The Mermaid and the Gold Bead.

Create the experience of the precious, grief and treasure.

Issue 126 | July 2019 | 19

MICHALA’s bedding comes in four carefully-selected patterns: the Rhombus, the Elephant by Ole Flensted, the Circle and the Stripe.

‘Every time they go to bed or tuck their child in, they’ll think of you’ The average person sleeps almost 3,000 hours in a year – approximately one third of a lifetime – and how you sleep has a significant effect on the rest of your life.

That is why the Danish bedding brand MICHALA has developed an aesthetically pleasing and ultra-luxurious range of tailor-made bedding for duvets and pillows of all sizes. Sold in beautiful, handmade boxes – no plastic – the bedding makes the perfect present for someone who deserves a touch of luxury every night – also if that someone is you.

Uncompromising quality When Stigkjær decided to start her own business venture in 2017, she was determined to do one thing – she was going to create a compromise-free product for what is many people’s favourite place, the bed. That is why she chose to use the best-quality woven Italian jacquard

By Signe Hansen | Photos: MICHALA

Most people realise how much a good night’s sleep affects their mood and wellbeing. But for Michala Stigkjær, settling for good just does not do it; it has to be first class, and that is why the Dane has created her own line of Italian jacquard bedding, tailor-made in Denmark. “You need to prioritise good quality, not just of the bed and the duvet, but also of the bedding, which is in constant contact with your skin,” she stresses. “I have also chosen my bedding 20 | Issue 126 | July 2019

because I find it very beautiful. It makes it a beautiful experience to go to bed and beautiful to wake up, and tucking yourself into something luxuriously comfortable and visually appealing gives you that nurturing feeling of wellbeing and self-care.”

MICHALA’s bedding is available in three different colours and four different patterns, which, when the colour is chosen, can be mixed and matched as preferred by the buyer.

Giving the buyers of her bedding a good night’s sleep is not enough for Michala Stigkjær; everything has to be first class.

Scan Magazine | Design Profile | MICHALA

fabric, to have everything quality tested at the Danish Technological Institute, and then tailor-made to the buyer’s specification by Danish seamstresses.

“If something irritates you when you go to bed, it affects your sub-conscious while you’re sleeping; it might be a small thing, like the fact that the pillow cases are not matching the duvet, because you couldn’t get them in the right size or shape, or that the seams have twisted and stretched out of shape – but it disturbs the impression you go to bed with, and it might mean you wake up in a bad mood or feeling stressed,” says Stigkjær.

“This is also why our seamstresses work with a technical drawing, ensuring that patterns are always identical.”

Going to bed with a bad conscience might also affect your sleep, and that is why Stigkjær has not just aimed to make her bedding as comfortable and beautiful as possible, but also as sustainable as it can be. Hence, the choice to have the bedding tailor-made in Denmark does not just stem from the wish to allow every buyer to get the bedding in the colour and size they wish, but also from a wish to limit transport and storage to make the bedding as sustainable as possible.

“Everything used in the bedding, from labels to zippers and fabric, is OEKOTEX ISO100 Product Class 1 certified [the highest certification ensuring that products are suitable for even babies’ skin], which guarantees that no harmful chemicals have been used in any part of the production. Everything has been rigor-

The fabric for MICHALA’s bedding is woven in Italy, quality-tested at the Danish Technological Institute, and tailor-made by Danish seamstresses according to the buyer’s specifications.

ously tested, and the certification must be renewed annually,” explains Stigkjær.

“A top-quality product like this will also last for much longer, which, of course, also means less overall consumption.”

They will think of you The made-to-order concept carries through from production to the beautiful, plastic-free packaging the bedding arrives in, serving both to limit waste and to create a product that exudes luxury and thoughtfulness. The elegant, handmade boxes can be reused for storage and are, at the same time, perfect for gifts, says Stigkjær. “It’s a beautiful box:

once, I met up with my seamstress, who was driving an elderly lady – a friend of hers – to a Christening. I met with them to give her friend the bedding, which was to be a gift for her great-grandchild, and when I gave her the white box with a ribbon and a rose from my garden attached to it, it was just so moving – the way she held that box and how excited she was to present it to her family,” Stigkjær says with pure passion, rounding off: “And when you give someone a gift like that, you know that every time they tuck that little baby in, they’ll think of grandma. It’s a present you’ll be remembered for every time the receiver goes to bed.”

Facts: MICHALA makes bedding in sizes ranging from baby bedding all the way up to a California King, in four different designs and three colours, which you can combine as you like.

The bedding can also be embroidered for a more personal touch.

The bedding can be delivered to all parts of the world.

MICHALA’s bedding comes in beautiful, white gift boxes, handmade in Denmark, and strong enough to be reused and repeatedly opened as a keepsake box.

Web: www.michala.dk Facebook: michala.dk Instagram: @michala.dk

Issue 126 | July 2019 | 21

Lykke i Norge offers a broad selection of designer clothes and accessories.

Find happiness through clothes in Norway When Nanna Hoberg was 13 years old, she had a week’s work experience in the clothing boutique Lykke i Norge. Little did she know that she had taken the first step of an impressive career and would eventually end up the owner and manager of the shop.

By Synne Johnsson | Photos: Nanna Hoberg, Lykke i Norge

Lykke i Norge translates as ‘Happiness in Norway’, and it was set up in Halden in 2007. Later, in 2011, the shop also opened a branch in Fredrikstad, which is now the only remaining location. The shop offers a wide selection of clothes in all price ranges and for women of all ages. “We are very proud of the clothes we have in stock, and we put a lot of effort into the selection. It’s important to us that there are not too many of each item in stock, because when you go out 22 | Issue 126 | July 2019

of your way and spend time and money to find the perfect item, you’d want it to be a bit rare,” Hoberg says.

Hoberg is passionate about taking in brands that are unique, and she always ensures that Lykke i Norge stands out from other design boutiques. To her, it is important to take in brands and items that represent her personality, which often leads to clothes with bold colours and inspiring patterns, challenging the

customers to choose eye-catching items that stand out.

Homely happiness Hoberg is focused on making the shop feel welcoming and personal, not just like any other boutique with beautiful items. The social media channels mirror this ideology, and on the Instagram feed, users do not find PhotoShopped models, but beautiful and inspiring photos of the women who work in their shop. “I want our visitors to have a personal connection to us, so it’s important that our social media reflects that. I want them to see what they’ll meet in the shop, which is us,” Hoberg says. “I use a lot of photos of the shop itself too, trying to capture the mood and the atmosphere in the shop.”

Scan Magazine | Design Profile | Lykke i Norge

Lykke i Norge is a shop for everyone, and therefore they have made it accessible for everyone as well. Thanks to longer opening hours, customers can go and browse after work without rushing, and tourists can stroll and browse without having to rush as a result of everything closing. The shop’s clientele is broad, including customers of all ages, from 14 to 90. As such, it is a major priority for Hoberg to ensure that they can offer something for all age groups, for every occasion, at different prices. Today, Lykke i Norge is a women’s shop, but Hoberg hopes to one day open a men’s section too.

The shop is currently spread over two floors – the ground floor and lower floor.

The lower floor changes every fortnight, and customers can find different displays, activities and sales. Previously, it has had a selection of menswear and even second-hand items. “We have everything from everyday blouses to dresses one can style up for a wedding or down for a summer party,” Hoberg explains. “Most of our clothes are around 1,500 to 2,000 Norwegian kroner (around 140 to 185 pounds), but we have clothes for everything from 200NOK to 10,000NOK (18 to 930 GBP), so everyone will find something in their price range.”

From work experience to boutique owner Hoberg started her journey in the company at the young age of 13, when she had a week’s work experience at the

Photo: Emilia Swallin

Photo: Emilia Swallin

shop in Halden. 12 years later, she is the owner and manager, after taking over in November 2016. “I was only 22 years

Photo: Emilia Swallin

old when I took over, so it has been an incredible experience and challenge to become the manager and owner at such a young age,” she says. “I love managing the shop, especially as I am so proud of it and we are displaying so many incredible items.”

Hoberg moved from Norway’s capital, Oslo, to the small city of Fredrikstad, to take over the shop. When she moved, there were not many other shops in the street where the shop is situated, and she does not deny that it was a drastic change from her previous big city life.

“But there has been so much development in the street where we’re located, and there are so many different shops popping up now,” she says. “The street has become very lively, and I’m not Issue 126 | July 2019 | 23

Scan Magazine | Design Profile | Lykke i Norge

going to lie, it has made my move so much easier.”

Hoberg’s journey is something quite out of the ordinary, and she admits that there has been a lot of focus on her age and the challenges it has brought.

Hoberg herself does not find her age important, but she is grateful that she got the opportunity so early in life and that she had the courage to go for it.

“Being an owner and a manager is really hard. It has been very challenging and I’ve worked many long hours. I’m not saying this to complain, because I absolutely love what I do, but I think it is important to show that it’s not just fun and games,” she says. “I really recommend all young people to not have a finished plan, but to be open to new experiences and opportunities. Sometimes you just need to step out of your comfort zone to end up in great places.”

Web: www.lykkeinorge.no Facebook: Lykke i Norge AS Instagram: @lykkeinorge

Owner Nanna Hoberg. Lykke i Norge's Instagram account is not filled with PhotoShopped models, but with photos of the women who work in the shop.

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Scan Magazine | Design Profile | KUI Design

Unique designs from a unique city If you’re looking for beautiful Nordic design, KUI Design’s quirky and colourful patterns are just the answer for you. Based in the picturesque city of Turku, Finland, the company’s co-owner Anna Hormio tells Scan Magazine about what has made the brand so popular for over a decade now.

By Maria Pirkkalainen | Photos: KUI Design and Stina Samsten

When visiting Turku, you don’t need to look further than next door from the Tourist Information Centre to find the cosy boutique of KUI Design for all your Finnish design needs. KUI Design was established in 2007 by co-owners Anna Hormio and Rebekka Ketola, as they wanted to create something unique that celebrates their new hometown. Over a decade later, the company’s core team has been completed by Emma Kaivola and Henna Jaakkola, with all four women working across production and design, as well as the online store and local shop in Turku.

Whether you’re after quirky home textiles, accessories or clothing for children, KUI Design’s products are a great treat or souvenir for anyone. Most of the products are produced in Turku, in the historical factory area of Manilla, and handcrafted from start to finish, guaranteeing their unique feel and style.

26 | Issue 126 | July 2019

poster depicting the city’s new funicular train. And even if you are not familiar with the idyllic city, KUI Design’s products are easy to feast your eyes on and the perfect gift for anyone who admires Nordic design.

For the love of local design Many of KUI Design’s popular products are inspired by the city of Turku. “None of us is originally from Turku, but we have made this city our home. When we started KUI Design, looking from the outside in allowed us to notice great little things that a lot of locals wouldn’t usually pick up on,” Hormio explains.

Locality and sustainability are two of the brand’s core values, resulting in everything from choosing organic fabrics to producing the products locally in Turku. KUI Design’s local shop is located in a beautiful, old wooden house, right by the city centre, and easy to find. If you regret not purchasing something after your visit, you can also buy the products online.

If your heart has been taken by Turku, why not grab one of KUI Design’s playful designs, such as a lovely linen towel celebrating the town’s architecture or a

Web: www.kuidesign.fi Facebook: kuidesign Instagram: @kuidesign

Scan Magazine | Design Profile | Træfolk

Handmade in Denmark — timeless, classic, high-quality design Træfolk is Danish design at its best. It started with a wooden plank table, but today, the collection includes cutting boards, bar chairs, garden furniture, coffee tables and many other products. Everything is handmade in Denmark, and sustainability is at the forefront.

By Heidi Kokborg | Photos: Træfolk

Træfolk (‘tree people’) started as a hobby project in Brian Reinholt’s garage, but a year and a half ago, it had become so successful that it had grown into a business. Today, there are two owners: Brian Reinholt and Patrick Vinding. “It all started with our plank tables. Our tables have nice, even edges; they are not raw and rustic like so many other wooden tables. We are passionate about classic Danish design,” says Patrick Vinding, co-owner of Træfolk.

Every single product is handmade in Løsning, a small town in Jutland. The wood is FSC-certified, meaning, as a customer, you get the peace of mind of endorsing environmental and social responsibility. “Sustainability is second nature to us. When we take something

from nature, we feel bound to not waste anything. All leftover wood from our plank tables is used to make cutting boards, serving trays, chairs and many of our other products. It is 100 per cent sustainable,” says Vinding.

Design your own table Træfolk designs timeless classics just like we know them from world-famous designers such as Wegner and Arne Jacobsen, whose furniture is passed down from generation to generation.

“We wanted to break with the ‘buy and throw away culture’ that seems to have been custom for many years, by creating tables in the Scandinavian design spirit. We know people will have our furniture for many years to come,” says Vinding.

Quality is a top priority at Træfolk, and all the work is made by capable and very skilled joiners in their workshop in Denmark. “Træfolk is about a love of wood and delivering furniture that creates a ‘wow’ effect and happiness for generations to come,” Vinding smiles.

When you buy a plank table from Træfolk, not only do you get classic Danish design that lasts for generations; you also get a chance to customise your own unique table. You choose the size, the type of wood, the oil, and how you would like your new table to look.

“Our customers have the chance to create a table that fits perfectly into their home. They get beautiful, sustainable tables in a classic, timeless design, and they love them,” says Vinding.

Web: www.traefolk.dk Facebook: Træfolk Instagram: @traefolk

Issue 126 | July 2019 | 27

Trolltunga. Photo: Shutterstock

Scandinavia’s top-ten unmissable nature phenomena

By Linnea Dunne

The tip of Skagen Artists have been inspired by this northern tip of Denmark for centuries, and it’s easy to see why. Two seas meet here – Skagerrak and Kattegat – and you can stand with one foot in each sea while watching the waves clash. Come for a family holiday with fun in the picturesque sand dunes, or indeed, let the artist inside lead the way…

28 | Issue 126 | July 2019

Skagen. Photo: Skagen Turistbureau

Skagen. Photo: Niclas Jessen

Scan Magazine | Travel Feature | Scandinavian Nature Phenomena

Rubjerg Knude Fyr Expected to crash into the ocean by 2020, Rubjerg Knude Fyr in North Jutland is still standing tall, attracting visitors from near and far. The historic lighthouse was erected in 1899 and lit for the first time in December of the year 1900, its light seen up to 42 kilometres away. You can learn about the history and fate of the iconic lighthouse through interactive media including a time machine, and there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy both the sandy beaches and a refreshing dip in the sea while you’re there.

Rubjerg Knude. Photo: Mette Johnsen

Møns Klint. Photo: Niclas Jessen

Ale’s Stones A megalithic monument dating back at least 1,400 years, Ale’s Stones is an oval stone ship formed by 59 boulders weighing up to 1.8 tonnes each. Situated at Kåseberga at the southern tip of Sweden, this unique heritage site boasts panoramic views across the Baltic Sea.

Ale's Stones. Photo: Simon Paulin, imagebank.sweden.se

Møns Klint Choose from a six-kilometre stretch of chalk cliffs, a snorkelling adventure in the Baltic Sea, and exploration of 70-million-year-old fossils. Mons Klint is best known for its distinctive chalk cliffs, some falling a whopping 120 metres straight into the sea below, but this area is generous in the extreme. One of Denmark’s most breathtaking landscapes, it’s a bucket-list item, no doubt.

Lofoten. Photo: Pete Oswald

Lofoten Islands All Scandophiles will immediately recognise the distinctive scenery of the Lofoten Islands, with cute fishing villages surrounded by dramatic mountains and untouched beaches. Head up inside the Arctic Circle to discover what life is like in this archipelago of the world’s largest elevated temperature anomalies – and don’t forget to sample some local, traditional cuisine while you’re there.

Issue 126 | July 2019 | 29

Scan Magazine | Travel Feature | Scandinavian Nature Phenomena

Drammen Situated just a half-hour’s drive from Oslo, Drammen is a bit like a mini ecosystem representing all the things that Norway does so well: fjords, clean waters, quality food and relaxation. Go fishing, go hiking – and then kick back in the city with a refreshing drink and stunning views. Perfect for those who want a real Nordic nature experience without the need for expensive gear, long journeys or too much adrenaline.

Geirangerfjord. Photo: Øyvind Heen

Union brygge, Drammen. Photo: Foap

Trolltunga Probably the most photographed and Instagrammed location in all of Scandinavia, Trolltunga combines absolutely breathtaking views with the endorphin rush of having gone on a steep, long hike. The photographs speak for themselves: views don’t come better than this.

Trolltunga. Photo: Scott Sporleder, Matador Network

Geirangerfjord. Photo: Foap

Geirangerfjord Included on UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites since 2005, Geirangerfjord offers one of the most majestic natural experiences in Norway – and that is saying something. Snow-covered mountain peaks meet wild waterfalls and lush vegetation in a nature paradise perfect for biking, hiking, or even a luxurious cruise or spa treat.

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Scan Magazine | Travel Feature | Scandinavian Nature Phenomena

Stockholm archipelago. Photo: Henrik Trygg, imagebank.visitsweden.com

Stockholm archipelago With around 30,000 islands, islets and rocks alongside rocky cliffs, sandy beaches and traditional, red cottages, Stockholm archipelago is nothing short of a summer paradise, whether you come for award-winning culinary experiences or silence and untouched nature. Go kayaking or swimming, or discover some of the old village communities and new food destinations – or, as it were, just sit on a cliff and enjoy the sound of the waves lapping in…

High coast. Photo: Friluftsbyn Höga Kusten, imagebank.sweden.se

High coast. Photo: Friluftsbyn Höga Kusten, imagebank.sweden.se

Höga Kusten Since the last Ice Age, the land at The High Coast in northern Sweden has risen 300 metres, making it the world’s highest coastline. Now part of the High Coast/Kvarken Archipelago World Heritage Site, it offers a national park, lush woods and high mountains, making it not just beautiful but also perfect for trail runs, sea swims and family holidays.

Issue 126 | July 2019 | 31

Arriving at Voss railway station, you can make the scenic gondola trip to the top of Hangurstoppen in under seven minutes. Photo: HLM Arkitektur

Voss — your immersive nature experience, levelled up Just one and a half hours from Bergen city is one of western Norway’s largest ski resorts, with 23 ski trails, year-round activity offerings and unbeatable proximity to the picturesque Hardangerfjord and Sognefjord. With its presentation of a brandnew, state-of-the-art mountain gondola in 2019, Voss has further heightened its offering of sublime nature experiences.

By Julie Linden

“The beautiful nature is of course one of the central reasons why travellers choose to visit Voss, but I believe it’s the presentation and accessibility of it that makes them come back,” says head of marketing at Voss Resort, Synva Vinje, flanked by marketing coordinator Linn Ravndal Norevik.

“Exactly, there’s something about the purity of nature and the variety of activities on offer, but even more so, there’s a special touch in how it all comes together.

Every detail represents an earnest wish to grant an experience out of the ordinary – something very genuine,” she adds.

32 | Issue 126 | July 2019

The Voss gondola: a ‘wow’ project The recent completion of Voss’ new, 300 million NOK (around 27.75 million GBP) gondola project is a unique and apt example of the town and resort’s dedication to nature accessibility. Connecting the public transport hub at Voss railway station to the top of Hangurstoppen mountain at 820 metres above sea level, the gondola delivers non-intrusive immersion into the scenery, environmentally friendly transportation, and a scenic ride – all in the six and a half minutes it takes to reach the top station.

When there, guests have immediate access to the ski resort or summer activities, depending on the season, and a brand-new 450-seat restaurant serving the freshest, locally sourced food. “This really is a ‘wow’ project that has attracted lots of attention across Europe,” says Vinje, adding that the gondola will be open year round. “The hope is that it’ll be helpful to the locals and tourists alike, and contribute to the conceptualisation of Voss as a modern hub of the fjords.”

Bike the fjords for an unforgettable nature experience. Photo: Mattias Fredriksson/Fjord Norway

Scan Magazine | Travel Feature | Voss Resort AS

Left: White-water rafting is a popular activity in Voss, where the mountainous terrain is weaved in with several rapid rivers. Photo: Voss Active. Middle: The high-ropes course at Voss Active High Rope & Zip-line park is great fun for the whole family. Photo: Voss Active. Right: VossVind boasts Norway’s first wind tunnel, letting you skydive indoors for that adrenaline rush. Photo: Andreas Roksvåg

Conferences with active and relaxing breaks Beyond the gondola, a brand-new Scandic hotel will open in January 2020, contributing to exciting developments in the area. The restaurant at the top of Hangurstoppen, the largest in Voss, will serve dishes and beverages by local suppliers and provide meeting and conference facilities for up to 50 people.

“As a fairly rare conference offering, the restaurant provides state-of-the-art, newly constructed spaces literally next door to a ski resort. Why not plan relaxing or active breaks during your conference days, incorporating skiing or one of the many other activities on site?” asks Vinje. “Depending on the season, Voss Resort can help you tailor your stay to make the most out of the area.”

Adventures and adrenaline in Norway’s activity mecca A true activity hub of western Norway, Voss can offer everything from scenic walks to extreme sports. Boasting indoor

skydiving at Norway’s first vertical, recirculating wind tunnel, VossVind allows for an adrenaline rush unlike any other – and Voss Hang & Paraglider Club provides single and tandem paragliding along one of Norway’s most scenic landscapes, with excellent thermals.

Several clubs with experienced guides provide exciting and adventurous canyoning and rafting experiences, and the nearby high-rope and ziplining park suits team-builders, friend groups and whole families alike. Mountain bikers will undoubtedly enjoy the challenging terrain of Voss’ world-class single track, and sightseers will be able to make the most of the fjord landscape trying out guided scenic rides on high-quality, full-suspension bikes. For those less inclined to chase the next adrenaline rush, Hanguren is an easy and accessible hiking area for all ages. Choosing a more challenging hike, you can summit mount Lønahorgi, enjoying the spectacular view of no less than four glaciers: Fresvikbreen, Hardangerjøkulen, Vossakavlen and Folgefonna.

Cabin ‘hygge’ or modern apartments A modern and comfortable facility, Voss Resort offers self-catered cabins in three cabin areas. Most have a wood stove, cable TV, sauna, tiled bathroom, washing machine, dishwasher, fridge with freezer compartment, stove, duvets and pillows. Sizes vary from small, cosy cabins with two bedrooms, to larger cabins that have balcony bedrooms and can sleep up to 11 people. You may also choose to stay in one of the beautifully decorated, modern flats on the second floor of the service building in Bavallstunet, a mere 100 to 500 metres from the ski lifts of the resort, including a fun ski slope for the youngest. All apartments come fully equipped with their own balcony, with unbeatable views over the mountains and lake.

“We welcome everyone to experience the incredible nature and adventures available in Voss,” says Vinje, with Ravndal Norevik adding: “It has lots to offer; we’re proud to see it develop into an even greater destination.”

Photo: Voss Resort / Voss Gondol

Web: www.vossgondol.no Facebook: Voss Gondol Instagram: @vossgondol

The 300 million NOK Voss gondola connects Voss railway station to the top of Hangurstoppen. Photo: HLM Arkitektur

Web: www.vossresort.no Facebook: Voss Resort Instagram: @vossresort

Issue 126 | July 2019 | 33

Scan Magazine | Travel Feature | Magic Hotel Kløverhuset The hotel boasts stunning views over Bergen’s famous harbour.

Kava Roofgarden is the hotel’s bar, nightclub and events venue, located on the seventh floor.

The rooms have been designed by the world-famous designer Karim Rashid.

Magic Hotel guests can enter one of Europe’s oldest shopping centres via a lift from their room.

A magical stay in Bergen Right opposite the famous Hanseatic harbour in Bergen, on the top floors of one of Europe’s oldest shopping centres, Magic Hovtel Kløverhuset offers guests a spectacular view over Bergen, in inspiring and uniquely decorated rooms and suites.

By Synne Johnsson | Photos: Magic Hotels

Magic Hotel Kløverhuset is the first hotel in Scandinavia of its kind, and visitors can simply access the high-end shopping centre by lift from their room.

In the shopping centre, Kløverhuset, you will find everything from designer clothing shops to goldsmiths, hairdressers and much more.

“Magic Hotel Kløverhuset has an astonishing location. Visitors get to enjoy views not only over the UNESCO-listed harbour, but also over two of the seven mountains surrounding Bergen, as well as the fish market,” says Mona Sandvik, general manager.

However, it is not just the location that is top-notch – so too are the rooms, which have been designed by the worldfamous designer Karim Rashid. “Vis34 | Issue 126 | July 2019

itors can expect something truly new and exciting on the interior front. Karim is passionate about functionality but also wants his design to touch people.

Design isn’t necessarily a luxury, but a human necessity and wish,” Sandvik explains. “Karim has really put his signature on everything in the room, from the walls and floors to the furniture. A night in these rooms is a real experience.”

The hotel opened in 2017 and is a part of Magic Hotel, a family-owned business from Bergen. This is one of four Magic Hotels in Bergen. Due to the central location, visitors can walk to more or less all of the major attractions of Bergen, including the famous fish market, the Hanseatic harbour and Mount Fløyen – a simple hike that leads to a view over the entire city.

The hotel’s main priority is to be a good host, and the staff are determined to make all their guests feel welcome and taken care of: they do not hesitate to go that extra mile. As a guest at any Magic Hotel, you get discounts at several restaurants, bars, nightclubs and shopping centres.

“Bergen is an international city full of history and tradition, yet with the charm and atmosphere of a village. We pride ourselves on being the city between the seven mountains, providing the perfect mix between urban and natural experiences,” Sandvik enthuses. “Bergen has something to offer people of all ages – a perfect holiday destination all year round, in any weather. I can promise a magical experience.”

Web: magichotels.no Facebook: Magic Hotel Kløverhuset Instagram: @magichotelkloverhuset LinkedIn: Magic Hotels

Scan Magazine | Health Feature | Holistica Medica

Danish author and holistic healer Arvin Larsen has created a string of popular holistic medicines and natural supplements.

Treating the body, mind and spirit Can holistic medicine and natural supplements affect your chakras, your mood and your physical wellbeing? Yes, according to Danish Arvin Larsen, the successful holistic healer behind Holistica-Medica A/S, a green laboratory focused on homeopathic medicine. Scan Magazine spoke to the author and healer about why he thinks healing the body is not possible without healing the mind and spirit.

By Lise Christensen | Photos: Holistica-Medica

With a waiting list of almost two years, it appears that the Danish ‘heilpraktiker’ (which loosely translates to ‘healing practitioner’, a naturopathic, alternative health care profession originated in Germany) Arvin Larsen is doing something right. Specialised in iris diagnosis and homeopathy, Larsen has been running his holistic practice since 1986. With his services in high demand, he founded Holistica-Medica, a laboratory focused on developing holistic medicine and supplements, in 1991.

Developed to aid common ailments such as infections, circulatory problems and headaches, the supplements are based on the theory that mind, thoughts, feelings and immune system are all interconnected. “When working with a client, we never talk about the body being ill. The body isn’t ill, it’s just biologically adapting to the environment it’s in, our

mind’s perception of it, and our emotional reactions to it,” explains Larsen. “The body might become too aggressive or it might be worn out, and then the biology breaks down and you get what people call an illness – but a lot of it is not an illness, but a natural biological response.”

This approach means that, rather than treating the symptoms of the body, Larsen seeks to target the psychosomatic imbalances that might result in such symptoms. Unlike many practitioners, he does not do this by telling his clients they need to change their lifestyle – as he believes their inability to do so is part of the actual symptoms of the imbalance – but rather by seeking to first bring the related hormones or chakra into balance with homeopathic supplements. “What you have to understand is that if someone can’t manage eating a balanced diet and exercising, there’s a

reason for that. If you’re not in psychosomatic balance, you reach for sugar or fat. Fat has a purpose: it’s needed for the production of our sex hormones. Salt, too – it’s connected to the hormone that regulates salt and fluids in the body, the antidiuretic hormone, which is also the hormone that affects how you connect to other people,” explains Larsen.

This does not mean that the use of Holistica-Medica’s 37 homeopathic medicines and supplements should not also be combined with changes to behavioural patterns, he adds, and rounds off: “Most people know they need to eat well, exercise and get proper rest. If they were able to do that, they wouldn’t seek help.”

Holistica-Medica’s holistic products are developed to aid common ailments such as infections, circulatory problems and headaches.

Web: www.holistica-medica.dk

Issue 126 | July 2019 | 35

Scan Magazine | Art Feature | Sami Artist’s Union

Gielastuvvon (Snared) by Máret Ánne Sara. Photo: Libor Galia

Those who left and those who received by Tomas Colbengtson. Glass sculpture on a base of rock crystal.

Celebrating Sami culture with the Sami Art Festival In 1979, the Sami Artists’ Union (SDS) was founded in the wake of hard political struggles between Sami and Norwegian activists and the Norwegian government during the so-called Alta actions. 40 years later, SDS is organising the Sami Art Festival to celebrate and inform about the events in 1979, and how they have affected Sami culture today.

By Synne Johnsson

The festival will take place in Alta, a small town by a fjord in the north of Norway, on 21 to 24 November. It aims to highlight the effects the activism during the Alta actions has had on the survival of Sami culture, nature and society, and the mark it has left on Sami art to this day. The event also aims to celebrate the constitution of the Sami artist’s organisations and the Sami Parliament – all resulting from the Alta actions.

“Visual art has been and still is a vital factor in the fight for Sami rights and Sami culture, something the festival will focus on,” says festival committee member Hilde Skancke Pedersen.

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“It will present four exhibitions, interdisciplinary projects, literature events, performance art, art videos, street art, music, poetry recitals, literature, theatre performances, seminars and more.

Visitors will have plenty of opportunities to meet and talk to the artists and to take part in seminars. There will also be a workshop for children and one for young people, which makes it an event suitable for the entire family.”

The Sami people inhabit Sápmi, which today encompasses large parts of northern Norway, Sweden, Finland, and the Murmansk Oblast of Russia. Traditionally, the Sami have pursued a variety

of livelihoods, including coastal fishing, trapping, craft and small-hold farming.

Their best-known means of livelihood is semi-nomadic reindeer herding, but the majority of the Sami workforce today holds a variety of other jobs.

SDS is a Sami artist organisation with 64 members from four different countries, all with various artistic expressions. Visual artists and artisans from Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia are constantly campaigning to improve conditions for artists, and to show and convey their art. The Sami Art Festival offers an opportunity for the art-loving public from all over the world to enjoy interesting and gripping art, while sampling nature’s wintry beauty in the high north.

Web: www.daiddafestivala.no Email: daiddafestivala@gmail.com Instagram: @daiddafestivala Facebook: Sámi Dáiddafestivála

Scan Magazine | Culinary Feature | Bar & Restaurant Bizarre

A cool hangout for eating, shopping and socialising Bizarre is an intriguing combination of a gallery, boutique, café bar and restaurant.

It is a popular meeting point for locals and visitors alike.

and activities, like art festivals, intimate gigs from different music genres, and an ethnic music festival, to name a few.”

By Mari Koskinen | Photos: Bizarre

“When we opened Bizarre in January 2017, it was just the gallery and shop. Later, we expanded to include the bar and the restaurant, too,” explains Sanna Jousi, cofounder of Bizarre. “We listen to our customers’ wishes and are never afraid to try something new.”

Bizarre is situated on the main street of Salo, which lies about an hour’s drive from either Turku or Helsinki. It is only a short walk from the bus and train stations. The gallery and the lifestyle boutique offer handmade jewellery, accessories, cosmetics and clothes from both Finnish and foreign artisans. The common factor is ecological thinking and small independent producers.

The gallery also runs an art rental service.

The restaurant has a great menu offering familiar dishes with an ethnic twist. The café

bar offers a delicious assortment of baked goods, sandwiches, salads and soups. Do check the opening times when planning your visit though, and don’t forget to book a table for large groups. The venue can also be booked for private events.

“There is a relaxed and positive vibe in our team, and we like to pass that on to our guests, too,” says Jousi. “The clientele represents all age groups. We also host events

Web: www.bizarre.fi Facebook: Bar-Restaurant-Bizarre

Photo: Courtesy of Thomas Buttenschøn and Doin' My Drugs

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Scan Magazine | Cover Feature | Thomas Buttenschøn

Thomas Buttenschøn: Doin’ My Drugs “There isn’t a single day when I don’t think about death.” It’s a startling comment from a man who oozes positivity from every fibre of his being. But then, Thomas Buttenschøn and death are old friends…

By Paula Hammond | Photos: Adam Battaglia

Scan Magazine chats to Buttenschøn at home in Copenhagen. When asked what he’s working on, he responds with a poignant pause. He’s composing a song for his brother who’s just died.

a bad thing. It was a good thing – and now I want to tell my story, because I don’t believe that a single feeling I have is unique, and that’s what music is about. Uniting people; stopping us from feeling alone.”

Buttenschøn was born with HIV and lost both his parents to the disease before he was nine. In Zambia, where he was born, over a million people are HIV positive – that’s 13 per cent of the population. You can go to a funeral every day, and still lose loved ones to an illness that’s cut a weeping wound through the heart of the nation.

– there were five of us – suddenly found ourselves in the rehearsal room and it saved us, really. Of course, everyone, at first, wanted to play the drums, because it meant we could hit something! It was later that I picked up the guitar… Today, I still sit at the guitar or piano rather than see a shrink. That’s how I get my thoughts out. In many ways, it’s a lot easier for me to write a song than to sit down and have a conversation.” Today, Buttenschøn is not only an award-winning musician but, thanks to a stint as a judge on Denmark’s Got Talent, he’s a household name.

Reconnecting with that family back in Zambia was something that he hadn’t planned. “When you’re a teenager,” he says, “Zambia feels like such a different world. I wasn’t expecting to reconnect and, to be honest, I was a bit scared to.

But then my oldest son was born in 2011 and along came this TV programme called Back to the Roots, and everything grew out of that. Now I visit two or three times a year.” It was from those visits, and his own experiences of living with HIV, that the film Doin’ My Drugs was born.

For Buttenschøn, music has always been his way of dealing with the pain and problems that life has thrown at him. Things could have been a lot different. “My music teacher could tell that I was troubled.

I was starting to get into fights. I had anger problems and a lot of energy that I needed to burn off. The guys in my crew

Growing up as a child of two continents – with a Zambian mother and a Danish father – has meant that Buttenschøn often gets labelled. “In Denmark, I’m black.

In Zambia, I’m white. I remember at one point, I just wanted to be like everybody else. I wanted to fit in. Then, all of a sudden, I realised that being different wasn’t

The documentary deals with the HIV crisis in Zambia, where the same antiretroviral drugs that allow Buttenschøn to live a normal life are freely available.

Despite that, a positive diagnosis is often seen as a death sentence. Few people are even aware that you can have relationships, children, and keep your loved-ones

Staying positive

Issue 126 | July 2019 | 39

Scan Magazine | Cover Feature | Thomas Buttenschøn

Photo: Courtesy of Thomas Buttenschøn and Doin' My Drugs

disease-free simply by, so to speak, doin’ your drugs. And not talking about it has become a coping mechanism that, perversely, helps the disease spread.

my story. I don’t have that stigma. And, because I’m a musician, I have a platform already and, I believe, I was given a talent to help tell my story.”

Doin’ My Drugs follows Buttenschøn as he attempts to break down taboos, culminating in a concert that’s free to anyone who gets an HIV test. The Test For Tickets campaign has already been hugely successful and continues to help shatter the stigma of HIV. “A lot of people,” Buttenschøn comments, “get the disease when they’re adults. And they perhaps feel ashamed because they know that they could’ve protected themselves. But for me, it was just bad luck. I was born into the wrong body… and in some way it’s easier for me to tell

What strikes you when watching Doin’ My Drugs, and indeed when talking to Buttenschøn, is how effortless his talent appears. He’s never far from his guitar.

Sitting in a taxi, walking down the street – he seems to almost pluck songs from the air. “I write everywhere, and the only reason I’m ever late is because I’ve been writing a song. Sometimes, I wake up in the night with a tune going around my head. So I pick up the phone and record the whole thing, trying to do it without waking up the kids!”

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Does he ever stop and relax? “Although I grew up in the countryside, I’m a city boy at heart,” he says. “I love the buzz. But right now, standing in my living room with my girlfriend [Mille Gori] and kids, surrounded by the people who love me, that’s my time.

It sounds like a cliché, but that’s it.”

Buttenschøn grew up in the sleepy village of Gylling, where everyone knew the story of the orphan boy from Africa. “Of course, it’s just a village, and everybody knew everyone. But there were maybe two or three black kids in a school where everyone else was blonde and blue-eyed.

So I’ve never not been in the spotlight,” he comments. But it takes bravery to put your whole life up for public consump-

Scan Magazine | Cover Feature | Thomas Buttenschøn

tion, as Buttenschøn has done. “I started a journey, which is far from over. I decided to tell my story, a story about AIDS, death and hope. I dream about a world where love and passion do not become a death sentence, as was the case with my own parents.”

In brief: Thomas Buttenschøn founded The Muchimba Music Foundation in 2015. The foundation is dedicated to creating change and awareness through music.

Doin’ My Drugs will be showing at film festivals throughout the year.

A soundtrack of songs from Thomas Buttenschøn, B-Flow, Danny Kaya, John Chiti, and the Zulu Family – all featured in the documentary – has been released to support the film.

You can read more about The Muchimba Music Foundation at www.muchimba.org

Issue 126 | July 2019 | 41

Scan Magazine | Feature | Tin Hinman

Tim Hinman: En Hymne (A Hymn), 2019. Sound installation, 56 min. Nordkystens Kunsttriennale 2019.

‘In real life there’s always a day after the story ends’ Tim Hinman, half of the duo behind Denmark’s most popular podcast, Third Ear, is exhibiting a new sound installation at Nordkystens Kunsttriennal (North Coast Art Triennal). Scan Magazine spoke to the Brit about the artwork and why it, unlike his podcasts, has no ending or beginning.

By Signe Hansen | Photos: Kim Matthai Leland

Having worked in Danish radio and podcast broadcasting since 1996, British Hinman has not just built up a name, and – together with the co-creator of Third Ear, Krister Moltzen – earned a handful of international awards. He has also built up a remarkable archive of human stories and voices. It was that archive and those voices that inspired him to create his new artwork at the North Coast Art Triennal. “During the last 20 years, I’ve been immersed with other people’s voices, the voices I’ve recorded over the years – I’ve kept every single one of them, and a lot of the things people talk about in the interviews are very significant, life-changing events, so in many ways the voices represent the full range of possible human experienc42 | Issue 126 | July 2019

es,” says Hinman. “My idea was to use an open archive and play it back more or less randomly, so that no two people will get the same mixture of words. I imagine it a bit like walking down a busy high-street without the traffic noise, so it is just the drifting voices giving you that sense of time and place.”

While it is not the first sound installation Hinman has done, the Brit is undeniably best known for his award-winning podcast series, Third Ear. Started in 2009, the podcast, which tells the extraordinary stories of ordinary real-life people, was the first of its kind in Denmark and initially had a very modest audience of around 100 listeners. Its popularity has, however, grown explosively, with its

most popular episode downloaded more than half a million times.

The art installation will, says Hinman, be a chance to do something completely different. “This is a great opportunity to do something more personal, more informal. A podcast has a very linear structure – the art piece is the opposite, it’s completely non-linear and constantly changing; there’s no beginning and no end. That way, it’s more like real life: in real life, the story never ends, things keep moving and there’s always a day after the ending of the story.”

Hinman’s work will be exhibited at the Rudolph Tegners Museum & Statuepark as part of the North Coast Art Triennal from 22 June to 22 October 2019.

Web: www.nkkt.dk

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Lush, fascinating and inspiring — experience Denmark’s past and present If the heatwave lasts, Denmark has the benefit of countless beautiful beaches.

Should the weather take a turn for the worse, there’s always music, history and a bite of award-winning New Nordic Cuisine. Head for Denmark this summer, and you will be both entertained and pampered – and relaxed and inspired when you leave.

You may not have planned a trip to Denmark in order to learn about American socio-political history, but that, as it happens, may well be what you find – at least if you stop by the new Jacob A. Riis Museum. Should you fancy keeping things strictly Nordic, however, we strongly recommend a day at Sagnlandet Lejre, where you not only 44 | Issue 126 | July 2019

get to learn about the Vikings, the Iron Age and the Stone Age through reenactments and reconstructions, but can go all in and try out both the gear and the lifestyle for yourself.

If you are looking for more of a naturerich, relaxing experience, bring the whole family to explore the idyllic surround-

ings and lush gardens of Birkegården, or go all zen with the horticultural haven that is De Japanske Haver. From centuries-old history and stunning nature to cultural, musical and culinary experiences, Denmark makes a great summer destination, whether you are planning a weekend getaway with a loved one or need to find a place where the kids can roam free.

For more information on attractions, accommodation and travel, please visit www.visitdenmark.com

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Visit Denmark

Photo: Amager Museum

Photo: Humlemagasinet

Fregatten Jylland.

Photo: Kim Wyon, www.visitdenmark.com

Musikhuset Posten, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. Photo: Emil Andresen

Photo: Sagnlandet Lejre

Photo: Birkegården

Issue 126 | July 2019 | 45

Funen’s little piece of paradise “We went on a two-week tour of 40 English gardens once. They had all these lovely romantic touches, like dreamy lakes and forsaken ruins, so when we returned home, we immediately set out to build our own splendid ruin, now one of our proudest garden monuments,” Peder Pedersen enthuses. Humlemagasinet House and Gardens, nestled away in Denmark’s delightfully named Middelfart municipality, has become an enchanting world of curiosity and wonder thanks to the adventurous souls and charmingly eccentric vigour of its wonderful owners, Peder and Ole Bjørn Pedersen.

By Louise Older Steffensen | Photos: Humlemagasinet

“It is always time for a new project,” Peder asserts. “We hate being bored, and there are so many exciting things to do.” When he and Ole started a little gallery in their beautiful farmhouse in 1990, they quite possibly reckoned that this would be the extent of their engagement with the public… for about five minutes. They just couldn’t contain their constant creativity, and their visi46 | Issue 126 | July 2019

tors loved them for it. Slowly but surely, Humlemagasinet grew to encompass a five-hectare park, a gallery, three separate museums, additional exhibitions as well as a shop and a café selling Humlemagasinet’s famous sumptuous Princess Marie cake, a celebration of chocolate and raspberries. “It’s my own creation, and I make every cake we sell, but if you promise to spread its reputa-

tion far and wide, I’ll happily give you the recipe,” Peder confides.

The cake can be enjoyed in Humlemagasinet’s salons, which have been left as they were when Peder’s grandparents walked the floors. “We’re so set on minimalism and smooth Scandi lines here in the north that I suspect people secretly delight in the occasional lace tablecloth and Persian rug. It takes us back to another time and pulls us out of our hurried, repetitive daily rut.

At Humlemagasinet, you’re almost forced to have a look around and go explore.”

Cultivating community The place invites conversation. “You’re very likely to run into Ole or me when you visit, but we’re far from the only people with a story to tell here. We’re lucky

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Visit Denmark

enough to have an army of volunteers of all ages who help us run the place, many of whom have become dear friends of ours. It’s very touching how invested these lovely people are – some regularly come over from Jylland and Sjælland to help us out, and we even have volunteers from as far away as the Netherlands and New Zealand, who’ve somehow ended up right here at Humlemagasinet,” Peder says.

“Some volunteers even live with us for a little while. We’re so grateful for these relationships; they are what make this project fun, and possible at all.”

In addition to a museum telling the story of Humlemagasinet itself, the farmstead houses the Sigfred Pedersen Museum, dedicated to the local wordsmith and Danish national treasure of Katinka, Katinka fame. In 2007, dollmaker Kirsten Günther Eriksen’s complete collection of royal dolls was donated to Humlemagasinet, so in 2007, Peder and Ole added the Historical Doll Museum. Every Danish royal from Gorm the Old to Crown Princess Mary is on display, including Frederik the Seventh and his common wife Grevinde Danner, whose

Peder.

love story form the basis of this year’s historical exhibition. Royals including Queen Margrethe have visited Humlemagasinet, and in 2002, the couple even managed to exhibit Prince Charles’ own paintings for the first time in Denmark simply by asking, getting themselves invited to tour his private gardens in the process. Peder will happily tell you about every one of these royals; he knows their stories almost as well as his own.

Pluck and talent Peder was lucky enough to grow up in idyllic surroundings in Nørre Åby in the 1940s and ‘50s. His family managed Humlemagasinet, a hops storehouse dating back to the early 1900s. With time, Humlemagasinet had become a grand old farmstead thanks to its managers’ pluck and talent, traits which were certainly not lost on their son, Peder. Peder was always an inquisitive soul. Having trained at a well-known Danish draper and done his duty in the Royal Life Guards in Copenhagen, the young man set off on a short holiday in Vienna and promptly fell in love with the city. He ended up staying for over a year. After a stint

back in Denmark, he set off once again for new pastures, finding employment at Selfridges in London.

Five years later, he returned to his home region to take over a conglomerate of local drapers’ businesses, rich in experiences and accompanied by Ole, his husbandto-be and, as it would turn out, gardener extraordinaire. In 1977, the two turned their ingenuity to Peder’s unusual childhood home, and Ole set to work on the exterior. “Every year, another cereal field would disappear, and in its place another patch of beautiful English formal garden or Funen cottage garden or orchard would appear. Ole turned our gardens into something truly magical.” Though they’ve settled down at Humlemagasinet, the couple’s curiosity and zest for life has never left them; quite the contrary – they simply decided to make their home the adventure; a little piece of paradise to be shared with other adventurers.

Web: www.humlemagasinet.dk Facebook: Humlemagasinet Instagram: @Humlemagasinet

Ole.

Issue 126 | July 2019 | 47

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Visit Denmark

The Amager Museum offers visitors a peek into the past of the Amager Dutch.

A peek into the past: — living life as the Amager Dutch It’s so close to Copenhagen Airport that you can see the airplanes take off. Yet life on the island of Amager, located just south of urban Copenhagen, is defined by a distinct identity and unique local cultural heritage that reveals a wide array of stories about a tightly knit and primarily Dutch immigrant community – stories that are vividly told by the Amager Museum.

By Camilla Pedersen | Photos: Museum Amager

“A coffee cup is never just a coffee cup.

Every single object here at the Amager Museum tells a story about the home it came from, how the people who owned it lived, and all the details that transform an otherwise dead object into a compelling story – the story of the Dutch immigrants and the lives they led after the Danish king invited them to Amager to grow vegetables in the 16th century,” says museum director Søren Mentz.

The Dutch farmers were famous for their expertise in vegetable growing, and Amager produce soon became in high demand at markets in Copenhagen – produce that was easily recognisable because of the characteristic Dutch garments the farmers wore.

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Not only the traditional folk costumes, but also paintings, jewellery and texts tell the story about the tradition-bound culture of the Dutch farmers when visitors step inside the old living rooms at the Amager Museum, which is housed in two traditional farmhouses in Store Magleby, known as the Dutchmen’s Town, a few kilometres from the coastal village Dragør.

Throughout July, the museum becomes even more lively, as local volunteers make history come alive. Visitors are encouraged to join in and experience what life was like as a local farmer or maid on a busy farm in the 20th century, with activities ranging from washing clothes, to digging up vegetables and

following the journey of a hen from field to fork.

“Our visitors really enjoy taking part in these little bits of history coming to life. It creates a unique experience that makes both kids and grown-ups reflect on life back then versus life as we know it today – a life that they come to realise has been greatly influenced by the past,” explains Mentz.

The Amager Museum is open from April to September and welcomes almost 18,000 visitors yearly.

Learn more about Amager life at Dragør Museum, The Danish Pilotage Museum, Mølsted Museum, and the museum cutter Elisabeth K571 – all part of Museum Amager.

Web: www.museumamager.dk Facebook: Museum Amager Instagram: @museumamager

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Visit Denmark

Be part of history coming alive Lejre Land of Legends is not a museum. There are no dusty exhibition booths and no angry custodians telling you not to touch anything, and your dog can roam around and bask in the sun – just like you and your family. At Sagnlandet Lejre, history comes alive and you can touch it, taste it and even live it.

the first spots for Constitution Day parties, where rich Copenhageners would swan about in rowboats and challenge each other to games of nine-pin bowling. That’s all back now.”

By Louise Older Steffensen | Photos: Sagnlandet Lejre

Are you a Viking at heart? Pining for the Iron Age? Long ye for the simple, honest life of a 19th-century farmer or the live-hard-die-hard career of a Stone Age hunter? Or are you quite happy where you are, thank you very much? Perhaps you’ve yet to find out – well, the place to do so is Lejre Land of Legends, half an hour west of Copenhagen by train. Since the 1960s, these glorious rolling hills have been on a journey back in time, taking modern-day children and their adults along for the ride. The past is explored through ever-evolving reconstruction, reenactment and experimental archaeology in the capable hands of historical experts and enthusiastic volunteers.

“An ancient Chinese saying states that ‘I hear and I forget; I see and I remember; I try and I understand’. That’s what we

live by here,” says head of communications, Sanne Jakobsen. “Our guests can walk around an Iron Age settlement, interact with people living temporarily as Vikings, and see how it feels to shoot a Stone Age bow, sail a dugout canoe or cook a meal in the 1800s without any modern technology.”

Live in the past The huge open-air experience centre is brought to life thanks to people like Inger Heebøll the pot-maker, who reproduces clay creations from the earliest Mesolithic through to the 19th century.

Her pots are used throughout Lejre Land of Legends, including in the newly renovated 19th-century eatery Videsøhus, which has been brought back to its days as an illicit inn. “Lejre was a really popular day out in the 1800s; it was one of

Places like the textile workshop, which recreates historical garments, dyes and textiles through experimental archaeology, are constantly adding new, valuable information to historical research, and you can be part of this history-making in action. What really makes Lejre Land of Legends special, however, are the normal, everyday families who opt to spend their holidays living as Vikings, Iron Age or 19th-century farmers, bringing the past alive unlike anywhere else. It could be you, too, if you dare.

Entrance is free with a Copenhagen Card.

Web: www.sagnlandet.dk Facebook: SagnlandetLejre Instagram: @sagnlandetlejre

Issue 126 | July 2019 | 49

From 27 July to 3 August, Passage Festival takes over the streets of Elsinore and Helsingborg with a stream of unhinged creativity, performances, and avant-garde theatre. With a large dose of physical comedy, flexible bodies and hairy creations, Hairy Tales is a clown show for the 21st century.

Expect the unexpected With a week of street performances, experimental theatre and unhinged creativity, Passage Festival is literally taking over the streets of Elsinore and Helsingborg.

One of northern Europe’s biggest international street theatre events, the festival comprises more than 40 different acts and 200 performances from 27 July to 3 August.

By Signe Hansen | Photos: Passage Festival

With roots all the way back to 1978, Passage Festival has developed from a couple of traffic-stopping street performances to a full week of unhinged creativity. Founded and arranged by Elsinore Theatre and Dunkers Kulturhus in Helsingborg, the festival brings together a broad variety of artists from all over Europe. “There’s the kind of fun, broadly appealing performances that everyone will enjoy, but also a lot of more edgy, innovative acts for the more dedicated audience,” says head of communication at Elsinore Theatre, Camilla Hasseriis Dietz. “We’d like to get back to what’s one of the fundamental qualities of theatre – its ability to make us look at the world around us as it is right here and now.”

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The performances are spread out over seven days, with most performances in Helsingborg taking part over the first three days and the majority of performances in Elsinore in the last four.

From hairy comedy to feminist horses Starting out with a string of familyfriendly plays and interactive events in Helsingborg, as the week goes by, Passage Festival will bring performances of all thinkable – and unthinkable – genres to the streets. From a group of women galloping through the streets of Elsinore, to a humoristic and physical comedy with some very hairy elements, visitors are bound to bump into something unexpected.

“The broad span is very much a conscious choice. We’ve created a programme where the first part of the day is filled with performances that appeal to all ages, including small children, and then as the day goes on, the genres change,” explains Dietz.

Furthermore, as most performances are without verbal language, the programme is accessible not just to all ages but also to all nationalities.

“That’s also important to us – the fact that street theatre is often essentially language-less is one of the factors that make it a universal experience.”

A work of art While most of Passage Festival’s performances are free and take place in the streets, gardens or other open spaces of Elsinore and Helsingborg, the programme also includes nine performances in limited spaces, to which guests need tickets or a festival pass (priced at 150DKK, which is approximately £18). The absolute highlight of

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Visit Denmark

the indoor experimental theatre performances is La Vita Nuova, a performance created specifically for the kind of large industrial halls in which it is set up in Elsinore. The performance is created by the hugely successful Italian author, director and designer Romeo Castellucci.

“Castellucci is Europe’s shining theatre star, and this is a performance on an enormous scale. It’s a sort of modern version of the tale of creation: a perfor-

mance that questions everything, our whole system – politics, social roles and art,” says Dietz. “Even if you’re not into avant-garde theatre, it’s an experience worth catching – Castellucci’s aesthetic language is amazing. It’s almost like standing in a piece of art, being part of an all-encompassing experience.”

That same way, the festival itself promises visitors an ell-encompassing exThe programme includes a broad variety of performances and events for all ages.

perience, where the beauty of the two waterside towns and the creativity of all of Europe melt together. “Elsinore is a wonderful town to do street theatre in; it’s not too big, so people will experience that the festival takes over the whole town,” Dietz says, and rounds off: “You’re almost guaranteed to bump into something unexpected, something that will make you laugh and something that will challenge and surprise you.”

Passage Festival takes place in Elsinore and Helsingborg from 27 July to 3 August, 2019.

Highlights from the programme: 27 July in Helsingborg: Aviator – a charming, new circus performance for the whole family.

31 July, 1 and 2 August in Elsinore: La Vita Nuova – a site-specific performance, created in a large scale for the halls of the industrial age, by Romeo Castellucci. (Tickets sold separately, priced at 100DKK, approximately £12.)

1 August in Elsinore: Hairy Tales – a feminist punk circus by M.P.A.C., which with a large dose of physical comedy, flexible bodies and hairy creations, creates a clown show for the 21st century. ​ 1 and 2 August in Elsinore: It’s Not Here, It’s Over Here – a performance centred around a system of strings, inviting the audience to take part in a sensitive exploration of collectivism and individuality.

3 August in Elsinore: City Horses – a site-specific dance performance that presents a group of women dancing and galloping through the streets of Elsinore in a celebration of female courage.

Avion Papier (Plane Paper) is a caravan show merging digital arts, music and object theatre.

1-3 August in Elsinore: Passage Speak – a series of self-critical conversations on festival, culture and society hosted by the French philosopher Guillaume Paoli in collaboration with the Swedish activist America Vera-Zavala.

2 and 3 August in Elsinore: La Cuisinière (The Cook) – a duel between a young woman and her work environment. The kitchen is no longer a set; it is a real, living character. Who is controlling whom?

For the full programme, see the website.

La Vita Nuova, by Italian director Romeo Castellucci, is a grand, aesthetically captivating performance created specifically for the halls of the industrial age.

Web: www.passagefestival.nu

Issue 126 | July 2019 | 51

The Long Journey, Asger Jorn & Pierre Wemaëre 1959-1960

Art that does something special Asger Jorn was one of Denmark’s most important 20th-century artists. He believed that art can provoke and promote betterment in society, and while he was alive, he started to collect, buy and be gifted art that could do exactly that. Some of that vast collection is today on display at Museum Jorn in Silkeborg, Denmark.

By Josefine Older Steffensen | Photos: Museum Jorn

“The story of how the museum came to be is rather wonderful in the sense that the reason we’re here is due to one artist’s belief that art can do something special,” says Jacob Thage, director of Museum Jorn. “Jorn chose to spend his money collecting art and gifting it to his hometown for future generations to enjoy and be inspired by. Art was otherwise something to be found only in the bigger cities, but Jorn wanted to put it where it otherwise wasn’t to be found.”

The museum is today home to more than 35,000 pieces of art by over 650 artists.

It is the museum in Denmark that lends most art both nationally and internationally. Despite its prominent status on 52 | Issue 126 | July 2019

the art scene, Museum Jorn is a place where young and old, art connoisseurs and newbies, can join together. There is a very welcoming atmosphere, and the wide range of art means that there is something for everyone.

Trying it yourself Just by the entrance to the museum, there is a football pitch with three goals.

This may seem a little strange, but in fact it is one of Jorn’s ideas, in which he took the attacking element out of football and instead made it about strategy and cooperation as a direct response to the Cold War. There is always a ball on the pitch and it is used frequently by kids.

“That’s the thing about art: it can suddenly make something that’s very complicated a bit easier to understand. It’s also about being creative and having fun, while sometimes touching on the outside world or our own personal life,” explains Thage.

Throughout the museum, there are numerous workshops. These change frequently but often explore the different techniques behind the paintings, such as drip painting or printing. “The workshops are both for adults and kids,” says Thage. “People thoroughly enjoy getting stuck in and understanding more about what it takes to create the pieces of art they’re seeing.”

Mixing and matching The exhibitions at Museum Jorn are based on themes, mixing and matching different styles and ages together. “We tend to mix artworks a bit more than other museums, but there’s always a

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theme that combines them all. It makes it easier to understand a certain theme when you see it from a variety of angles and perspectives,” Thage explains.

The museum is also home to over 10,000 works by Per Kirkeby. “While Asger Jorn was probably the most prominent Danish artist of the 20th century, it is likely that Per Kirkeby will be the 21st century’s most important Danish artist,” says Thage. Kirkeby’s importance in the art world is undeniable, and he is joined by Jean Dubuffet, Karel Appel and Georg Baselitz, to name just a few of the many artists whose work Museum Jorn is home to.

“All of our artists discuss in their art what life is about. Jorn does so through his own version of surrealism, which he uses to express his emotions. At the same time, there’s also a huge amount of humour and irony in his work, as well as playfulness. That can be seen in particular in The Disquieting Duckling, in which he found an old landscape painting and painted a duckling on top of it, making the otherwise cute and fluffy duckling into somewhat of a monster,” explains Thage. “It’s funny, thoughtprovoking and light-hearted.”

Open for all

Asger Jorn. Photo: Børge Venge

As Jorn initially wanted, the museum has opened up the world of art to more people and has been welcomed by the local community and those further afield. Every year, 50,000 people walk through the doors and immerse themselves in an incredibly varied collection of art.

Every year, there are two big exhibitions and three or four smaller ones. “We often change things around, whether it’s exhibitions or workshops, so that there’s always something new to explore,” says Thage. The museum provides an excellent space in which to find out more about certain artists and artforms, and even just how art is actually made and what it takes to create the paintings and ceramics.

Jorn believed that art could do something special, and indeed it has. His collection has inspired a community and engaged them through art. “I enjoy what I do because I feel like I’m making a difference. The city, community and our guests are behind us and our collection has international impact, which is all quite special,” concludes Thage.

Untitled, Per Kirkeby 2011

Stalingrad, Asger Jorn 1957-1972

Three-sided football.

Workshop fun.

The Disquieting Duckling, Asger Jorn 1959. Photo: Lars Bay

Web: www.museumjorn.dk Facebook: museumjorn Instagram: @museumjorn

Issue 126 | July 2019 | 53

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Bandit's Roots.

He changed the life of immigrants in America — and now he has his own museum in Ribe Jacob A. Riis moved to New York in 1870 and became a pioneer in photojournalism.

His book, How the Other Half Lives, documented the horrible living conditions in the New York City slums in the 1880s and has had a major social impact on America.

By Heidi Kokborg | Photos: Jacob A. Riis Museum/Museum of the City of New York

Jacob A. Riis is a man with a fascinating story. In 1870, when he was 21 years old, he moved from Ribe in southern Denmark, to New York City, with just 40 dollars to his name. The girl he loved did not love him back, and so he decided to head for the land of opportunity. Despite arriving heartbroken and penniless, he became close friends with Theodore Roosevelt and became one of the most famous and recognised men in America.

As relevant as ever

“He was poor, but he had a will of steel, and he did not take no for an answer.

His motto was ‘never give up’,” says Flemming Just, museum director at Museum of Southwest Jutland. Riis got a job as a criminal reporter in the Lower East Side’s slum, and he started accompanying his writing with photos.

This made him a pioneer within photo journalism. Among the immigrants in the Lower East Side, he documented child labour, awful living conditions, hunger, corruption and crime.

Jacob A. Riis Museum is not a memorial house. It is a museum about his work and how he made a significant difference in America, and why he is as relevant today as he was when he was alive. “The themes Riis focused on are very important today – immigration, child labour, national identity and assimilation. His pictures and stories are therefore just as relevant today as they were a hundred years ago, and we are excited to share them with Danish as well as international visitors,” says Just.

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“Between 1890 and 1918, people started recognising that living conditions, child labour, healthcare and labour conditions needed to be regulated. With his book, How the Other Half Lives, he became one of the best-known social reformers of his time. His book is said to be among the five books that have contributed the most to social change in America,” explains Just.

Jacob A. Riis in New York. Photo: National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution

Jacob A. Riis Museum opened on 29 June 2019. The Museum is part of Museum of Southwest Jutland.

Web: www.jacobariismuseum.dk Facebook: Sydvestjyske Museer

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Airbourne concert.

Musikhuset Posten from the outside.

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club concert.

The Game concert.

Photo credit: Hans Kristian Hannibal-Bach

Simple Minds concert.

A medley of people, passion and purpose Located in the heart of Odense, the birth town of H.C. Andersen, which is characterised by narrow cobbled streets and charming, colourful houses oozing with history, Musikhuset Posten is anything but stuck in the past. Housing live performances by upcoming national talent and established international artists, including the likes of Billy Idol and Morrissey, the popular venue has a visionary outlook and offers a diverse range of genres to attract an equally diverse audience – all of which is only possible thanks to their passionate volunteers.

scene has really been one of our main purposes since the get-go. A visionary outlook is key, and we’re always exploring new music, new talents and new directions within the industry. We’ve got to keep up the beat,” says Østlund.

Facts:

By Camilla Pedersen | Photos: Emil Andresen

“We are known for our exceptionally good acoustics, but what really makes us unique is our big crew of dedicated volunteers, who help define Musikhuset Posten as a prime live concert venue with an incredible atmosphere. Their passion for Posten, music and the community makes us who we are – and their support enables us to offer some very niche music genres that we otherwise couldn’t have,” says venue manager Morten Østlund.

well as house gigs with upcoming artists.

The venue, only later named Musikhuset Posten, developed over the years, but what really proved to be a turning point was the opening of a second and much bigger concert hall in 2007, which both visitors, critics and artists have praised for its outstanding acoustics. Not only did the extension mean that there was capacity for more guests – it also made it possible to attract bigger artists.

Posten sits in a converted parcel post office, and tunes have been played under its roof since 1985. Back then, the dualpurposed venue offered Odense’s amateur musicians a place to practice as

“It’s a huge privilege to be able to let phenomenal artists on to the stage and give the audience an incredible experience.

But supporting and representing new and upcoming talent from the underground

Musikhuset Posten houses about 150 concerts a year.

The venue is run by 24 employees and 170 volunteers.

The two concert halls have capacity for up to 300 and 900 standing guests respectively.

Dexter, a small music venue (capacity 180 seated) also located in Odense, is part of Musikhuset Posten. They are both run by the Odense Live Foundation.

Web: www.postenlive.dk Facebook: Musikhuset Posten Instagram: @postenlive Twitter: @postenlive

Issue 126 | July 2019 | 55

The museum is located by Skjoldenæsholm Manor and beautifully set in green surroundings.

A tram venture As one of the world’s leading tramway museums, Sporvejsmuseet Skjoldenæsholm (The Danish Tramway Museum) comprises not just historic trams, but also historic buses, beautiful scenery and period buildings. Located in the centre of Zealand, the museum is a favourite destination for families and tram fans from all over the world.

By Signe Hansen | Photos: Sporvejsmuseet Skjoldenæsholm

Though there have been no public trams running in Denmark since 1972, the history and charm of the trams continue to thrive at Sporvejsmuseet Skjoldenæsholm. Since opening four decades ago, the museum has continuously expanded both its collection of trams and the activities taking place.

“We have built the museum up to be a Denmark-based international tram mu56 | Issue 126 | July 2019

seum,” explains chairman of the Danish Tramway Historical Society, Mikael Lund. “Today, we’re considered one of the world’s five leading tram museums, and we have travellers coming from all over the world to visit Sporvejsmuseet.”

In total, the museum comprises 90 trams and 50 historic buses exhibited over a number of buildings. Further-

more, thanks to an old railway embankment, guests can enjoy a 1.8-kilometre tram ride into the surrounding forest, at the end of which many choose to enjoy their lunch at the lovely picnic and cafe area.

Not just for tram enthusiasts Having expanded with five new buildings over the last decade, the museum today comprises much more than just trams.

There is a separate bus exhibition, and, between two buildings, an authentic shopping street from the time between the 1940s and the ‘70s has been created. “We do everything we can to attract as many visitors as possible, also those

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Visit Denmark

who are not just interested in trams and buses. It’s a destination for a day out with the picnic basket – we’ve got trams running every ten minutes, and bus rides, as well,” says Lund.

One of the less obvious but remarkable features of Sporvejsmuseet Skjoldenæsholm is that it is run entirely by volunteers: 150 in total. Dedicating their time to the museum, the volunteers are passionate about preserving its heritage and history, explains Lund. “We are dedicated to upholding the historic and cultural heritage of the museum, but at the same time, we go to great lengths to ensure that everybody has a good experience. It is possible to really get deep into the history of the trams and everything, but also just as possible to just take a quick tour, ride the trams and enjoy a picnic in the forest. We also have days when there’s a chance to try to drive a tram yourself, under close guidance, so it’s for all ages and interests.”

A royal tram While many additions and changes have happened over the years – a historic depot brought in from Valby, two exCopenhagen trams brought back from

With its beautiful collection of historic trams and buses, Sporvejsmuseet Skjoldenæsholm is considered one of the world’s five leading tram museums.

Egypt, and 14 additional historic buses – the arrival of the Danish Crown Prince couple’s tram has been one of the absolute highlights. In 2006, the museum secured an iconic 1950s vintage tram from Melbourne, a city where Australian-born crown princess Mary lived for several years and, while doing so, took the tram to and from work. The tram was gifted to the couple, transported to Denmark by ship, and initiated by the Royals at the museum the same year. Thus, while the tram officially belongs to the Royal fam-

ily, it is based and in use at the museum.

“It’s a very nice, green tram, and it’s still a big attraction – a lot of guests come to ask us exactly where in the tram the Royals were seated and how they liked the ride,” says Lund.

Once the ticket for the museum is paid for, guests can ride the trams all day, and many spend a good half day at the museum, enjoying their lunch in the beautiful nature and watching the old trams pass by.

Facts: Sporvejsmuseet is located by Skjoldenæsholm Manor, an hour’s drive from Copenhagen.

During the summer holidays, the museum is open 10am to 5pm, all days except Mondays.

Outside of the summer season, it is open on weekends between April and May. Tickets: Adults, 120DKK (around 14.50 GBP); children, 60DKK. The museum is closed during the winter, but can always be booked for private visits and events.

The museum also hosts a number of open special events, including events with music, veteran cars and much more.

For a full programme, see the website.

Web: www.sporvejsmuseet.dk

Issue 126 | July 2019 | 57

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Artist: Mia Nelle Drøschler

Artist: Kjeld Heltoft

A fascinating day out Situated in Lyngby, just a 20-minute drive from Copenhagen, Sophienholm is a beautiful neo-classicist manor house from 1802. Today, it is used as an exhibition space showcasing a wide range of art, while the impressive grounds are enjoyed by the public throughout the year.

one of the side buildings has been turned into an exquisite café serving flavoursome fish, Danish classics and exquisite desserts.

By Josefine Older Steffensen | Photos: Sophienholm

“Sophienholm is a wonderful place. It’s a great place to work and our visitors love it whether they’re here for a walk, a coffee or to explore the exhibitions and the house. The exhibitions showcase mainly Danish and Scandinavian art. It’s a privilege to be able to continue the tradition of the house and bring it to a wide audience to enjoy,” says Bojesen.

Sophienholm used to be home to some of Denmark’s richest and most prominent families, but when the council bought it in the 1960s, the home was turned into a space that the public could enjoy. Sophienholm has always been a linchpin for culture and continues to be so to this day.

“Every year, we have six exhibitions in the house and numerous events in the garden. We always try to cover a spectrum of interests and art forms,” explains Benedicte Bojesen, director at Sophienholm. “We want to give people an all-encompassing experience by providing the space for both cultural and leisure experiences, and throughout the 58 | Issue 126 | July 2019

year, we display everything from paintings to ceramics, from theatre performances to orchestral evenings.”

A walk in the park Sophienholm’s grounds are worth a visit in themselves. The beautiful English garden stretches down to Bagsværd lake with numerous paths, sculptures and outbuildings to explore. The grounds are open to the public year-round and provide a peaceful and secluded breath of fresh air.

The park is also part of the exhibition space, and throughout the summer there are events for adults and children.

For those looking for refreshments,

The beautiful, pristine, neo-classicist building and grounds, as well as the art they showcase, provide wonderful ways to relax, be inspired and explore something new. When it comes to a fascinating day out, Sophienholm has it all.

Web: www.sophienholm.dk and www.sophienholmcafe.dk

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Relaxation for the whole family in idyllic surroundings Birkegården is a wonderful place to spend a day with the family. Kids, parents and grandparents will all find plenty to love here, on an enjoyable day out. You can admire the gardens, enjoy a meal in the café, shop in the gift shop, say hello to the animals, or have fun in the playground.

By Heidi Kokborg | Photos: Birkegården

Are you looking for the perfect attraction for the whole family? Well, look no further.

Birkegården has something for every generation, and it is the perfect place to slow down and take things easy on a beautiful summer day. “Kids, parents and grandparents all love being here. We lead hectic and busy lives, so we need time to unwind,

and Birkegården is an opportunity to do just that,” says Merry Sørensen, owner of Birkegården. “The kids love that it is not gogo-go and that their parents are able to relax, but they still have plenty of things to do: have fun in the playground, pet the animals or step on stones in the Japanese garden.”

Birkegården has five very special gar-

dens: a Danish/English garden, a Japanese garden, a monastery garden with herbs, a prairie garden with perennials, and a Permaculture garden. The Japanese garden is the largest of its kind in Denmark.

It all started back in 1996, when the Danish/English garden was built and people asked to come in and see it, and so it was decided to open it up to the public. Soon after, the other gardens followed – besides the Permaculture garden, which was not finished until 2014. “The Permaculture garden is a sustainable garden. We use most of the produce in our café, and the rest we sell to our guests,” says Merry.

Birkegården is spread across 33,000 square metres.

Web: www.birkegaarden.dk Facebook: Birkegårdens Haver Instagram: @birkegaardenshaver

With 21 artworks spanning a wide range of media and styles, 18 Danish artists have interpreted the past and present of Denmark’s iconic frigate. Artist: Randi & Katrine

Art vessel and muse — Denmark’s beloved frigate takes on yet another new role With its majestic appearance and dramatic history, Fregatten Jylland is known and recognised by most Danes. However, this summer, visitors to the frigate will have a completely new experience as 18 Danish artists have transformed the old ship into one big art installation.

By Signe Hansen | Photos: Sonnich Jensen, Fregatten Jylland

War vessel, spice carrier and school ship – built in 1860, Fregatten Jylland has had a dramatic life and many functions. Now, for the first time, the old three-master has become not just the carrier of, but also the inspiration for, a modern art exhibition by Art Association Jylland. The art exhibition Jylland på Jylland (Jutland at Jutland) 60 | Issue 126 | July 2019

includes 21 works of art in a wide range of media, from giant sculptures to photography and video. “A lot of people want to polarise our cultural heritage, with the frigate on one side and modern art on the other side, but the artists in our exhibition show that they are two sides of the same coin,” explains curator Karen Louise Juhl Christensen. “That’s

the starting point for the exhibition and for the works, which all interpret some aspect of the frigate – an aesthetic detail, the life of its sailors, or its long history.” The artworks are installed in every nook and corner of the frigate, around it and in its museum hall.

A parrot, a giant rope, and painted papier maché While all inspired by the frigate, the 21 works by the artists of Art Association Jylland – who do not, despite the name, all come from Jutland – take hugely different approaches to the interpretation of the ship’s past and present. Built in 1860,

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the frigate took part in the Danish navy’s famously victorious battle against the Prussian-Austrian army in 1864. Subsequently, it sailed the West Indian Ocean as a trade ship, and later it served as accommodation for several generations of school kids visiting Copenhagen.

binds it together is that they all reflect on different themes relating to the frigate,” explains Christensen. When entering the frigate, all visitors will receive a free catalogue listing all the artworks in and around it.

Among the works presenting a slightly humorous take on the many twists and turns in the life of the frigate is the video piece History is a Mess by Sonja Lillebæk Christensen. The video dramatises Fregatten Jylland’s history, with the ship itself acting as the storyteller. Meanwhile, the artist duo Randi & Katrine has, inspired by the stories of the parrots brought home on ships like Fregatten Jylland, created an oversized parrot lying under deck with its legs in the air. Like the duo’s two other works for the exhibition, the parrot plays with the fluid boundary between facts and tall tales that already exist in the communication surrounding the ship.

While enjoying the artworks, visitors to the frigate can also explore all the usual activities and sights on board the ship. The ship cannon is still fired twice every day, and the salute is just one of the many fun attractions for children.

Others include treasure hunts, rope making, digital exhibitions and seafaring games, as well as the chance to climb some of the way up the ship’s 53metre-tall main mast. So while the art adds an extra dimension to the frigate, it is doing just that: building and expanding on the original experience of a visit to Fregatten Jylland.

“The artists have made a lot of relevant comments on Fregatten Jylland and its history, and that has resulted in a both humorous and interesting exhibition. It’s 18 artists who take their starting point in their own practice – some work with graphic prints, some with fluid aluminium and others with installations; it’s all different, so that you can recognise each artist’s style, but you don’t have to. What

Canons and masts

“People still come mainly to see the frigate, but they get something extra, and that’s something we’ve received a very positive response to,” says Christensen and rounds off: “Of course we also want to attract new people with the art. We want as many people as possible to come and enjoy the wonderful experience of our frigate, and the art exhibition is a way to enable that. Even if you’ve already been, it’s a chance to revisit and experience something new.”

About Jutland at Jutland: Dates: Jutland at Jutland is showing until 20 October 2019.

The exhibition includes 21 works by 18 artists.

Participating artists: Randi og Katrine, Henrik Menné, Milena Bonifacini, Marianne Hesselbjerg, Marianne Jørgensen, Leif Kath, Jette Gejl, Erland Knudssøn Madsen, Jesper Rasmussen, Kurt Tegtmeier, Eva Öhrling, Sophus Ejler Jepsen, Jacob Tækker, Anders Bonnesen, Lise Nørholm, Sonja Lillebæk Christensen, Mogens Gissel.

Web: www.fregatten-jylland.dk

Artist: Kurt Tegtmeier

Artist: Erland Knudssøn Madsen

Built in 1860, Fregatten Jylland has had a dramatic life and many functions.

This summer, it is serving as muse and art vessel.

Artist: Randi & Katrine

Artist: Sonja Lillebæk Christensen

Issue 126 | July 2019 | 61

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Since opening in 2007, the gardens have been continually expanded, and last year, the new Tea Garden opened.

De Japanske Haver (the Japanese gardens) on Funen comprises seven different Japanese gardens and is known not just for its beauty but also for its peaceful atmosphere.

Find your holiday zen in Funen’s Japanese gardens There are a lot of things you might expect to find in the countryside of Funen, but 6,500 square metres of Japanese gardens is probably not one of them. Nonetheless, this is where De Japanske Haver (the Japanese Gardens), a destination attracting around 25,000 yearly visitors, is located. The garden is known not just for its beauty, but also for its inherent ability to transfer visitors into a state of stillness and peace.

By Signe Hansen | Photos: De Japanske Haver

Opened in 2007, De Japanske Haver in Broby is the result of a dream of the two garden professionals Peter and Anne Dalsgaard. For Peter, a landscape gardener, the dream started all the way back in his youth, when he was working in a garden centre with a Japanese plot.

That was 32 years ago; 20 years ago, he met his now wife Anne, a horticultural scientist.

Having lived and studied in Japan, Peter took Anne with him on his next trip, and during their time in Japan he convinced her that, one day, they would open a 62 | Issue 126 | July 2019

Japanese garden attraction together. “It was also a way for us to get out of the rat race and live life at our own speed, so we decided to do it – to change our life and open a garden attraction where people could get a taste of Japanese culture with the gardens as the heart,” says Peter Dalsgaard. “But it’s not just the gardens: Anne also trained in Japanese cooking for our café, and we import products from Japan for our shop, so when our visitors enter the site, it doesn’t feel like it’s almost Japanese – it feels like it’s 100 per cent Japanese.”

Back in Denmark, the couple started saving up and, in 2000, bought the grounds in Broby. In 2007, De Japanske Haver opened with four gardens and 5,500 square metres. Since then, the couple has kept expanding and adding on, and today, the attraction includes seven gardens, a café and parking spaces covering 20,000 square metres. The newest garden is the Tea Garden, a garden forest which guests can explore via a path leading up to a small teahouse. “It’s the perfect forest, and it’s incredible to see how people arrive at the tea house after walking up the path, through the trees and past a small lake,” says Dalsgaard. “It’s so calming and peaceful – our regular guests say it’s a bit like the path in Alice in Wonderland; it’s a place where the thoughts and the mind just flow freely. We don’t know why it’s like that, but it is.”

Web: www.dejapanskehaver.dk

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Photo: Woolpower

A partner when investing in Sweden The Swedish tradition of innovation and globalisation has been essential for economic growth and domestic development. At Business Sweden, we are experts at connecting global companies with business opportunities in Sweden.

Sweden is here to help you succeed in Sweden. We look forward to helping you invest and expand in Sweden.

By Ylva Berg, CEO of Business Sweden

I am proud to say that Sweden consistently ranks as one of the most competitive, productive and globalised countries in the world. Our country is an international leader in technology, innovation and R&D. Together with a highly skilled and multinational work force, sophisticated consumers, smooth business procedures and openness to international ownership, we boast an advanced and stable economy, attractive for international investments.

Business Sweden is the official Swedish trade and investment council. We help international companies to develop successful business in Sweden, providing strategic advice, information and handson support – from initial evaluation of growth opportunities to final establish64 | Issue 126 | July 2019

ment, strategic partnership and capital investment. Services are free of charge and provided in full confidentiality.

To build your business case and prove the value of an establishment or investment, we provide you with customised information and benchmarking services on the Swedish market, business climate, industry sectors, operating costs, legal framework and more. We also have the integrity to dissuade an establishment or investment if justified.

By combining in-depth knowledge of Sweden’s leading industries with the established network across the country, we are in a unique position in terms of introducing you to successful business opportunities in Sweden. Business

Ylva Berg, CEO of Business Sweden.

Photo: Jimmy Eriksson

Web: www.business-sweden.se/en

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xxx

Photo: Elfa

Photo: Hultafors Group

Photo: Happy Socks

Photo: Alfa Laval

Famous art glass in the making.

Photo: Orrefors Kosta Boda

Issue 126 | July 2019 | 65

Spreading happiness, one colourful sock at a time Gone are the days of dull socks under the Christmas tree. How are you feeling today: stripy, chequered, bright yellow? Simply open your sock drawer and choose – express yourself, have fun. Happy Socks has been on a mission to spread happiness with colourful socks since 2008, and the world is beginning to look like quite the happy place indeed.

By Linnea Dunne | Photos: Happy Socks

It all started back in 2008, when old friends Mikael Söderlindh and Viktor Tell had a bit of a thing for colourful socks, or ‘happy socks’, as they called them. One day, when lying on Mikael’s floor chilling in his colourful socks, Viktor had an idea.

“He said, ‘What if we’d set up a business making happy socks?’,” Söderlindh recalls. “So we started chatting and got carried away, and we couldn’t believe it when we saw that the name Happy Socks wasn’t registered.” And the rest, as they say, is history.

66 | Issue 126 | July 2019

The friends wasted no time, but immediately emailed upwards of 100 factories presenting their plan to conquer the world with colourful socks. “Only one replied,” Söderlindh laughs. “So we went down to this factory in Turkey, where a father and son ran a factory. It was a bit of a struggle as it was the son who had replied, while the father was sceptical of the idea of making what he thought of as kiddie socks for adults – but we managed to come to an agreement, so we stayed for a few days and

learnt everything there is to know about making socks.”

Once informed of their options and colour choices, the former graphic designer and advertising veteran went back to their hotel room to start the creative process, resulting in 100 different designs in three different sizes. “They said the minimum order was 200 pairs per style and size – that’s 60,000. So we ordered 60,000 – three weeks after first having the idea.”

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A winning strategy

Swimwear ft. Hoff

The swift start was a sign of things to come. Within the first year, the now business partners had travelled to and established their brand in 18 different markets, and more than twice that by the end of year two. “After initially thinking that the web shop would do the work for us, we soon found a strategy that really worked: we identified the key shops in each market and worked hard to sell in to them, which gave us a huge advantage when negotiating with local distributors, as we’d already done the hardest bit,” Söderlindh explains. “Also, social media hadn’t quite kicked off back then, and it was all about bloggers. So we approached key bloggers, and between that and winning over the key shops, we quickly got the press on our side too.”

A move to Los Angeles became the trigger for branching out. By the poolside, Söderlindh and Tell realised that many of the patterns from their socks were also popular on swim trunks, something that seemed almost too convenient considering sales in socks tended to dip during the summer. “So we thought, we have the best boutiques in the world – why not trial swimwear?” Söderlindh explains.

Next: a swimwear collaboration to add to the brand’s previous illustrious collaborations with celebrities such as The Beatles and Snoop Dogg. “Who is swim trunks personified? David Hasselhoff, of course – Baywatch. We thought we’d get him to get out of those red trunks and get into Happy Socks on his day off.” And like with so many things before, the pair succeeded.

In 2009, the entrepreneurs decided to open up their very first Happy Socks shop – something that at first concerned the distributors, who worried that their buyers would suffer as a result. On the contrary, sales peaked across the board, and there is now a total of more than 110 Happy Socks shops globally, in addition to more than 15,000 resellers. “It’s basic business sense,” says Söderlindh. “Open a shop, strengthen the brand and come up with creative window displays, and it’ll boost both boutique, retail account and online sales – it just snowballs.”

Call it guerilla marketing or creative disruption – according to Söderlindh, it’s all about having fun. The story of taking the dullest item in the wardrobe and turning it into a fashion item, almost overnight, is certainly inspiring, but perhaps what’s even more heartening is the creative minds’ laid-back approach to it all. Recently, they sold off majority ownership of the company in order to keep having fun – “all play, no work,” as the founder puts it. Not very Swedish, perhaps, but then that was always exactly the plan.

“We always wanted to get away, from Stockholm, from all the norms – and now, we can keep working with all this fun, surreal stuff we’re passionate about,” he says. “Can we create a sock bar – a sock boutique meets bar? What can we do with the idea of the washing machine sock monster who eats all our socks? It doesn’t always have to make sense. The possibilities are endless.”

Viktor Tell and Mikael Söderlindh.

Web: www.happysocks.com Facebook: HappySocks Instagram: @happysocks

Issue 126 | July 2019 | 67

From the cold north with a warm heart Quality garments, fair wages and local, sustainable production – it almost sounds too good to be true. But Woolpower is serious about all of the above, producing clothes that keep you warm inside and out. This year, the responsible wool brand turns 50.

By Linnea Dunne | Photos: Woolpower

“It’s a combination of many factors,” says Adam Brånby, one of two owners, when asked how Woolpower has managed to keep the production of its quality garments local, in Östersund in Sweden – now probably the last business to keep up the feat. “It’s important to remember that we’re not a fashion brand,” he continues. “Our clothes look almost exactly the same now as they did 20 years ago.

68 | Issue 126 | July 2019

We change things, of course, but mostly on a quality and yarn level, and not so much in terms of style. We don’t have to.”

Other factors include the fact that the production is machine heavy, producing seamless tubes for sleeves, legs and the torso, as well as the brand’s focus on its very own material, Ullfrotté Original®.

“We need special machines for this, and

they’re expensive wherever they are,” Brånby explains. On the other hand, they need fewer seamstresses, which might explain why paying local seamstresses in Sweden fair and proper wages – up to 60 times the equivalent of a seamstress

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Made in Sweden

wage in Bangladesh – actually works and makes sense.

Putting warmth and humanity first In many ways, the seamstresses are the heart and soul of Woolpower. Each garment is checked and approved by the individual seamstresses, who mark them with their name as a quality seal.

Moreover, as Brånby explains, there are immediate and obvious benefits to working with local staff. “In the winter, when it’s minus 30 degrees here, our staff wear Woolpower thermal wear on their way to work, meaning they can all provide feedback and come with suggestions for improvements. With production in warm countries that never have snow, you lose all that.”

The key values behind Woolpower – sustainability, humanity, reliability, independence, pride and learning – are very much present in the way Brånby talks about his business. He gets it from his father, he says – an entrepreneur who ended up buying into the business in 2002, eventually passing it onto his two sons some eight years later. “Ethics and morals have always been central to everything he’s done, so that’s been with us since our early childhood,” he explains. “It’s about being able to look yourself in the mirror and say that, all these things I want from my place of work – holidays, healthcare, a good salary – we give our employees too, and our customers know that.”

Photo: Gösta Fries

Woolpower has experienced rapid growth over the last decade, something that Brånby believes may well continue into the future. “We think time is catching up on us now. People are going to want to pay a little bit more to know that things are produced in a sound way, in Sweden, with sustainability in mind.

It’s happened to the food industry, and I think it’ll happen to the clothes industry too.”

A shared quality mindset But the key values, Brånby explains, are useful in more ways than one. “We sat down and thought long and hard about how we really do things, trying to concretise what we’re really all about.

And it snowballs. People end up wanting to work for us because they see that we’re driven by these values, and so we attract employees who share our

values and help us develop in line with them, and who become great brand ambassadors.”

The result is a range of high-quality thermal wear including base and mid-layers, socks and accessories such as headbands, caps and gloves – all made using the company’s own Ullfrotté Original®, made of polyamide and fine merino wool from sheep in Patagonia, guaranteed to be non-mulesed and perfectly ethical. Among recent additions and improvements is a range of non-flammable, anti-static garments conforming to standards such as flame resistance and electric arc.

“I really believe in this, in making a really, really good product to be proud of.

And every time another person tells me that they wear and love Woolpower, I am proud, whether that’s because they know our garments are produced in a sound and sustainable way or because they love how the clothes feel and how long they last,” says Brånby. “We face questions and challenges all the time, of course – but that’s when our values come in to guide us: an employee can say, ‘hold on a minute, should we really be working like this?’, and we can have a discussion about it. It’s never black and white, what’s right or wrong – but that’s how we keep growing and learning.”

Web: www.woolpower.se Facebook: woolpower Instagram: @woolpower_official

Issue 126 | July 2019 | 69

Wild animals in the Kosta safari park.

A visit to the kingdom of crystal The furnaces at Kosta glassworks have been running since 1742, making it Sweden’s oldest glassworks still in use. A visit to the village of Kosta comes with an invitation to explore the production and the magical world that lies behind the success of Orrefors Kosta Boda.

dition of creative design and innovative craftsmanship in focus, something that is typical for all glass produced in Kosta.

By Kristine Olofsson | Photos: Orrefors Kosta Boda

Kosta as a destination has a lot to offer its visitors, and guests will immediately be welcomed into the hot shop to witness the fascinating spectacle of glass making from start to finish. One can watch the hot, molten glass syrup slowly transform into sparkling crystal glassware, vases, bowls and art glass items, which later can be found and purchased in the on-site factory shop. Those who feel inspired are welcome to give glassblowing a go themselves and create their own glass item.

The fine art of glassblowing has long been practised in the woods of the Swedish province of Småland. The glassworks in Kosta was founded by two generals serving in King Karl XII’s army: Anders Koskull and George Bogislaus Stael von Holstein. By merging the first letters of their surnames, they formed the name that has now become equivalent to Swedish handicraft and highquality glass, well renowned not only in Scandinavia, but also across the globe.

In Kosta, some of the best glassblowers in the world are working side by side with 72 | Issue 126 | July 2019

leading designers in order to create the iconic Orrefors and Kosta Boda glass.

“The two brands have very different expressions,” explains Isabella Jansson, marketing coordinator at Orrefors Kosta Boda. “Kosta Boda is bold, colourful and demands space, while Orrefors stands for classic timelessness and elegance.”

Orrefors’ success was cemented during the Paris Exhibition in 1925, where the iconic, thin glass The Grail, by Simon Gate and Edward Hald, was awarded the grand prix. This set the direction for Orrefors’ artistic expression with the tra-

Step into the hot shop

The and nity sill’

hot shop has a special atmosphere was long the heart of the commuin Kosta. The popular event ‘hytt(meaning ‘hot-shop herring’) is an

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Made in Sweden Kosta glassworks was founded in 1742.

The outdoor pool at Kosta Boda Art Hotel.

The 3.5-tonne cobalt-blue bar at Kosta Boda Art Hotel.

old tradition that embodies this phenomenon. This event takes place in the hot shop, and guests can enjoy drinks, local delicatessen from Småland, and master-class glassblowing, all accompanied by live music.

Accommodation, food and adventure The glassworks in Kosta lays embedded in the dense, leafy forest, giving visitors the chance to enjoy nature and to make the most of the surroundings.

Fallow deer, red deer, moufflons and wild boar are some of the wild animals that can be seen in their natural habitat

in the Kosta safari park, and in Kosta wild camp, visitors may challenge family and friends to find out who can build the most seaworthy raft or has the steadiest hand during air rifle shooting.

For those who want to stay overnight in the area, Kosta Lodge offers cabins with outdoor pools and saunas, as well as the opportunity to cook dinner directly on the hot lava stones of the Black Rock Grill. The hotel, Kosta Boda Art Hotel, is another option that awaits up the road with its award-winning SPA. “One of the most unique pieces in the hotel

is the 3.5-tonne cobalt-blue glass bar,” Jansson says. Enjoy a drink in this enchanting bar before heading to Brasserie 1742 with its French-inspired cuisine, which has been rewarded with several awards, including Plate in this year’s edition of Guide Michelin Nordic.

News in the art gallery The on-site gallery, Kosta Boda Art Gallery, is known for its intriguing and exciting art glass exhibitions. “Our current main exhibition is SPÅR by Kjell Engman,” says Jansson. “It is inspired by an abandoned village outside the city of Pajala, where everything was left for nature to thrive.”

Another exciting launch this year is the tribute collection in memory of Ulrica Hydman Vallien, who was part of Kosta Boda’s production throughout the ‘80s, ‘90s and ‘00s. “Her work, recognised by its powerful brushstrokes and characteristic expressions, has become loved both nationally and internationally and can be enjoyed in the art gallery this autumn, and it will also be available for sale at Kosta Boda Art Hotel.”

It is clear that Kosta is a creative hot spot with a love for the glass handicraft and the craftmanship of glassblowing. “The collaboration between the glassblowers and the artists in the hot shop will inspire and develop new, innovative techniques and forms that will continue to celebrate the artistry of glassblowing and design,” Jansson concludes.

The hot shop is the heart of the production at Kosta glassworks

Web: www.kostaboda.se www.orrefors.se www.destinationkosta.se Facebook: kostaboda and orrefors Instagram: @kostaboda and @orrefors

Issue 126 | July 2019 | 73

Photo: Fredrik Bjelkerud

Creating space For over 70 years, Elfa has provided much-needed storage solutions for overfilled wardrobes, narrow hallways and large families in small flats. Everything Elfa does, from creating big storage systems to paying attention to the tiniest of details, serves to free up much-desired living space and make life a little easier at home.

By Pia Petersson | Photos: Elfa

The story of Elfa started in 1948, when four bright men with a bunch of ingenious ideas about how to solve various practical household problems crossed each other’s paths at exactly the right time. “Successful pioneers all have a few things in common: commitment, hard work and experience. The story of 74 | Issue 126 | July 2019

Elfa is based on precisely these things,” begins Christine Dalman, senior PR specialist at Elfa.

The four men – Arne Lydmar, Nils Strinning, Björn Hoff and Birger Sparring – got off to a flying start. The first of many smart Elfa products to hit the shops

Christine Dalman.

Photo: Fredrik Bjelkerud

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Made in Sweden

was a draining dish rack made out of metal wire covered in a durable, waterresistant coating, which provided more hygienic and functional washing up.

The following seven decades have seen Elfa grow to become market leading in the Nordic countries when it comes to smart storage solutions.

So long, floordrobe Creating space has become the main focus of Elfa. And space is something that is sorely needed. Most of us are probably familiar with ‘floordrobes’, overflowing drawers and piles of random things, which never seem to get sorted. “In fact, we collect so many clothes, shoes and things that most of us struggle to figure out where and how to store it all,” explains Dalman.

Elfa recently published its fourth Storage Report, which showed that clothes that are rarely or never worn present the greatest storage problem in the Nordic countries. Dalman has a few good tips on how to solve this common problem.

“Try to make it a routine to clear out a little every week, or every month if that feels more realistic. Put a recycling box centrally in the wardrobe; don’t tuck it away in a corner. As soon as it’s full, donate it to charity. Think twice before buying new clothes, and invest in quality garments that can be used for a long time,” she suggests.

According to the Storage Report, many people genuinely want to tackle their home storage challenges. For one reason or another, most of us just don’t seem to get around to it. The Storage Report states that having a day off, being in a good mood, being alone at home and listening to pop music make the perfect preconditions for a proper clear-out and storage reorganisation to take place.

Hang on to your hat So how could products from Elfa help sorting out storage problems in the modern home? Well, for a start, there is a nifty, wall-mounted top-track system, which serves as the base for any inventive Elfa storage solution. Once the top track is mounted, there is no need for a screwdriver. Hang standards are easily placed on the top track, onto which different useful accessories can be fitted.

And from then on, reposition and supplementation of the system as needed is easy. And there it is – the floordrobe is no more.

Christine Dalman’s top tips for solving common storage problems 1. Think about whether you really need everything in your wardrobes and storage rooms. Perhaps there are clothes and other things that can be sold or donated?

2. Start by thinking about the actual space you have available. Measure width, height and depth. Then start planning your storage.

3. If you are planning a wardrobe, place the clothes in the order they are worn on the body. It will feel more natural to search the wardrobe in that order.

4. Get rid of any shelves that are too deep. Deep shelves lead to general disorder, and clothes end up being hidden and difficult to reach.

5. Make sure to keep the floors free from clutter. The more floor you see, the more order! And it will be easier to clean and keep it tidy.

Web: www.elfa.com

“With more than 70 years’ experience, we offer not only smart, practical and functional storage, but also innovative future solutions for the modern home.

Elfa constantly develops new ideas and concepts for all parts of the home – everything from the kitchen to the garage,” Dalman concludes.

Photo: Peter Phillips

Issue 126 | July 2019 | 75

World-leading innovation in vehicle movement The vision of Stringo is to move cars efficiently, simply and safely. Driven by honesty, pride and innovation, this family business in the north of Sweden has become the world-leader in specialist vehicle moving equipment.

By Malin Norman | Photos: Stringo

The northern pioneer Stringo is the original vehicle mover, which is used in a range of environments where cars need to be moved conveniently without starting them, including car manufacturing, crash testing, design studios, research and development, and paint shops, but also for instance museums and car dealers.

Stringo was developed in Nyland, a small village in northern Sweden of around 1,000 inhabitants, back in 1985

by Göran Fahlén in his mechanical workshop. While the product was cer76 | Issue 126 | July 2019

tainly functioning well, at the time it was difficult to convince Swedish car showrooms of the benefits. However, Stringo eventually found success in Germany and further afield, and later in its home country Sweden as well. “The company has had a typical entrepreneurial journey with plenty of blood, sweat and tears over the years,” admits CEO Nina Thelin, daughter of the founder.

What was initially developed as a practical solution for a friend, later became a world-leading product in the automotive industry, with global access and

new subsidiaries in the USA, China and Japan. Production is based in Nyland with focus on developing and manufacturing one product only: vehicle movers in a few different versions. This makes for a knowledgeable, proud and passionate local team.

Fully customised for every client Every Stringo is handmade and customised for the client, making sure it is tailored for each task it is supposed to carry out. It has a robust and userfriendly design, created to assist in heavy, strenuous work, and developed for ergonomically correct handling. Thus, Stringo saves on personnel and provides clear efficiency gains, time savings and environmental benefits. “Some clients tell us that Stringo has changed their whole set-

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Made in Sweden

ting, and that working conditions have improved immensely,” says the CEO. Leading the company into the future, Thelin has been nominated for the renowned SvD Business Achievement 2019 award as well as the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Stringo has continuously been focused on the clients, according to Thelin. “We have always been conscious about our clients’ problems and finding solutions to them. Instead of a programme with a lot of products, we have been dedicated to one product only, which is fully customised according to the needs of our clients. Working closely with them is incredibly important for us, also to keep up with what is happening in the industry globally. Together, we have evolved into a world-leading company.”

Higher demands for automation The automotive industry is constantly changing, with more challenges and opportunities. Currently, the electric car segment is growing, and there are higher demands on automated processes as well as automated guide vehicles (AGV).

Stringo makes sure to be present where its clients are based to see what is happening in their market.

Nina Thelin.

Focus is very much on innovation and investing in research and development, the ability to offer customised solutions for clients, as well as global expansion, with an active sales team visiting markets and networking globally. “We want to build competence and presence where our clients are located,” says Thelin.

“While innovation is central, we have a long-term perspective. It’s important to be honest, both internally and externally, and do things in the right way. We are still a family business based in Nyland and are proud to be able to work with some of the major automotive brands in the world while offering a personal service.”

Web: www.stringo.com Facebook: StringoTM Instagram: @stringo_original_vehicle_mover Twitter: @StringoTM

Issue 126 | July 2019 | 77

Dunderdon.

A group to rely on 130 years ago, engineer Karl Hilmer Johansson Kollén invented a tool that helped Sweden transition to the metric system. We know them as the folding rulers with red ends. Since then, the company, now known as Hultafors Group, has grown into one of the world’s leading and most successful work equipment companies, with products designed and developed for the construction industry.

By Hanna Andersson | Photos: Hultafors Group

“We design and manufacture products that excel in terms of functionality, safety, protection, overall productivity, and the creation of personal identity. We want our customers and users to come home after a day at work and not feel exhausted, and the same goes for after a lifetime in the workplace,” says Ole Kristian Jødahl, CEO of Hultafors Group.

With 130 years’ experience, Hultafors Group knows what the industry wants.

“We work closely with the people we are developing our products for. We watch 78 | Issue 126 | July 2019

and listen to them to see what needs improving, and how they use our products in the workplace. Our core customers are builders, electricians and bricklayers, and we want to perfect our range for these workers.”

Hultafors Group consists of eight brands, which form a unique portfolio for professional craftsmen. The group focuses on personal protective equipment, workwear, tools and leather – what the professionals wear, what they have in their hands to be productive and what

they use to be safe at heights. The group consists of two brands within workwear, Dunderdon and Snickers Workwear; two brands within protective footwear, Solid Gear and Toe Guard; one brand within hearing protection, Hellberg Safety; two brands within tools, Hultafors and Johnson Level and Tools; and, finally, Wibe Ladders, covering ladders and smaller scaffolding. “Our brands cover most of what you need in an industrial or construction workplace, and we would only ever work with brands that stand for quality, safety and functionality. You can rely on our products,” says Jødahl.

Growth through acquisition and strong values Although Hultafors Group has been around for a long time, Jødahl doesn’t see the company slowing down any time soon.

“We have grown massively over the past

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Made in Sweden

five or six years, driven by solid, organic growth, but also fuelled by successful acquisition. In 2015, we invested in Tradeport, which gave us protective shoes and Dunderdon. In 2017, we acquired Puvab, a Swedish safety clothing company, and last year we invested in Hellberg Safety and the American company Johnson Level and Tools, which helped us establish ourselves in North America. The Group is now working heavily on launching our other brands in the USA and Canada.”

Hultafors Group aims to be the obvious choice for demanding, conscious customers for years to come. “Sustainability is something we are always working towards. We want our products to be long-lasting, and we aim to make products that can be repaired. That’s the best thing we can do for the environment: to make products that last,” says Jødahl.

Hultafors Group not only works towards making other people’s workplaces as

Hellberg Safety.

practical, safe, and inspirational as possible; the company also tries to maintain these values on their own grounds. “We believe in creating a good workplace for our own teams as well. We invest in our locations, and in one of our offices we have a gym where our staff get an extra hour’s lunch break if they do some exercise. We understand that the value in a company is created by the people, so if you work long and hard workdays, it’s important that the workplace stays stimulating and that we invest in our staff,” Jødahl explains.

And where will Hultafors Group eventually end up? “We want to be the obvious choice for professional users and the best partner for our customers, focusing on Europe and North America. Our target over the business cycle is 12 per cent topline growth, 12 per cent EBIT margin, and a 15 to 20 per cent return on operating capital, which is something we have delivered above for the past five years. We believe that we can continue this journey

Puvab.

and that our continued growth will come from strong and innovative product development with close contact to our customers, a strong market presence, having the best and most motivated people in our industry, and finally acquiring further strong, complementing brands. We exist to create a better day for professional users, so that they can excel and thrive now and in the future. And we see no limit for where this can take us as a group,” says Jødahl proudly.

Web: www.hultaforsgroup.com Facebook: hultaforsgroup Instagram: @hultaforsgroup LinkedIn: Hultafors Group

Solid Gear.

Wibe Ladders.

Hultafors.

Snickers Workwear.

Issue 126 | July 2019 | 79

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Made in Sweden

Simplifying the world of online payments Founded in 2008, the Swedish fintech company Trustly had a vision of simplifying online payments. Today, the company’s next-generation payment solution has gone global, and Trustly continues to revolutionise the link between consumers, merchants and e-commerce.

By Hanna Stjernström | Photos: Trustly

In 2008, three friends noticed a disconnect in online payments: they got their salary paid into their bank account, but when they made purchases online, they could not pay directly from it. Together, they founded the Swedish fintech company Trustly, which aimed to simplify online payments by offering a secure payment service that lets consumers shop online and pay directly through their bank account on the website. The idea was to offer an account-to-account payment solution that would not require any registration, downloads or credits for the consumer.

“Having a Swedish foundation is central to who we are,” says Carl-Henrik Somp, the first employee and now head of products at Trustly. “It provides a stable and supportive environment with great workforce and infrastructure resources. Being surrounded by other innovative payment companies, as well as international trailblazers like Spotify 80 | Issue 126 | July 2019

and Skype, inspires a positive and global mindset across the Swedish network.”

every day to build the next-generation payments company; and secondly, we owe our success partially to lucky timing, because our technology in PSD2 will reshape the entire payments industry,” says Somp, and concludes: “I guess it’s fair to say that luck follows the diligent in this case, though.”

Carl-Henrik Somp.

With globalised e-commerce and a fragmented payments industry, there is great demand for cross-border payment services. This meant that the company had to have an international mindset from day one, in order to build a global offering. “We discovered early on how well Trustly worked in Sweden,” says Somp. “But while our product was built in Sweden, the fundamental idea was not limited to national borders.”

A tech company at heart, Trustly is working hard to stay focused on what it is good at: bringing innovation to the payments industry. The company’s technology has played a significant role in the driving of a regulatory shift in the EU, with the revised European payment service directive, PSD2. “There are several things to thank for our success: firstly, the innovative minds that work hard

About Trustly: Employees: 300+ Offices: Stockholm, Sweden; Örebro, Sweden; Lisbon, Portugal; Sliema, Malta; Barcelona, Spain; London, United Kingdom; Cologne, Germany; Helsinki, Finland; and Redwood City, United States.

Web: www.trustly.com

Industry of genius Few companies hold such a special position in Swedish industrial history as Alfa Laval. Along with a few other fellow giants, the company has come to symbolise the Swedish engineering tradition from the 19th century onwards. A master of reinvention, Alfa Laval continues to provide ingenious solutions to a wide range of industries across the world to this day.

By Pia Petersson | Photos: Alfa Laval

Having invented the world’s first continuous centrifugal separator to separate milk from cream, Gustaf de Laval founded the company, then known as AB Separator, in 1883. Quickly, the company developed and enhanced the technique to, among other things, also clean up oil in the engine room of ships. “Today, the same technology is used to clean the oil mist from the exhaust gases from trucks – which is helping China to clean up its air,” begins Sameer Kalra, president of the marine division at Alfa Laval.

Three key technologies The core of the company’s activities these days can be divided into three technolo82 | Issue 126 | July 2019

gies: heat transfer, separation and fluid handling. These processes are clearly vital for plenty of industries worldwide.

Indeed, Alfa Laval’s products are sold in roughly 100 countries across the globe and are used in the manufacturing of such diverse commodities as food, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, starch, sugar and ethanol.

Furthermore, Alfa Laval products can be found on board vessels, in the mining industry and refinery sector, as well as treating wastewater and creating a comfortable indoor climate. These days, sustainability is high up on the agenda.

“Our products and solutions play an im-

portant role in the processes of cleaning or reusing water, increasing energy efficiency or ensuring that we minimise the use of natural resources in industrial processes. Working with sustainability also makes an impact on the customers’ bottom line in terms of, among other things, reduced energy costs, less water and chemical consumption, and less waste or even reuse of waste product,” Kalra explains.

Sameer Kalra, president of the marine division at Alfa Laval.

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Made in Sweden

Marine life The marine industry is one of Alfa Laval’s key markets. In fact, three out of four ocean-going vessels have Alfa Laval equipment on board. The unique ballast water treatment is one of 17 product groups that Alfa Laval offers its marine customers. All ships sailing the oceans of the world are equipped with ballast water tanks, whose function it is to stabilise the ship. The ballast water is often taken in at one part of the world and discharged in another.

“This water is a potential threat as it contains marine microorganisms that are spread by the ballast water of the ship into new foreign environments, where the microorganisms might not have natural enemies. And so, they become invasive species and can actually destroy the local marine eco system – with devastating consequences for the economy and infrastructure,” Kalra explains. In order to prevent this from happening,

the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has set regulations for all vessels to have ballast water treatment systems installed. Since 2006, Alfa Laval has provided an ingenious UV-based solution for the treatment of ballast water, which eliminates the risk of spreading microorganisms. The chemical-free solution was developed together with Wallenius Water and has received approval from both IMO and US Coast Guard.

Other important marine environmental areas are energy efficiency and emission control. “At our Test and Training centre in Aalborg, we develop and test new products and optimise them for safety and reliability. In addition, we evaluate different fuel solutions for our product portfolio, ranging from gas to bio-fuels, to improve our sustainability footprint,” Kalra says. The sustainability aspect is key in this context. “Crucially, the solutions must also be economically viable for our customers, as sustainability is

also a business opportunity for them. It is a win-win, as efficient and sustainable processes will make a big difference on their bottom line,” says Kalra.

A lasting innovation spirit Being one of the companies that comprised the so-called industry of genius (other companies included ASEA and LM Ericsson) in Sweden during the latter half of the 19th century, Alfa Laval retains its special place in the country’s industrial industry. With a view to the future, Alfa Laval is clearly proud of its history. “The glue connecting our history with our future is the innovation spirit. It has been at the heart of Alfa Laval for more than a century – from Gustaf de Laval’s original separator to the advanced maritime connectivity systems, heat transfer and fluid handling technologies of today,” Kalra concludes.

Web: www.alfalaval.com

Issue 126 | July 2019 | 83

Healthy living, simplified Diet and activity tracking app Lifesum helps millions of users lose weight, get stronger and eat better. Regardless of diet, the app suggests healthy recipes and tracks progress – for a healthier, happier life.

By Malin Norman | Photos: Lifesum

Over two billion people in the world are classed as overweight, and we are living through a global health epidemic. When we eat poorly, a number of diseases follow, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, impacting not only our own health but also society. Food is key to good health and quality of life, and consumers are increasingly aware of how they eat; some may even say that having a certain food preference nowadays also shows a certain status.

To address this consumer-driven health revolution, the holistic health app Lifesum 84 | Issue 126 | July 2019

uses a combination of technology and psychology to create a tailored plan for users with personalised messages to help them live happier, more balanced lives. Whether the user’s goal is to get fitter, lose weight or just lead a healthier lifestyle, it shows how new habits can change your life. This pioneering app allows users to improve the way they eat, drink and exercise, every single day.

Stockholm-based Lifesum was cofounded by Tove Westlund, Martin Wählby, Marcus Gners and Henrik Torstensson in 2013. They wanted to

create a tool to support and encourage people to improve every aspect of their wellbeing, something more than just a weight-loss app. The vision was to provide a platform where people anywhere in the world are encouraged to experiment and form new habits that contribute to healthier, happier lives. Today, Lifesum has more than 70 staff and some 35 million users around the world.

A global app praised by its many users From the start, the team has done a great job of designing for and adapting to new technology across iPhone and Android. Impressively, Lifesum was one of only 40 global apps that were selected for the Apple Watch launch, which kicked off the brand’s success in the US, now its biggest market. The app was also promoted by Apple as one of three promising

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Made in Sweden

health apps, and it was the first nutritional app on Google Assistant, an artificial intelligence-powered virtual assistant.

Co-founders Torstensson and Gners had previously worked together at Stardoll, one of the world’s largest online fashion communities, and their experience has certainly paid off. “Working in digital entertainment, we learnt how to design products that appeal to users and which they want to use,” explains Torstensson, who has also worked with business development at the famous audio streaming service Spotify. Gners agrees and emphasises: “People need to eat better, but instead of shaming and stigmatising, we want to offer the world’s best product to inspire and help as many people as possible to lose weight and achieve better health. We are democratising access to food and lifestyle guidance using

mainstream technology such as smartphones and smart watches.”

Adapted to local cuisine and culture The business model for Lifesum’s mobile services is called freemium, which means that part of the service is free and easy to test for users and part is in the form of paid membership. As preferences differ between individuals, and depending on which diet plan they follow, Lifesum adapts to every user’s needs. Whether following, for instance, a low-carb diet or 5:2, the app guides the user through the experience and tracks progress. It also integrates with activity trackers, so that users can add their exercise.

User preference is at the heart of what Lifesum does, and a big part of its popularity is down to the app providing inspiration through tasty recipes and useful ad-

Marcus Gners.

vice provided by nutritionists. It even has its own chef developing healthy meals that are easy and quick to make. “We all know that it’s important to keep an eye on nutrition, exercise, mental health and sleep,” elaborates Gners. “But there’s not only one way of living; we are unique individuals with different prerequisites.

By utilising the benefits of modern technology, we believe we can give millions of people access to personalised lifestyle coaching centred around food, to show people how they can eat better based on their actual lifestyle. It’s our way of tackling the gigantic health problem in the world.”

Web: www.lifesum.com Facebook: Lifesum Instagram: @lifesum Twitter: @Lifesum

Henrik Torstensson

Issue 126 | July 2019 | 85

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Made in Sweden

QuizDuel.

Word Domination.

Fun and games at the factory of good times The Swedish mobile gaming company MAG Interactive gained massive success with the games QuizDuel, Ruzzle, and Word Domination. Now, MAG Interactive’s games have been downloaded 250 million times and are played for more than one million hours every day worldwide.

By Kristine Olofsson | Photos: MAG Interactive

“We usually refer to MAG as the good times factory,” says Daniel Hasselberg, CEO at MAG Interactive. It only takes one look at the company’s popular games to see the suitability of the nickname. MAG Interactive was brought to life by six engineers and developers and has quickly proven itself as one of Europe’s leading game developers in its genre. “We are very proud to create this type of positive entertainment, which our players are happy to share with and recommend to their friends,” says Hasselberg.

MAG Interactive is successful in many of the world-leading markets, and its focus has always been to create mobile games for a global audience. The first home run came in 2012 with Ruzzle, a multiplayer word game where players are challenged to find as many words as possible from a given set of letters within two minutes.

Another smash hit is QuizDuel, the big86 | Issue 126 | July 2019

gest trivia game for mobile platforms in Europe, where players compete against each other with social quizzes. Word Domination is the latest release, another fast-paced and clever multiplayer word game with tactical elements.

Hasselberg has a clear idea of the key to success. “We believe that mobile games are more enjoyable together with friends. The social aspect is of great importance to us, and I have no doubt that our fantastic team will continue to entertain millions of gamers all over the world in the future.”

Word Domination.

The more the merrier “We have a culture where each individual is seen and granted a whole lot of independence and responsibility. That kind of environment fosters creativity for our teams,” explains Hasselberg. “We don’t develop our games explicitly for people who view themselves as gamers, but for people looking for something fun to do on their phone. Our greatest success so far has been our social word games, but we have exciting things in the pipeline, also in other genres.”

The future sure looks bright for the Swedish mobile gaming company, and

Web: www.maginteractive.com

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Made in Sweden

Wikholms for Bergen Terminal.

Photo: Christine Nundal

An invisible waste collection solution Waste collection is not something you hear about on a daily basis – not a conversation you usually strike up in the pub. Envac, a waste collection solution company, is here to change that. “If I was single, I’d use Envac as a pick-up line, because what we do is fascinating,” says sales director Mikael Pernheim.

By Hanna Andersson | Photos: Envac

Envac is a waste collection solution system that aims to take away many of the problems we have with today’s waste collection. The system eliminates noisy trucks, smells, large bins and rats. How? It is all happening below the surface. “Our system is built under ground, where pipes transport waste to a collection centre. It uses air to travel and can reach 70 kilometres per hour.

It is safe and environmentally friendly,” Pernheim explains.

The idea of an invisible waste system is not new. It all started at a hospital in Sollefteå back in 1961 and has since developed alongside digitalisation and technology. “It has gone from waste col-

lection to urban development, and we want to have close contact with people.

They can see the benefits – our system creates cleaner streets, and less traffic. This will also make room for cafés, youth centres, squares, and other public places that are great for communities. We can exist everywhere – private houses, hospitals, inside and outside – and we’re hoping to keep developing with people in mind. Our users have rated us highly: 4.2 out of five in our latest survey. I think they like Envac because our system offers a solution where there are no smells, no rats, and it’s overall the most hygienic option,” explains Pernheim.

Bergen, the second-largest city in Norway, has minimised truck traffic by installing the Envac system throughout the city – a perfect example of a society with the future in mind. “Bergen is a great place for Envac. It is an old city that can shine when there are no waste bins or trucks,” says Pernheim. “Waste, and what to do with it, is rarely a priority; it’s just a necessity that you take care of later. At Envac, we want to make this a priority, for less fuss and complications later on. And we want to do this with the society and continue to have an open conversation about waste, recycling and how we can work towards an easy solution. Our vision is to be a part of the infrastructure and to create a sustainable future. It sounds like a cliché, but that’s what it is,” concludes Pernheim.

Web: www.envac.se www.envacgroup.com LinkedIn: envac-ab

Issue 126 | July 2019 | 87

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Made in Sweden

Chairman Tom Nyman.

Invaluable business insights with less hassle In a world where the competition for customers as well as valuable staff is growing rapidly, the need to stay one step ahead is more vital than ever. With that purpose in mind, Netigate provides a solution to measure employee and customer satisfaction – to keep you at the front of your market.

By Nina Bressler | Photos: Netigate

Netigate was founded in the start-up hub of Stockholm and initially acted as an IT consultancy company that later, upon request from a major client, developed a customer and staff survey platform.

The software as a service (SaaS) grew from a successful launch, and they eventually decided to focus entirely on this business, which has now expanded into a company consisting of 130 employees with offices in three different countries and customers spread globally, varying from international corporations to small businesses.

Tom Nyman, chairman and the single largest owner, discusses the reasons behind the success and suggests that part of the explanation is in their four pillars of business: being user-friendly, flexible, powered by humans and committed.

“With our solution, you can combine the employee and customer experience data from our surveys with operational data and integrate this into your own CRM system, to gain invaluable insights and see trends in opinion as well as satisfaction of both your customers and staff,” Nyman explains.

Ease of use in combination with high-level technology gives an unbeatable user experience – it’s easily integrated with CRM/ ERP systems and comes with passionate experts that will guide you through the process to extract top knowledge and insights from your market as well as internal organisation. Nyman also mentions the benefits of the Swedish heritage; there is an abundance of talented engineers and developers in Stockholm, and ideas are being discussed and transferred throughout the IT community that thrives in the capital.

“We all know that the global competition is increasing, and you need to be aware of where your company and market are headed. Your customers and your employees are your biggest assets – if you lose them, you lose competitiveness, profitability and your brand ambassadors, leading to long-term consequences such as increased churn and market loss,” says Nyman. Netigate simply gives you the perfect way to predict your future, and more importantly, the tools to prepare for it.

Web: www.netigate.net Facebook: Netigate LinkedIn: Netigate

Netigate helps to predict future trends with user-friendly systems.

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A selection of delicious tapas.

A taste of the Mediterranean Anchas Bodega is a lively, Mediterranean tapas bar in the heart of Drammen. Its excellent selection of food and wines, combined with its cosy yet trendy atmosphere, makes it one of the places to be and be seen in Drammen.

them while enjoying a special evening with friends, loved ones or business associates,” Liverud explains.

By Sunniva Davies-Rommetveit | Photos: Anchas Bodega

Mediterranean food with a Nordic twist

The concept for Mediterranean tapas bar Anchas Bodega sprung into fruition in the autumn of 2012, when five good friends had the opportunity to set up a restaurant-bar in a central location in Drammen.

“The starting point was relatively simple,” explains Anchas Bodega co-founder Ancha Liverud. “We had access to this great space in Drammen, and wanted to establish a restaurant and bar that felt like a Mediterranean oasis in the heart of Norway; somewhere we wished to visit ourselves and keep on coming back to.”

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After half a year of hard work, the tapas bar opened its doors in April 2013 – and Liverud and her co-founders haven’t looked back since. The bar serves a delightful selection of Mediterraneaninspired tapas dishes and serving platters – including meat and cheese platters – along with a sharing platter and the tapas menu itself.

“We believe that sharing is caring – sharing a smile, a great story, as well as lovely moments with friends. This is also our ethos when it comes to food: it’s great to choose a few dishes each, and share

There is an excellent selection of tapas at Anchas Bodega, with classic Mediterranean dishes such as delicious Italian Burrata cheese served with tomatoes and basil, stuffed peppers, grilled aubergines and much more.

There is a Nordic twist to proceedings, though, with scrumptious oven-baked prawns, flavoured with chilli and garlic, along with Arctic Char – a cold-water fish found in Norway’s Arctic waters – served with a refreshing fennel salad.

The tapas bar aims to serve its most popular dishes year-round, while also

Scan Magazine | Mini Theme | Visit Drammen

making sure to regularly introduce its customers to new and exciting tastes.

“We want our customers to be constantly inspired and interested in the food here at Anchas Bodega,” Liverud explains.

“We do this by putting together a menu consisting of a number of delicious taste experiences. We also constantly change the menu – for instance, to align with the seasons, and for different events throughout the year.”

The reason why Anchas Bodega has kept several of its most popular dishes firmly on the menu, is because of the excellent feedback from its regulars, and the tapas bar’s ethos of making everyone feel welcome. “I have always been described as a restaurant mum with a capital M: I want everyone, both customers and employees, to feel at home as soon as they walk in – and to keep coming back,” says Liverud.

A relaxing place to sit outside.

An oasis to unwind

Mediterranean wines, beers and cocktails. After the kitchen closes at 10pm (9pm on Sundays), visitors can soak up the atmosphere until 2am on Fridays and Saturdays, making use of the trendy, 12-metre-long bar, while catching up with friends after a long working week.

Not only is Anchas Bodega an excellent choice for a spot of lunch or dinner, but it is also a very happening bar in its own right – with an enviable selection of great

“We pride ourselves on being an oasis to come to and unwind at the end of the week,” Liverud explains. “There are many

who come to us on the weekends to enjoy themselves with a glass of something, and there is a great selection here – from German Rieslings and Austrian Grüner Veltliners, to Spanish Riojas and Italian Miopassos.”

Anchas Bodega’s popularity has seen it grow from strength to strength since its opening year. Liverud attributes this success to the tapas bar’s great atmosphere and mouth-wateringly good food and drink. “Our aim was always to make our visitors feel as though they were on holiday for a few hours of their day, even at the height of the Norwegian winter,” she says. And, with the excellent drinks and first-rate tapas menu, as well as the cosy yet on-point atmosphere, Anchas Bodega appears to have done exactly that.

Anchas Bodega is located on Øvre Torggate, Drammen.

Opening hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: 11am-11pm Friday: 11am-2am Saturday: 12pm-2am Sunday: 3pm-11pm The kitchen closes at 10pm (9pm on Sundays).

Photo: Børkur Johannesson

Web: www.anchasbodega.no Telephone: 0047 32 88 32 00 Facebook: Anchas Bodega Instagram: @anchasbodega

Issue 126 | July 2019 | 91

At Aass Bryggeri you have the opportunity to take a tour of the brewery, sample the beers and relax with a delicious dinner.

Tradition and invention — visit Norway’s oldest active brewery to explore new flavours With a rich history stretching back to the 19th century, Norwegian brewery Aass Bryggeri, located by the river in one of Norway’s biggest cities, Drammen, has found the balance between tradition and invention, supplying classic and innovative beer to shops, hotels and restaurants all over the country.

By Alyssa Nilsen | Photos: Aass Bryggeri

Founded by Ole Pehrson in 1834, the brewery was purchased by Poul Lauritz Aass along with H.F. Gjessing in 1860. After the big Drammen town fire in 1866, Poul Lauritz acquired Gjessing’s part of the property, and it has remained in the Aass family since then. Initially dealing in timber, groceries, shipping and baking as well as brewing, the company later decided to focus its efforts on brewing beer and other beverages, slowly becoming the brand we know it to be today.

The company has grown exponentially since its humble beginnings, contin92 | Issue 126 | July 2019

uing production and distribution even throughout the war and the post-war years. Aass Bryggeri has been a family company for five generations and is currently run by Christian August Knudsen Aass. It is the oldest stillactive Norwegian brewery, with more than 180 years of experience, and is one of Norway’s few remaining independent breweries.

Explore the brewery, learn its history and sample its products Should you want to learn a little bit more about beer and the brewery’s history,

and sample different varieties along with good food, there’s Ølskolen, Aass Brewery’s beer school. With the motto that beer is culture, it aims to give groups of friends, companies or other gatherings an educational and tasty experience, with a side portion of humour.

Guests can expect a tour of the brewery, where they get to see all the various rooms and tools, both historic and modern, and hear tales of its history and various happenings throughout the years.

There are two packages to choose from, a two-hour package that involves the guided tour, ending with an educational beer-tasting session, and a larger four-hour package that also includes a delicious dinner in addition to the tour and the beer-tasting. “We want to show people that beer is perfect with more than just peanuts and snacks while

Scan Magazine | Mini Theme | Visit Drammen

watching football,” says operations manager Anders Lien. “You can have beer with good food, whether it’s one or seven courses.”

With 12,000 people visiting each year, the beer school is a popular event for the brewery, which aims to give the visitors more than just information. “We want people to be able to sit down and enjoy a nice evening with good food and good beer after a long day at work,” Lien explains. The beer school is only open to groups and must be booked in advance.

Experimenting with new flavours and concepts In addition to brewing its classic, wellknown beers, Aass Bryggeri also keeps up with the current trend of craft beer and has a so-called pilot brewery – one where they brew 1,000-litre batches of more specialised beer. There, they’re able to play with techniques, ingredients, flavours and flavour combinations, inventing brand-new beers on a much smaller scale.

There’s the Bryggerhuset Collaboration Series, a collaboration with Norwegian top-selling cognac producers BacheGabrielsen, where the Aass Bryggeri beer has been stored in oak barrels previously used for cognac, giving a distinct scent and flavour to the finished beer. There’s also the Christmas specials – beers inspired by the Norwegian

tradition of baking seven different types of baked goods for Christmas. Each Christmas, the bewery releases another edition, each with traditional Christmas flavours that might not be immediately associated with beer. How about a Lussekatt Trippel, a golden Belgian Ale with raisins, cardamom, sugar and saffron, to replicate the taste and colour of the Scandinavian pastry ‘lussekatt’?

“I’m a chef, and everywhere I’ve worked before, saffron was treated as if it was holy,” says Lien. “In some places, it was even locked up in the manager’s office.

Then I come here, and they’ve started brewing this beer using a whole kilogramme of saffron,” he laughs. “It’s a very yellow beer.”

Just like Christmas editions, summer editions are always popular in Norway: beers tailor-made for hot, sunny days,

barbecues and the ever-important concept of ‘utepils’, beer enjoyed outside in the sun. This year, Aass Bryggeri’s contribution is Pinta, a light lager low on bitterness, brewed with a high content of corn. In addition, they’ve got alcoholfree products as well as gluten-free beers, catering to their customers’ various requirements and preferences.

The craft beers are sold at hotels, restaurants and some shops, including Vinmonopolet, the Norwegian government-owned alcoholic beverage retailer for beverages with an alcohol content higher than 4.75 per cent.

Visit Aass Bryggeri at: Web: www.aass.no/en Facebook: Norgeseldstebryggeri Instagram: @aassbryggerias

Anders Lien.

Issue 126 | July 2019 | 93

Scan Magazine | Mini Theme | Visit Drammen

Delicious American-Italian food in the heart of Drammen Jonas B. Gundersen is an American-Italian restaurant rooted in the pulsating New York jazz and blues scene. The restaurant brings authentic American-Italian food to Drammen, combined with the feel-good vibes of great music.

By Sunniva Davies-Rommetveit | Photo: Jonas B. Gundersen

“Jonas B. Gundersen was a Norwegian abroad, who worked in a restaurant chain in New York,” explains restaurant owner Håkon N. Jonson. “This immersion in the New York culinary scene is where the American-Italian inspiration for the menu comes from – and where the restaurant’s love of jazz and blues derives from, too.”

Since its doors opened nearly 30 years ago, Drammen’s Jonas B. Gundersen has gone from strength to strength – with four other restaurants in cities across Norway.

This success is due largely to the restaurant’s excellent menu choices, showcasing the best of the American-Italian cuisine.

The menu offers everything from a juicy blue-cheese burger with fresh gorgonzola and smoky bacon, to pasta dishes, plus both

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American- and Italian-style pizzas. The pizza toppings range from the traditional Italian Margherita pizza, all the way to more exciting combinations like the ‘New York veg’ with aubergine, onions, olives, pesto and more.

The location of the Drammen restaurant on Norway’s biggest square also makes it

the ideal spot for lunch with friends, or for a business meeting with colleagues. “Whatever the reason for visiting our restaurant, our professional staff, great food and relaxed atmosphere make for a winning formula,” Jonson says, adding: “We absolutely love what we do, and we enjoy sharing the unique New York culture with visitors from near and far.”

A relaxing yet trendy interior.

Web: www.jbg.no/drammen Phone: 00 47 32 89 05 80 Email: drammen@jbg.no Facebook: jonasbgundersendrammen Delicious food served for nearly 30 years

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | xxxxx

Scan Business Teambuilding Experience of the Month 96 | Business Profiles 98 | Business Column 99 | Business Calendar 99

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Future leaders and their wingmen and women

By Nils Elmark, Incepcion

In the 21st century, we have witnessed a breed of extraordinary entrepreneurs changing the global business landscape via amazing companies such as Apple, Google, Amazon, Facebook, Tesla, Space X and Alibaba. Behind these companies we find familiar names like Steve Jobs and Tim Cook, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk and Jack Ma, to mention a few. But when we take an extra look behind these men (no women, alas) we find that they all have a sidekick who compensates for their blind spots. It is a repeated pattern: the CEO gets backup from a wingman or, almost as often, a wingwoman, who makes him complete in his leadership. Number two has what number one lacks.

ness and cleans up the mess that Elon Musk often leaves behind him. Without her, SpaceX would not have survived.

Elon Musk is an adventurous entrepreneur waging ‘business blitzkrieg’, constantly getting radical new business ideas and, like a circus artist, working 16 hours a day to keep all balls in the air.

At his side is Gwynne Shotwell. She is a skilled engineer and president and COO of SpaceX. She runs the day-to-day busi-

All the leaders above are flawed – or just human – and their right-hand men and women cover their flaws. But the lieutenants are not people with different views of the future; they are aligned with the founders and share their visions. They are loyal but strong-minded personalities themselves. The wingmen/women

Until recently, Mark Zuckerberg has had Chris Cox at his side. For 13 years, Cox has been in charge of some of Facebook’s most important features, including Instagram, Messenger and WhatsApp. The pattern is global. Another visionary, Peter Ma, who heads China’s largest insurance company, Ping An, has a wingwoman too. It’s the 41-year-old Jessica Tan from Singapore, who is mentioned as Ping An’s tech czar and the company’s second in command. She gets most of the credit for Ping An’s formidable growth in recent years.

respect their boss, who respects and listens to them.

The lesson from all this: we may think that success springs from the man at the top – but it doesn’t. It springs from teaming top-leaders who complement each other.

Nils Elmark is a consulting futurist and the founder of Incepcion, a London-based consultancy that helps organisations develop new and braver dreams.

Issue 126 | July 2019 | 95

Teambuilding Experience of the Month, Denmark

Racing your colleagues Steering a car may not seem difficult, but when the car turns right as you turn the steering wheel left, it can become quite tricky. It takes concentration and, most importantly, teamwork. At Racing Factory, 45 minutes from Copenhagen, they create a tailor-made day of team-building through racing cars.

By Josefine Older Steffensen | Photos: Racing Factory

“It’s a really fun way for people to work together and just see each other in a different environment,” explains Ronnie Bremer, owner of Racing Factory and Denmark’s most victorious racing car driver. “It’s suitable for everyone, young or old. The only requirement is that the person driving has to have or have had a driving licence.”

Racing Factory has been used by a huge variety of companies and organisations, from dentists to lawyers, and has become an annual competition for some 96 | Issue 126 | July 2019

teams. The professional instructors make the day easy and comfortable and introduce the cars and races, while also giving some tips and hints on how to work together.

Driving smart The cars have been modified to encourage teamwork. Some of the cars turn left when the steering wheel is turned right, while the pedals in others have been moved to the passenger side, with the steering wheel left with the driver. “The modifications mean that the two people

in the car are forced to work together and to communicate with each other,” says Bremer. “The cars also create an adrenaline-filled environment, which puts people under pressure all while they’re part of a competition. It’s therefore a great chance for managers to see how different people perform under pressure, and which people work well together. Often, people who don’t usually work together during a normal day in the office find that they make a good team.”

There are management consultants on hand throughout the day to ensure that the company gets the most out of the day, by drawing on their array of practical and theoretical knowledge. They also help to create the programme for the day, based on the specific needs of each company.

Scan Magazine | Teambuilding Experience of the Month | Denmark

A tailor-made day No day at Racing Factory is the same.

Every event is tailor-made to the company and its needs, ensuring that the most is made of the day. At least ten and up to 120 people can enjoy a day of racing, with Bremer making it easy to meet all needs.

“The surroundings are perfect for these kinds of events,” he says. “We sometimes have companies who want to bring in a speaker before the racing starts, while others want food and drinks, as well. We’re based right next to Saltoftehus, a conference centre with all the facilities you could want, and we work with them to provide endless opportunities for our clients.”

Before getting in the cars, everyone is split into teams of two, a partnership that continues throughout the day. Four cars are allowed on the course at the same time, but it is possible for spectators to watch the whole course. “The starts of the races are always fun. The races are quite quick, and we don’t have a finale; instead, each race counts, and the pair with the most amount of points at the end win.”

Something for everyone Outside of the modified cars, there are also racing cars where it is all about getting the quickest time around the track while responding to both the car and the track. Racing Factory also offers car football, where the modified cars can be used.

“We promise that everyone has a role to play during the day. If you’re not sure about driving a car, you can be the co-driver, and as others are racing it’s always a good idea to look at the other racers and learn from them as well. We often have people saying that their day with us is something people talk about for months after. It’s a bit different, and just a really good day out,” says Bremer.

For private individuals wanting to try driving around a track, Racing Factory does five events a year where it is possible to feel the adrenaline rush through your body on the starting line. “The best thing is that people often see the cars and don’t expect a lot, but inevitably end up being pleasantly surprised by just how fun it is!” the owner enthuses.

Racing Factory is a great and different way to team-build and encourage cooperation, ultimately creating a day that all employees are bound to enjoy.

Web: www.racingfactory.dk and www.danskteambuilding.dk Facebook: Racingfactory.dk Instagram: @teamracingfactory

Contact information: ronnie@racingfactory.dk +45 27 111 222 Address: Saltoftevej 7, 4470 Svebølle, Denmark

Issue 126 | July 2019 | 97

Scan Magazine | Business Profile | Filsøgård / Simple Homes

Bed, breakfast and beautiful views Located in West Jutland, only a few kilometres from the coast, the family-run Filsøgård from 1939 offers guests a bed and breakfast, as well as picturesque views of Fiil Sø, the restored lake from which the farm has its name – but the huge property is much more than just a B&B.

By Camilla Pedersen | Photos: Filsøgård

“Our lives took a big turn in 2011, when the buildings of the old farm Filsøgård were put up for sale. I had been working on the farm for several years, so it felt only natural for us to take over the buildings that total over 7,500 square metres,” Niels Peter Nielsen says.

The couple was keen to make good use of the many square metres, so what used to be the home of many of the farm workers, was converted into modern and bright rooms that now accommodate guests from near and far – but with the atmosphere kept intact. Other buildings on the sizeable farm are used for commercial renting, storage, company events and an annual food festival

that attracts several thousand visitors.

Despite Filsøgård’s size, its captivating surroundings are even more impressive.

The neighbouring lake, Fiil-Sø, Denmark’s sixth-largest lake spanning an impressive 915 hectares, invites visitors to go on long hikes in the breathtaking surrounding landscape, while the nearby Henne Strand offers a dose of ‘vitamin sea’.

Facts: Filsøgård is open from 1 April to 1 November.

The B&B has seven rooms and can accommodate up to 14 guests.

The beautiful Filsøgård offers much more than just a bed and breakfast.

Web: www.filsoegaard.dk Facebook: Filsøgård – Bed and breakfast Instagram: @filsoegaard_bed_and_breakfast

A simple idea — great potential High-quality mobile homes that can provide all the comfort of a regular home during rebuild or restoration – that is the simple concept that has turned into a great success for the quickly expanding new Danish business, Simple Homes.

By Signe Hansen | Photos: Simple Homes

With a history of entrepreneurship behind him, Michael Rosendal, director and partner in Simple Homes, stumbled upon an opportunity with great business potential in 2016. Having come upon two high-end mobile homes, he realised that there was a great demand for better-quality temporary housing in Denmark. “We use an extra 20,000 to 30,000 DKK (around 2,400 to 3,600 GBP) on each mobile home compared to other providers, and that’s because our vans are targeted at private individuals rather than the construction industry,” explains Rosendal. “We saw a gap in the market – compared to alternatives, our homes are cheap and fast to set up, and there is no need for cranes. It’s a large glass-fibre home on wheels.”

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The focus on the private market means that all Simple Homes’ mobile homes are equipped with a designer kitchen, a sofa and a 50-inch flat-screen TV. The homes can be set up and installed in just about an

Equipped with flat-screen TVs, designer kitchens, washers and dryers, Simple Homes’ mobile homes are hugely popular with homeowners looking for a temporary home while renovating.

hour and need nothing more than a regular outdoor water tap and a 380-volt power connection. However, the homes are in high demand, so for those wishing to book, planning ahead pays off. “We have 20 to 30 people calling in with requests every day. Some even postpone their building project to get one of our homes,” explains Rosendal, and rounds off: “The demand is great, and we have just ordered 30 new homes to expand our current capacity.”

Web: www.simplehomes.dk

Scan Magazine | Business | Column/Calendar

Unzipped advice

By Steve Flinders

The first lesson a new coach has to learn is to zip it. When someone comes to you with a challenge, the overwhelming temptation is to jump in with advice. Coaches are taught to keep quiet. A good rule of thumb is for the coach to be the one talking no more than 20 per cent of the time.

Two reasons for shutting up are: First, the coach’s understanding of the problem is only superficial compared to that of the coachee. It’s ill-advised to give advice about something you know relatively little about.

Second, the coachee is far more likely to feel ownership of the solution if it comes from them, not someone else. We don’t get empowerment from being told what to do.

The coach’s job is to listen, to encourage and to ask the questions that help the coachee move forward.

Having said all that, I, like you, still burst with useful advice, so here are four life maxims that I wish I had learnt sooner than I did: 1. ‘It’s OK to say no’. Until we learn this, we

spend too much time serving other people’s interests and neglecting our own work-life balance. Hard at first – but it gets wonderfully easier with practice.

2. ‘Don’t worry about what other people think of you’. We should know what they think but shouldn’t let the nasty stuff get to us. Try to sort the valid criticism from the rest dispassionately.

3. The worst thing that can happen is a catastrophe’. Not a real catastrophe, but most of what we worry about is relatively trivial in the greater scheme of things. Some people spend so much time worrying about what might happen that they neglect to enjoy what does happen.

4. ‘If what you’re doing isn’t working, try something different’. Don’t dig yourself into a hole. Be open to alternatives.

A coach can help with these. But beware those who give glib advice.

Steve Flinders is a freelance trainer, writer and coach, based in Malta, who helps people develop their communication and leadership skills for working internationally: steveflind@aol.com

Business Calendar

By Sanne Wass

Scandinavian business events you do not want to miss this month Fourth Nordic Blockchain Summit The rise of blockchain – the technology that underpins cryptocurrencies like bitcoin – is bringing new opportunities to a range of industries. The fourth Nordic Blockchain Summit will gather decision makers and business leaders from different backgrounds to look beyond the hype and discuss opportunities and challenges that arise through blockchain innovation. The event is organised by the European Blockchain Centre in collaboration with the IT University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen Business School and University of Copenhagen.

Date: 16 August 2019 Venue: IT University of Copenhagen, Rued Langgaards Vej 7, 2300 Copenhagen, Denmark www.blockchainschool.eu

SCC business breakfast: London after Brexit The Swedish Chamber of Commerce for the UK will kick off a new season of its breakfast briefing series with Rajesh Agrawal, the depu-

ty mayor of London for business. Born in India, Agrawal moved to London in 2001, where he founded RationalFX and Xendpay, two fintech companies, before he took on his current role in 2016. At this roundtable discussion, which will be chaired by Maj-Britt Krejcir, CFO and deputy UK country head of SEB, Agrawal will speak about the plans for London post-Brexit.

Date: 5 September 2019, 8.30-10am Venue: SEB London, 1 Carter Lane, London EC4V 5AN, UK www.scc.org.uk

FBCC: Crayfish Party This year, the Finnish-British Chamber will host its annual crayfish party at Ekte Nordic Kitchen in London. The event will include everything that makes a good Scandi celebration: welcome drinks, canapés, a three-course dinner, dessert, wine, snaps and cheerful songs. This is an ideal networking opportunity, and the organisers encourage guests to bring along clients, colleagues and friends.

Date: 5 September 2019, 6pm

Venue: Ekte Nordic Kitchen, 2-8 Bloomberg Arcade, London EC4N 8AR, UK www.fbcc.co.uk

Nordic Edge Expo The Nordic Edge Expo, hosted in Stavanger, Norway, is all about making cities and communities smarter. It offers a platform for exhibitors to showcase their smart city solutions and meet decision-makers, investors and technology providers. The exhibition covers a broad range of themes, including mobility, energy, renewables, infrastructure, enabling technologies, health, city governance, citizen involvement and smart living.

Date: 24-26 September 2019 Venue: Stavanger Forum, Gunnar Warebergs Gate 13, 4021 Stavanger, Norway www.nordicedgeexpo.org

Issue 126 | July 2019 | 99

Restaurant of the Month, Norway

Welcome to Stavanger’s cosiest cellar When you visit På Kornet, you will find a great selection of craft beer and a food menu in constant reinvention. This homely, cosy gastro pub in the heart of Stavanger city centre is unpretentious and quality-conscious, focusing on sharing exciting, new flavours with its visitors.

By Ingrid Opstad | Photos: På Kornet

“We are simply Stavanger’s cosiest cellar, and our aim is that everyone should feel at home with us,” says manager Rebecca Haziraj. Here, below ground level in Øvre Holmegate, in a basement with brown brick walls, archways, retro decor and candlelight, visitors are met with a lovely, warm atmosphere. “The interior style is a mixture of Copenhagen and a typical Norwegian grandmother’s living room, and all our decor and wall art is bought from second-hand bou100 | Issue 126 | July 2019

tiques,” she explains. Whether you are having a meal in the intimate restaurant area or enjoying a beer at the bar, the staff is determined to make you feel as relaxed as you would in your own home.

Focus on craft beer På Kornet opened its doors in 2017, and has since become an important and popular part of the city’s nightlife. “We started with the goal of being the city’s best beer place, aiming to present new

beer while also staying true to the traditional styles people already know and love,” says owner Helge André Hafstad.

With 20 faucets and over 100 different types of bottled beers, from both local and foreign breweries, as well as wine and spirits, there is something for everyone’s palate in this homely cellar.

Hafstad has a big passion for and great knowledge of beer and is always on the hunt to discover unknown brands to add to the ever-changing bar list. “We usually have at least one new craft beer on tap each day, so every time you visit there will be something new to try,” he says.

“We travel and keep updated on the most exciting breweries and trends, and our greatest desire is to share all these

Scan Magazine | Restaurant of the Month | Norway

exciting flavours with you. But you will of course always find local beer like Lervig and Salikatt Brewery here too.”

Asian-inspired food made with Norwegian ingredients If you are hungry, the kitchen serves a large variety of big and small dishes that fit great alongside the beer. The food is made with Norwegian ingredients with a focus on locally sourced produce as much as possible, and beer is even used in the cooking process of many of the plates. “We take a lot of inspiration from the Asian kitchen, but using our own Norwegian ingredients. There are also custom beer and wine packages to go with the meals for those who want it,” says Haziraj.

The ‘after work’ concept is a great way to get a taste of the bar menu, with a selection of cured meats and cheeses, Korean chicken wings, curry sliders and grilled cabbage, as well as the dessert of the day. On Friday and Saturday nights, the gastro pub serves up delicious ‘nattmat’, a quick bite Norwegians like to enjoy after a night out or accompanied by beer. “It can be from our menu, or by a guest chef coming in and preparing night food on a specific theme,” says Haziraj. Examples of the night-time dishes you can munch on are steamed

buns, sandwiches, delicious sausages or Korean fried chicken, to name a few.

Happenings The gastro pub hosts different events and happenings throughout the year, with everything from brewers’ dinners, tastings and fun quiz nights, as well as concerts. It is also possible to book the venue for groups and larger parties. If you want to experience a beer tasting full of excellent craft beer from around the world, Hafstad and his staff can organise this, whether for a small or a large group, according to your needs.

For these tastings, the gastro pub can also tempt with different snacks like chips, popcorn or cured meats and cheese platters. The owner also recommends coming along to a tap takeover, or ‘krankupp’ as they call it in

Norwegian. This means an informal, fun evening where a brewery from Norway or beyond takes over and the public gets to taste its brews while learning more about them.

This summer, guests are invited to come and enjoy the sunshine with delicious food and drinks in the cosy outdoor seating area. In addition, Gladmat festivalen, Scandinavia’s biggest food festival, will be taking place in Stavanger from 24 to 27 July. “It’s definitely worth stopping by to visit us too, if you’re in town for the festival,” the owner and manager smile.

Web: www.paakornet.no Facebook: paakornet Instagram: @paa_kornet

Manager Rebecca Haziraj and kitchen manager Petter H. Korneliussen.

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Scan Magazine | Restaurant of the Month | Finland

The Cock.

Holiday Bar.

Yes Yes Yes.

The Cock.

Holiday Bar.

Yes Yes Yes.

Restaurant of the Month, Finland

Vibrant trio on Helsinki’s culinary scene Helsinki is currently blessed with three bustling restaurants in particular, created by the same talented team with great atmosphere and cuisine at the heart of each one. When in town next, make sure to check out The Cock, Holiday Bar and Yes Yes Yes.

By Malin Norman | Photos: Hawaii Restaurants

Restaurateurs Richard McCormick and Ville Relander do things their own way, which has led to no less than three successful restaurants in Helsinki. “We love food but want to create an overall experience for our guests,” explains McCormick. “Our restaurants are built on a philosophy combining great design, music and, of course, food and drinks – places we want to visit ourselves.”

Their first restaurant, The Cock, opened at Kasarmitori Square five years ago.

With an inviting atmosphere, the reliable neighbourhood venue offers a modern take on classic brasserie-style cuisine. The signature dish is oysters, and other hits include steak tartare, steak frites and linguine vongole. “A highlight is the local crayfish season, starting on 102 | Issue 126 | July 2019

21 July,” recommends Relander. “It’s a big celebration here in Finland. Here, you can enjoy some crayfish, with local snaps of course, and then have a nice steak.” With several top hotels in the area, The Cock is popular among international customers as well as the local crowd.

Next for the talented team came Holiday Bar, which is a combined bar, terrace and kitchen on the exotic island of Katajanokka. Like a holiday destination in its own right, the bar has plenty of happenings and, of course, DJs entertaining the lively clientele. The menu offers what you might enjoy eating on a beach: fresh veggies, fish and seafood.

With the great location just below the cathedral and opposite the presidential

palace, regular holiday-goers include Helsinki’s many creatives.

The newest baby for the restaurateurs is Yes Yes Yes, a bustling bar and restaurant in a former McDonald’s space where the food just so happens to be vegetarian.

The colourful and vibrant venue is one of the hottest places in Helsinki, with cool design, tasty food and fresh cocktails – yet it’s approachable. “In contrast to old-school vegetarian cooking, we keep the menu fresher, sexier, and with more flavour,” smiles McCormick. “We cater for everyone; actually, the majority of our guests are not even vegetarians.”

The Cock Web: www.thecock.fi Instagram: @thecockhelsinki Holiday Bar Web: www.holiday-bar.fi Instagram: @holidaybarhelsinki Yes Yes Yes Web: www.yesyesyes.fi Instagram: @yesyesyeshelsinki

Scan Magazine | Restaurant of the Month | Sweden

Restaurant of the Month, Sweden

Local hero Good food, good beer and good company – it’s a simple but winning formula, which has taken the Oliver Twist bar from craft beer pioneer to iconic destination for Stockholm’s beer lovers. With its high-quality classic dishes, friendly ambiance and world-class beer, there’s no better place to sample a local pub, Swedish style.

By Liz Longden | Photos: Oliver Twist

Known as OT to those in the know, the Oliver Twist pub has become no less than an icon on the Swedish beer scene since it first opened in 1993 and helped to kickstart the craft beer revolution. “We have always got behind the smaller producers, which is one of the reasons why we have such a varied selection of beers, with something for everyone,” explains co-owner and founder Jorgen Hasselqvist.

Inspiration for the neighbourhood bar came from travels abroad – from both pubs in the UK and bars in other European cities. “A pub should be a meeting place, a real mix of different people and generations. That’s what we

love, and that’s what we’ve managed to create,” Hasselqvist says, adding that the pub’s diverse selection of beers and other drinks means that they are able to cater to an eclectic clientele.

He isn’t joking. The bar serves over 200 different bottles and has 23 different beers on tap at any one time, including three cask ales. Even more impressively, it is one of the few establishments in Sweden to be awarded the Cask Marque – an independent UK-based accreditation that guarantees beer quality.

“You only get Cask Marque if you serve top-quality ale,” Hasselqvist explains.

“We were the first to be awarded it out-

side the UK, and have been awarded it every year since 2001.”

There’s more to Oliver Twist than just beer, however. A top-class restaurant also serves dinner and lunch five days a week. Classics such as fish and chips are available, naturally, as well as a broad selection of other dishes, including vegetarian and vegan alternatives.

And, of course, for every dish on the menu, there is the perfect beer to match.

“We’re always happy to recommend a beer for every dish and enjoy having a bit of a dialogue with our guests,” Hasselqvist says. “People are always curious, and it’s a very exciting time in the beer world now, so we’re really happy to share that with our customers and help them explore what’s out there.”

Web: www.olivertwist.se

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Scan Magazine | Restaurant of the Month | Faroe Islands

Restaurant of the Month, Faroe Islands

Authentic Faroese food with an innovative twist Ræst is a one-of-a-kind restaurant with a menu consisting solely of fermented dishes.

In Ræst, in Tórshavn on the Faroe Islands, you have the chance of tasting authentic and traditional Faroese cuisine with an international twist, making each dish unique.

By Heidi Kokborg | Photos: Beinta á Torkilsheyggi

Located halfway between Scotland and Iceland in the middle of the Gulf Stream in the North Atlantic Ocean, in a 400-year-old house in Tórshavn, you will find Ræst: a restaurant unlike any you have tried before. “We serve traditional Faroese food with an innovative twist.

The menu consists solely of fermented dishes. The Faroe Islands have a long tradition of fermenting meat and fish, and we wanted tourists to taste authentic Faroese food when they visit,” says Allan Leivsgarð Henriksen, chef at Ræst.

Ræst is the Faroese word for fermented.

The fermenting process is different from the wet fermenting process for yoghurt.

The air on the Faroe Islands is salty and 104 | Issue 126 | July 2019

brisk, creating perfect conditions for air-drying meat and fish by simply hanging the meat either outside or in a ‘hjallur’, which is a kind of food-drying shed with holes for the salty air to get in.

Faroese cuisine in a new way The menu changes depending on what is in season, as organic and local produce are among the top priorities at Ræst. “We try to use local and organic food as much as possible, and what we cannot get from our neighbourhood, we get from the other islands or from Denmark,” says Leivsgarð Henriksen.

On the menu, you will find dishes such as pilot whale and dried fish, ferment-

ed lamb, cod’s cheek, fermented fish, and a dessert with fermented rhubarb, hazelnut crackers and milk, which is a traditional Faroese dessert – again, with a twist. After the dessert, traditional and delicious Faroese waffles are always served.

“Fermented lamb and fish are the classics, but we also ferment vegetables. We cook traditional foods paired with modern foods, so it’s not exactly like at home. We dress the foods differently, so to speak, drawing inspiration from all over the world – but our roots are Faroese,” smiles Leivsgarð Henriksen. “It is hard to explain the taste of Faroese food if you have never tried it. It is something you just have to experience for yourself.”

Web: www.raest.fo/raest Facebook: Ræst Instagram: @raestrestaurant

Scan Magazine | Hotel of the Month | Norway

Each cabin is decorated with custom artwork

by Norwegian painter Tor-Arne Moen.

Hotel of the Month, Norway

A feeling of floating above the water Located in the idyllic Fiskå, surrounded by majestic mountains, Tunheims Fjørå offers modern fjord cabins in a peaceful setting. A visit here will help you relax, while reconnecting you with nature as well as yourself.

By Ingrid Opstad | Photos: Tunheims Fjørå

Tunheims Fjørå is a fjord cabin rental service situated in Fiskå, a small village in the Vanylven municipality on the west coast of Norway. These brand-new cabins are cantilevered, overlooking the beautiful Vanylvs fjord, and their distinctive architecture truly gives you a feeling of floating above the water. “We want to offer our guests an experience out of the ordinary.

Our goal is that a stay with us will bring our guests closer to nature and to themselves, in a place free from mass tourism and the hectic everyday life,” says owner Webjørn Eikrem. He saw the potential for a unique accommodation project and decided to start this new adventure alongside Nils Olav Moen and marketing manager Anita Bjørningstad.

The three exclusive cabins were designed

by Stein Halvorsen Arkitekter, each with

three bedrooms, a fully equipped kitchen, a sauna and a private terrace with a Jacuzzi. Guests also have direct access to boats located underneath, which they can use freely. “The cabins all have different themes relating to my life and travel discoveries, but also to the area’s history,” says Eikrem. The Fisherman, based on the owner’s previous job as a fisherman, is a stylish cabin with an interior inspired by the ocean. In contrast, Casa Argentina is a sea cabin influenced by the wonderful styles of Argentina, a country Eikrem has travelled to regularly. Lastly, the newest addition, Kong Ring, was created as a tribute to a Viking king who lived here.

Fiskå offers a great variety of activities, and Tunheims Fjørå can help plan and organise this for you. “We can arrange everything from RIB safaris to see the

whales and experience the wildlife of the fjords, to kayaking, fishing and hiking with spectacular views of the area. There is something for everyone to enjoy here, and it is still quite an undiscovered part of Norway,” says Eikrem.

The Tunheims Fjørå fjord cabins make the perfect getaway, whether it’s for a romantic weekend stay, a family holiday or a business trip – a luxurious home away from home.

An RIB safari is a great way to explore the area.

Web: www.tunheimsfjora.com Facebook: tunheimsfjora Instagram: @tunheimsfjora

Issue 126 | July 2019 | 105

Scan Magazine | Hotel of the Month | Denmark

Hotel of the Month, Denmark

The South Funen Archipelago — picturesque surroundings with something for everyone Hotel Christiansminde is the perfect base when you want to explore the fantastic South Funen Archipelago. The area is ideal for a wide range of activities on land or on water.

By Nicolai Lisberg | Photos: Hotel Christiansminde

If you are looking for spectacular nature and picturesque surroundings, the South Funen Archipelago might be the answer.

Situated right on the beach with a view over the archipelago, the four-star Hotel Christiansminde is in many ways an ideal location for your next holiday.

Every year, the many islands, the special geology and the flooded Ice Age landscapes attract countless tourists. It is, in fact, so spectacular, that there is a pending request for making it a UNESCO Global Geopark.

“You don’t necessarily have to travel far to get unique experiences on your holiday. The South Funen Archipelago of106 | Issue 126 | July 2019

fers opportunities for everyone looking for an active holiday, and we are here to help you with all your needs,” says Carsten Nielsen, sales manager at Hotel Christiansminde.

One of the many ways to discover the 55 small islands of the South Funen Archipelago is by bike.

Hotel Christiansminde was last year awarded a prize for offering the best accommodation on Funen for cyclists. The hotel rents out traditional and electrical bikes as well as mountain bikes for their guests.

“We have a mountain bike track just 500 metres away from the hotel, and just outside the door you’ll find Denmark’s longest hiking trail, Øhavsstien (‘the

Archipelago Trail’), which is 220 kilometres long,” says Nielsen. “We also rent out kayaks if you prefer to discover the archipelago on water. If you just want to go to the pier to do a bit of fishing, we also have fishing rods available.”

With Hotel Christiansminde as your base, you have everything nearby. The city of Svendborg, with its old historic centre and port, is only a 20-minute walk away.

A bit further away, but still close by car, you will find Odense, the hometown of the famous author Hans Christian Andersen.

“Given the location, our hotel is the entrance to the South Funen Archipelago, and hopefully the door to your next adventure as well,” says Nielsen.

Web: www.christiansminde.dk Facebook: HotelChristiansminde Instagram: @hotelchristiansminde

Scan Magazine | Attraction of the Month | Norway

Beautiful Skaret Lodge makes you feel at home in Norway’s northernmost archipelago. Photo: Skaret Lodge

Experience the northern lights from comfortable camps, with Elements Arctic Camp.

Enjoy spectacular sunsets from the kayak.

Vannøy Sport & Havfiske brings you close to nature. Photo: Vannøy Sport & Havfiske

Attraction of the Month, Norway

Dip into Norwegian island living — the experience of a lifetime At 70 degrees north, you can find Troms Arctic Archipelago, situated a mere hour’s drive from Tromsø – the capital for watching the northern lights and a major cultural hub in Norway. Enjoy the unique flora and fauna of the six islands that make up the archipelago, through sea kayaking, fishing, hiking, or spectacular whale safaris.

By Julie Linden | Photos: Elements Arctic Camp

Troms Archipelago consists of the islands Ringvassøy, Vannøy, Reinøy, Karlsøy and Rebbenesøy, as well as multiple uninhabited islands and several conservation areas. Karlsøy municipality – Norway’s third largest – offers experiences ranging from Karlsøya’s art and music festival, to Ringvassøy’s popular Amazing Aurora experience.

As Norway’s northernmost archipelago with an immense cultural history, the region is a gem of wild diversity.

Northern lights watching is one of the region’s most spectacular offerings, and the wintertime is peak light-watching time. Experience this glorious phenomenon on a guided tour to beautiful sites such as Skogsfjordvannet, Grunnfjord

or Dåfjord, where you’ll be served a hot meal in the grill hut along with some freshly prepared fire-side coffee or tea.

You’ll be in the perfect location waiting for the lights, and you may also try out some ice-fishing on the frozen waters while you wait. Comfortable and stylish accommodation can be found at Skaret Lodge, where you can warm up after your adventures.

Nature aficionados and animal lovers are in the ideal spot for combining their interests, particularly enjoying one of the archipelago’s many tailored package trips. Join Elements Arctic Camp on an intimate kayaking adventure, enjoying the Norwegian Sea with views of idyllic islets and white beaches, and

complete the experience with a stay at the eco camp, with comfortable yurts and local cuisine.

Another wildly popular adventure is Vannøy Sport & Havfiske’s bird safari to the cliff island and nature park NordFugløy (Norwegian for ‘northern island of birds’), one of Europe’s largest colonies for sea eagles. You’ll also see enormous amounts of the characteristic puffin birds, razorbill, common guillemot and black guillemot, and on a lucky day, the seals and Atlantic white sided dolphins show up to play. Those fortunate enough to also see humpback and killer whales at their purest, in their natural habitat off the coast, will be in for an experience of a lifetime. The Troms archipelago has something for everyone – come discover it for yourself!

Web: karlsoy.kommune.no Facebook: Karlsøy kommune

Issue 126 | July 2019 | 107

Summer house in Veiðilækur. Photo: Clara Vanucci

Architect of the Month, Iceland

Small firm, big architectural magic He has been recognised for his work on the latest extension to one of Iceland’s most important buildings, Keflavik Airport, but is also a household name among hotel owners and private architecture enthusiasts in Iceland. Scan Magazine spoke to Steinar Sigurðsson, founder of Teikn Architects, about the impact of the Eyjafjallajökull incident, Icelandic light and finding a profession to fall in love with.

By Linnea Dunne | Photos: Teikn Architects

Most Europeans will recall the drama in the spring of 2010, when the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull erupted, bringing air traffic across Europe to a standstill.

Steinar Sigurðsson, founder of Teikn Architects, certainly remembers – and not only because the event left his home country completely isolated, but also because it led to the project that would see his firm nominated for the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture years later.

“After all that attention, everyone wanted to experience this strange country that 108 | Issue 126 | July 2019

the airport needed to be extended quickly – and with requirements for great flexibility. The result was a 4,700-squaremetre bus gate terminal with a steel frame, prefabricated concrete floor slabs and a glass facade, taking passengers to and from the aircrafts via remote stands.

had ruined so many people’s plans,” the architect laughs. Indeed, the number of passengers travelling through Keflavik Airport increased by close to 40 per cent per year. Last year, almost ten million passengers moved through the terminal – in a country with a population of just 330,000.

Opened in 1987, Keflavik Airport had been extended a number of times already, including in 1999, when Teikn Architects helped adapt the airport to the needs of a Schengen country. But the Eyjafjallajökull incident meant that

Steinar Sigurðsson.

Scan Magazine | Architect of the Month | Iceland

The design is inspired by Icelandic nature – with black terrazzo floors, smoked oak and glass walls in Icelandic autumn colours – but also very much adapted to it: “On a clear winter’s day here, the sun is so low that it’s just on the horizon, so we had to be very conscious of natural light and shade,” Sigurðsson explains.

“We found a woven metal mesh which, laminated between the glass panes of the exterior, acts as sunscreen and contributes positively to the indoor climate. It improves thermal performance, reduces glare, and adds a unique depth – plus, it saves money in terms of heating, ventilation and air conditioning.”

didn’t want a white, attention-seeking castle, so we opted for teak windows and doors and copper cladding. We wanted it to blend in with nature,” says Sigurðsson. With a cross-shaped plan and a terrace that runs through the entire 840-square-metre building, the 360degree views are exceptional – but the majority of the building’s functional spaces, including a big garage, a wine cellar and a restaurant-style kitchen, are set below the ground. “The building is set almost on a hill, facing west, so we’ve made the most of the evening sun. It’s stunning,” Sigurðsson enthuses.

Blending in with nature

That Sigurðsson became an architect was almost coincidental. “I wanted to live somewhere outside of Iceland, so I chose a profession accordingly,” he says, explaining that he moved to Glasgow to study at the School of Architecture, after which he went to Copenhagen and completed his degree. He then got a scholarship to study in Seattle, and after almost ten years away, he returned home to work. “There wasn’t very much going on here then, but I got a job with a fantastic company, where I got to work on the City Hall in Reykjavík,” he says. In 2003, while working at another firm, he knew that he would eventually want to be his own boss – and so Teikn Architects was born.

Nominated for the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe 2017, the Keflavik Airport project was certainly prestigious. But Teikn Architects works across a wide range of projects, including many of Reykjavík’s hotels and a portfolio of breathtaking private homes.

One such project is a country house in Veiðilækur – like the Keflavik Airport project, developed in close collaboration with Copenhagen firm Andersen & Sigurdsson – at a prominent site overlooking the most beautiful lava field and with mountains on three sides. “We

A small firm in a small country

“I like to keep the firm small,” he continues. “It’s a small country, and people know each other. When we’re really busy, there might be nine or ten of us, but at the moment, we’re just four full-timers working on a hotel in Reykjavík with a client I’ve known for years. We’re also working with a fantastic London interior design firm, I Am – a brilliant opportunity to see how people work in other countries, how we can learn from each other.”

There’s certainly plenty of niche expertise in Iceland, an earthquake area with strict building regulations. But there are shared qualities across the Scandinavian region too, including a penchant for light materials and an awareness of natural light – and across the globe, sustainability is quickly becoming a number-one priority. “My clients are as diverse as they are many,” says Sigurðsson. “What I try to do is keep a good relationship with them, produce a product that fulfills their wishes but that I’m also happy with. Usually, I must say, I succeed. I chose a profession I thought I’d be able to enjoy for the rest of my life – and I do.”

Web: www.teiknark.is Facebook: Teikn Architects Instagram: @teiknarchitects

Keflavik Airport. Photo: Christopher Lund

Issue 126 | July 2019 | 109

The renovation and expansion of Løgtingið, the Faroese Parliament, and the expansion of the national football stadium are among MAP Arkitektars’ recent projects.

Architect of the Month, Faroe Islands

‘We’re but a mere footnote’ Inspired by the powerful nature and distinct culture of the Faroe Islands, MAP Arkitektar is behind a number of noteworthy projects in its home country. While working to mitigate the unique challenges of the small, remote island nation, the firm keeps the people and communities at the heart of what it does.

By Signe Hansen | Photos: MAP Arkitektar

Founded in 2002, MAP Arkitektar is today headed up by two of its founding partners, Rúni Abrahamsen and Heidi Hjalgimsdóttir Poulsen. Educated in Denmark and with experience from design studios abroad, the two 110 | Issue 126 | July 2019

architects shared a desire to create a Faroese architectural design company with the capacity to take on projects of major scale and complexity. But despite the founders’ experience from abroad, it is the Faroese nature, weather and

culture that serve as the never-ending source of inspiration for designs, says Poulsen. “The powerful forces of nature around us are a constant reminder that we are but a mere footnote in a much grander design, which demands a humble approach to the footprint we as humans attempt to leave behind.”

Nonetheless, as it has succeeded in the founding ambition of taking on projects of all scales, the firm has undeniably left a footprint worth noting. Among recent projects are the renovation and expansion

Scan Magazine | Architect of the Month | Faroe Islands

of Løgtingið, the Faroese Parliament, as well as the expansion and modernisation of the national football stadium.

Special challenges Working in the small and remote island nation not only provides exceptional inspiration but also a number of practical and logistical challenges. To ensure that none of these become hindrances in the realisation of a design, the basis for all MAP Arkitektar projects not only includes a complete analysis of the purpose of the building, but also of the topography of the site, and the sun and wind conditions. “We also conduct background research to reveal any relevant material or immaterial issues that might impact the project. One persistent challenge is to adapt the construction to existing Faroese building expertise. We have to match our construction methods to local competence and knowledge,” explains Poulsen. “Generally speaking, Faroese craftsmen are generalists, not specialists. Moreover, all the building materials must be shipped in from afar. Therefore, a more conventional solution, such as the on-site pouring of concrete, is often

cheaper and more expedient than bringing in pre-fabricated building elements.”

slates to create a light and pleasant environment in the audience tribunes.”

Materiality and people

Indeed, one of the major concerns for MAP Arkitektar, when it comes to the use of materials, is the people who will be living their daily life in and around the buildings. “It is extremely important to us that people thrive, both physically and socially, in the encircling framework we create,” says Poulsen, and rounds off: “Consequently, we want to choose the best possible quality building and finishing materials for our projects.”

The focus on using local materials for both practical and aesthetic reasons is also evident in two of the firm’s recent renovation and expansion projects: the Faroese Parliament and the Tórsvøllur national football stadium. In both projects, the choice of materials and the use of daylight have been major factors in determining the design.

In the case of the parliament, a building dating back to 1856, two renovations, a repurposing and a new extension are connected through the use of light and local materials. “The elements defining the project are the use of Faroese basalt as the main building material and the integration of the natural daylight as part of the experience of the space,” explains Poulsen. “At the football stadium, we have used light wood as far as possible – both to create an intimate atmosphere, and to mark our Nordic connection. On the roof and facades of the tribunes, we have used polycarbonate

Facts: MAP Arkitektar was founded in 2002.

Today, the firm is headed up by Rúni Abrahamsen and Heidi Hjalgimsdóttir Poulsen.

The firm works with restorations, repurposing, expansions and newbuilds, including offices, schools, sports institutions and residential projects.

Web: www.map.fo

Issue 126 | July 2019 | 111

Scan Magazine | Museum of the Month | Finland

The beautiful Hvitträsk gardens were restored in the 1990s to the original style.

Hvitträsk and its gardens is a unique destination for fans of exceptional design and architecture.

Guests also get access to the architects’ studio.

Museum of the Month, Finland

A jewel of Finnish national romantic architecture Hvitträsk, completed in 1903, is a unique architectural piece of art situated in southern Finland, not far from Helsinki. Today, it functions as a museum open every summer, attracting design and architecture enthusiasts from all over the world.

By Mari Koskinen | Photos: Hvitträsk

“The story of Hvitträsk began when three famous Finnish architects – Eliel Saarinen, Herman Gesellius and Armas Lindgren – fell in love with the beautiful scenery at Lake Vitträsk and joined forces to build their own studio home in the national romantic style,” explains Pepita Ehrnrooth-Jokinen, service coordinator at the National Museum of Finland. “Every little detail of the houses, including the furniture, was specifically designed for Hvitträsk.” Despite some changes in the ownership, the original design, decor and furniture can be still found in the buildings.

Hvitträsk is situated just outside the metropolitan area, around 20 kilometres from central Helsinki. It can be reached by car, or you can take a train to Kauklahti station and a taxi for the approximately five-kilometre journey from the station 112 | Issue 126 | July 2019

to Hvitträsk. The museum is open to the public during the summer, when visitors have many different rooms to explore.

Daily guided tours in three languages are also included in the ticket price, and Hvitträsk’s compact history leaflet has been translated into 44 languages. Groups can book their own guided tours, and during the winter, Hvitträsk opens its doors for bigger groups upon request.

In 1922, the northern wing burned down in a fire. “The new part was designed

by Eliel Saarinen’s son, Eero Saarinen, and today functions as a private function room for small seminars and other events,” Ehrnrooth-Jokinen continues. “I also recommend a visit to our museum shop, where you can find unique souvenirs and great gift ideas.” There is also a cosy café open in accordance with the museum’s general opening times.

The Hvitträsk garden and woods are also popular among locals, who like to explore the carefully maintained, beautiful gardens and woodland, including a beautiful sandy beach. There are also interesting events at Hvitträsk, like the Chamber Music Festival in August, and guided tours on themes such as the garden, the furniture or the textiles.

Opening hours: 2 May to 29 September 2019 Wed-Sun: 11-17 Guided tours daily: Finnish at 12pm Swedish at 2pm English at 3pm Open for large groups upon request, also in the winter: hvittrask@kansallismuseo.fi

Web: www.kansallismuseo.fi/en/hvittraesk Facebook: hvittrask Instagram: @hvittrask

Scan Magazine | Artist of the Month | Finland

Forest in My Soul.

Labour Room.

Jungfru.

Artist of the Month, Finland

A source of energy Since the age of 14, Finnish artist Henna Halmé’s other home has been on the Swedish island of Gotland. Drawing inspiration from both the region’s nature and contemporary topics, Halmé transports her vitality with oil on canvas.

By Hanna Heiskanen | Photos: Maria Jokela

Halme first travelled to Sweden as a teenager with the aim of improving her language skills. Landing on the island of Ingmar Bergman fame, Fårö, she was mentored by local artist Iris Cedergren, who was struck by Halmé’s unusual approach to painting. Yet, despite being hailed as a rising star by Aftonbladet’s art critic, her route to becoming a professional painter wasn’t a straightforward one.

“I trained as an architect and interior designer,” Halmé, who just happens to share her birthday with Vincent van Gogh, explains. “When I couldn’t find art to match the interiors, I decided I had to create it myself!” Her signature motif is the rauk, a limestone formation common on the island of Gotland, which she paints in oil in her own inimitable way. “I

want to make them come alive by building layer upon layer of black and white paint on huge canvases,” she reveals.

“There is nothing quaint about my work.”

Intuitive art The same natural energy that shaped the rauk also flows through Halmé’s art.

“My practice is quite intuitive, and I tend to get the composition right immediately,” she says. She enjoys creating multiple images on the same canvas that are only partly visible through the layers of paint. Each work of art continues to surprise the viewer. “Sometimes people see shapes in the dripping paint that even I hadn’t noticed.”

More recently, Halmé has explored colour through the series of paintings titled Labour Room. The series investigates a

future where women prefer using surrogates over giving birth to avoid the marks of pregnancy on their bodies. To catch these pieces in person, you can visit her atelier in Turku, where the four-metrehigh ceilings do them great justice. Whatever the topic, her works remain fusions of the abstract and the concrete.

“My goal is to inject so much energy into my paintings that it begins to flow into the viewer. I really do feel like I’m entering a trance-like state when I create them. But even if I’m not painting something pretty, I try to approach it with a certain softness,” she concludes.

See Henna Halmé’s art at Ateljé Black Sugar in Uudenmaankatu 1, Turku, from 23 July to 15 August.

Purchase her paintings at her Turku atelier and at www.taiko.fi.

Web: donablack.123kotisivu.fi Instagram: @henna.halme_art

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Camilla Nysted.

Artist of the Month, Norway

Spaces between beauty and pain — paintings by Elisabeth Werp Renowned Norwegian artist Elisabeth Bjørnsen Werp has developed a unique style where technique and symbolism glide into each other, creating dream-like and figurative paintings. This summer, she is proud to be exhibiting her work alongside Odd Nerdrum, one of Norway’s foremost painters, at Galleri Jennestad in Vesterålen. “He challenges and inspires my mindset and my willingness to paint better and stronger,” Werp explains.

life. “I understood very early in life that people cannot be trusted. That love is fleeting. That we are on borrowed time – that everything we long for is only on loan, and that the one thing no one can take away from us is the reality and the world we create in our inner self.”

By Ingrid Opstad | Photos: Camilla Nysted

Growing up, Elisabeth Bjørnsen Werp never thought about becoming a painter.

Living on a farm with heavy, solid work, she learnt early on that art was something for dreamers and dilettantes. “Still, I was sitting in my room drawing or painting whenever there was no homework and no assignments delegated by my father.

Later on, my passion developed into making images with straw, sand, foliage and leftovers of fabric I found, and eventually I ended up with a large twig cabin in the forest, where I made a huge map,” Werp 114 | Issue 126 | July 2019

recalls. The map would contain various mental spaces, so she gathered symbols, sketches, words, poems, postcards and rarities, which all got their own place on the map. “Creating things became my way of coping with the feeling of not belonging, of being a stranger. Creating chaos and emptiness in form and meaning became a craze, and it still is today.”

She believes that the process of painting pictures, creating rooms, building a garden, setting up an altar, making sketches, writing words, understanding a new line of thought, and eventually building your own universe where you experience belonging and permanence, has become absolutely necessary in the world we live in, in order not to sink into self-centering, pondering, narcissism, melancholy and sadness.

‘Painting is my whole life’

To touch something in the observer

To go deeper into her existence and work, Werp explains that painting is her whole

With her art, Werp wants to get closer to the feelings her mind carries, which con-

Scan Magazine | Artist of the Month | Norway

stantly nourishes new impressions along the way. The act of visualising this, and infrequently even seeing a reflection of these pictures from her mind, gives the artist a tremendous sense of joy. “I strive for this feeling every single hour I’m in my studio. And if my paintings also manage to touch something within the observer, whether it resonates with or sparks recognition in someone else, it is of course double joy for me. At the same time, it is important for me to stretch myself further and further; to understand more, develop my craftsmanship, get deeper, loosen up and tighten at the same time,” she says.

A mind recording everything In terms of inspiration, the artist explains that everything around her is pictures and compositions, and that the objects she observes are transformed at the speed of light into a metaphor or symbol she can then use in her art.

“My head acts as a constantly operating camera. I record everything I see, much

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Scan Magazine | Artist of the Month | Norway

more than I really can handle or my nerves can tolerate. The eyes detect and my antennae are in full readiness absolutely all the time,” Werp says, adding: “A forgotten bike, the light I see in someone’s eyes, a wilted flower, a wheel, a trapped fly, a peeled brick wall, an old postcard, a clock that has stopped... almost everything I come across can become a new puzzle piece in one of my projects.”

Abandoned rooms “Lately, I’ve become obsessed with painting abandoned rooms – and I see no end to it. I now have a whole book full of sketches with abandoned rooms. The people have gone, left things behind. Something is broken, weathered, decayed, dusted or cracked. Nature has perhaps intervened.

Or a stranger has suddenly strayed into the room and set aside fresh flowers.

The light from outside always finds a crack in the wall or a route through which it can penetrate and reveal new hopes, new dreams, new opportunities, new life,” she explains.

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Scan Magazine | Artist of the Month | Norway

These rooms become metaphors in Werp’s artwork and point to the fact that everything will one day be torn away from us. “Everything we are and everything we do is going to be built up, broken down, rebuilt, in an eternal cycle. The beauty of it, I must try to catch.”

In true Renaissance style, Werp makes her own paint, an oil tempera-based on colour pigments. She achieves this by mixing eggs, boiled linseed oil and water.

“This is one of many recipes used by the Renaissance painters in the 15th century.

In addition, I experiment with sand, lead, carborundum, chrome, charcoal, and more. I work with layers upon layers, and my method includes drawing, manipulating old screen-printing techniques, painting, building up, breaking down, etching, burning, drawing and painting again…”

Nerdrum – Werp This summer, Werp is proud to be exhibiting her work alongside Odd Nerdrum, one of Norway’s foremost painters, at Galleri Jennestad in Vesterålen. “It is, of course, a big challenge to be exhibiting with a painter that I admire so much. I can only do my utmost, be humble, and endure standing in the shadow of Nerdrum,” she smiles.

“These are the three requirements I have always asked of myself. To endure being small gives tremendous inner strength.”

Werp invited Nerdrum to the exhibition because she wanted to honour his enormous artistry, his gigantic project, and his great capacity as both a painter and a thinker. “At the same time, I find it exciting to observe the ‘fire bombs’ he throws into established and adopted truths in our society. He challenges and inspires my mindset and my willingness to paint better and stronger.”

The exhibition, Nerdrum – Werp, at Galleri Jennestad, is open from 22 June to 10 August, 2019.

Web: www.elisabethwerp.com Instagram: @elisabethwerp

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Scan Magazine | Humour | Columns

IS IT JUST ME…

By Mette Lisby

… who felt that bump we just hit passing summer solstice?

If you were anywhere near Scandinavia, I’m sure you felt it too, because summer solstice is a big deal in the Nordic countries. In Denmark, it’s called Sankt Hans and reflects the old, pagan tradition of summer solstice, conveniently paired with Christianity. Thus, it is actually named after John the Baptist, who was born on this day.

At first, you might do a double take, wondering how John became Hans, thinking, ‘Wow, they did not hold back on their drinking back then, either’. But since John the Baptist’s Danish name is Johannes, it makes a surprising amount of sense for a holiday. I mean, usually we struggle to connect eggs and bunnies with the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, so in comparison, the John-Hans issue seems remarkably straightforward.

Sankt Hans is celebrated in the evening, and it stands out by being one of the few holidays that Danes don’t mark by taking a day off. And, like Christmas, we celebrate

it the night before the actual Birthday of John the Baptist.

John the Baptist did not leave much of a trail on this traditional celebration, though. It’s a festive evening with bonfires that in the 16th century added a rollicking touch of burning witches – yes, actual women – on the bonfire. Ah, the glee of the Middle Ages. The burning women aside, the evening has a bittersweet side to it, too, seeing as the days now only get shorter.

So we all start to adjust to the carefree life, humming along to ‘summertime / and the living is easy’, the epitome of that laidback summer feeling – the feeling that, eventually, everything will work itself out.

But that feeling never lingers for very long in Scandinavians. It seems to be genetically determined that as soon as we start to enjoy something, it all goes downhill, and melancholy sets in – hence all the Bergman movies.

Much like life, just when you get the

Swedish café Turns out I’m not the only Scandi in the village. So far, I have made friends with a Finn and a Dane and now a Swedish café has opened up down the road! It’s been a few months in the making, with local residents eagerly debating the need for meatballs and whether it will be ‘just like IKEA’. The grand opening took place a few weeks ago and my husband suggested that we pop down so that I could introduce myself as a supporting fellow Swede.

This should of course be the obvious and normal thing to do – just to go along, be friendly, say hello. The only problem was that for some inexplicable reason, I had gone curiously bashful. Despite this, down we went for a salmon sandwich. ‘There she is!’, husband shouted excitedly on spotting the owner in the kitchen. At the prospect of having to say hello, I grabbed my sandwich and ‘chokladboll’ (a Swedish no-bake cacao treat) and scurried off as 118 | Issue 126 | July 2019

hang of it, times shift and you’re on the other side of your peak. Oh… See, like a true Scandinavian, I started out writing about the festive take on summer solstice, and ended up in a somber mood. Happy Summer Solstice!

Mette Lisby is Denmark’s leading female comedian. She invites you to laugh along with her monthly humour columns. Since her stand-up debut in 1992, Mette has hosted the Danish version of Have I Got News For You and Room 101.

By Maria Smedstad

child thinks you’re a loser? What if the only other Swede in the village has no interest in being my friend? No – much better to stay safe underneath a veil of anonymous Britishness, until I’m able to grow up.

I’ll have to go back at some point, of course. That’s another problem with being a Swede: once you’ve found a source of good ‘chokladbollar’, there is no keeping you away.

fast as I could to a table in the far corner.

When husband caught up with me, I had no excuse for my behaviour. The closest I could get to an explanation was that I was overcome with that feeling you get as a child, when your mum or dad pushes you towards the only other child at a party and tells you to make friends. What if the other

Maria Smedstad moved to the UK from Sweden in 1994. She received a degree in Illustration in 2001, before settling in the capital as a freelance cartoonist, creating the autobiographical cartoon Em. Maria writes a column on the trials and tribulations of life as a Swede in the UK.

Scan Magazine | Culture | Music

Scandinavian music It’s looking quite plausible that the song of the summer of 2019 might well be a tune that was recorded back in the late ‘80s. 30 years ago, Whitney Houston covered Steve Winwood’s huge hit Higher Love, but due to a change in direction, it was decided that it would never be released outside of the Japanese edition of her I’m Your Baby Tonight album. Until now, that is!

Norwegian super-producer Kygo was given the track to work his magic on, and now it finally sees the light of day. Or rather, the extended light of these summer days: the tropical house production looks set to be the perfect soundtrack to this season.

Also coming out of Norway right now is a song that wonderfully encapsulates both sides of Scandinavian synthpop: the beauty and the bang. Strangers by Hanne Mjøen begins as an ethereal stunner with an icecool edge, before launching into a pounding electropop belter: and then back again.

It’s been impressing listeners enough to

have spent the first week of July as BBC Radio 1’s ‘Best New Pop’.

Anyone in search of the next Zara Larsson (not that anyone should be in any way tired of the current one) should look no further than her fellow Swede Malou Prytz. The 16-year-old has just come out with her debut EP, Enter, and on it you can find six tracks of pop perfection in its finest form. Instant highlights are the summer-tinged, Latin-esque Left & Right, and the radio-ready Where Do We Go. Finally, another newcomer from Sweden to listen out for: Marcus Holmberg has previously written for the likes of Lisa Ajax, SVEA and Becky G, but now launches a pop career of his own, as SYLVE. Debut single Låtsas Som Inget Hänt manages to exude a sadness so strong that you don’t even need to understand Swedish to feel it.

It’s my favourite debut single of the year so far.

By Karl Batterbee

Web: www.scandipop.co.uk

Alan Walker. Press photo

Scandinavian Culture Calendar – Where to go, what to see? It’s all happening here!

Akøde at Café Oto (14 July) Akøde is an experimental jazz group comprising British saxophonist Alan Wilkinson together with three Norwegians: guitarist Kim Johannesen, bassist Ola Høyer and drummer Dag Erik Knedal Andersen. After releasing their second album in 2015, the quartet took a break to pursue individual projects. This UK performance will see their return to the bristling and creative improvisations they are known for.

7.30pm. Café Oto, The Print House, 1822 Ashwin Street, London E8 3DL, UK. www.cafeoto.co.uk 120 | Issue 126 | July 2019

Weekend Festival Finland (19-20 July) Weekend Festival is one of Europe’s most popular EDM, house and techno festivals, taking place every year in Helsinki, Finland. This year, it is held at Suvilahti, a former energy production area in the Sörnäinen neighbourhood, with headliners including international stars such as Armin van Buuren, Bastille and Lil Uzi Vert, as well as Scandinavian names like Swedish House Mafia, Alan Walker and Anna Puu. Suvilahti, Helsinki, Finland. www.wknd.fi

By Sanne Wass

The Hunt as a play (until 3 August) A world premiere, this new drama is based on the critically acclaimed Danish film thriller Jagten (The Hunt) by Thomas Vinterberg and Tobias Lindholm.

The adaptation is written by playwright David Farr and directed by Rupert Goold.

Almeida Theatre, Almeida Street, London N1 1TA, UK. www.almeida.co.uk

Øyafestivalen (6-10 August) Øyafestivalen is Oslo’s alternative and indie haven, taking place every year in Issue 126 | July 2019 | 120

Scan Magazine | Culture | Calendar

the Tøyen Park. One of Norway’s biggest festivals, the event showcases a line-up of international stars alongside some of the country’s best up-and-coming acts, including Sigrid, Karpe and Razika. Passionate about keeping its carbon footprint down and encouraging sustainability, Øyafestivalen also offers an immense selection of organic food and drink, sustainably sourced electricity, and recycling. Tøyenparken, Oslo, Norway. www.oyafestivalen.no

Exhibition: New work by Merete Rasmussen (until 17 August) Pangolin London, a small gallery in London dedicated to exhibiting sculpture, presents new work by Merete Rasmussen. The Danish ceramic artist is known for her signature abstract forms, brought to life with colour. Her first solo show in four years, the exhibition brings together an exciting body of Rasmussen’s recent work, created since moving out of London and building her own studio in the countryside of East Sussex. Pangolin London, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9AG, UK. www.pangolinlondon.com

Copenhagen Cooking & Food Festival (23 August-1 September) The biggest food event in Scandinavia, Copenhagen Cooking & Food Festival is a ten-day celebration of Denmark’s position as a global gastronomic hotspot.

Every year, the festival attracts over 90,000 people to more than 100 cooking

Merete Rasmussen, Dual Form, 2019, Ceramic with coloured slip, Unique. Press photo

Anna Puu. Press photo

Copenhagen Food Festival. Press photo

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Copenhagen Food Festival. Press photo

Razika. Photo: Linn Heidi Stokkedal

Karpe. Photo: akam1k3

and social events, food labs, workshops and debates across the Danish capital.

Copenhagen, Denmark. www.copenhagencooking.com

Helene Schjerfbeck (20 July-27 October) The Royal Academy of Arts is putting on what will be the UK’s first major exhibition of works by Helene Schjerfbeck (1862–1946), a Finnish national icon.

Through more than 60 portraits, landscapes and stills, the display will trace the evolution of her remarkable career, from her early naturalistic style to her raw and radically abstracted works.

Royal Academy of Arts, 6 Burlington Gardens, London, W1S 3ET, UK. www.royalacademy.org.uk 122 | Issue 126 | July 2019

Copenhagen Food Festival. Press photo

Merete Rasmussen, Balanced Form, 2019, Ceramic with coloured slip, Unique. Press photo