The Museum of Trade and Tourism, near the Basilica, has lately dedicated itself to presenting the achievements of contemporary Danish design. The works of young industrial designers were featured here during Design Week and now the biggest designers and distributors of Danish furniture and have brought to Budapest their characteristic collections and product ranges, creating interiors that inventively utilise clear forms and the minimalist use of materials.
BoConcept, one of Denmark's biggest furniture chains, shows a number of its collections at the museum, all intended to be customised for complex living spaces. The emphasis is placed on a single piece of furniture, with auxiliary objects placed around it. Various shades of colours and motifs re-appear throughout the collections, but what creates a feeling of unity is the elegant harmony of opposites. The living space and its atmosphere can be flexibly modified and pushed into different directions: a sitting corner in the living room can be cool and elegant or warm and intimate without changing its basic structure. Ergonomically shaped furniture can easily accommodate romantic decorations and auxiliary objects. The essence of this approach is not in the matching of objects but rather in the conscious use of objects which enables the personality of the user to modify the interior without force.
The objects exhibited follow the traditions of Danish design: their strong character may not be apparent if we examine them individually but when grouped together, they communicate a comprehensive life-philosophy.
From the bicycle used around Christiania which contains a special compartment built for transporting children to the conscious effort of using a minimal amount material for every object, everything on display at the exhibition is infused with a special approach that is still very far from Hungary. But the programmes of the Danish Invasion at least give us an introductory lesson.
Author: Eszter Götz
