Alexander Lervik

Press / 1999

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FORM FACTS One week in April every year (in the year 2000 it is 11–16/4), Milan becomes a Mecca of design. That is when Il Salone del Mobile takes place, along with the small, gadget-oriented Salone Complemento. Additional interior design fairs run in parallel — in 1999 it was the kitchen fair Eurocucina and the office furniture fair Eimu, alternating with the lighting fair Euroluce (in the year 2000).

For the second year, Salone Satellite was also organized for younger designers and design companies, design schools, special exhibitions, etc. This year, Ettore Sottsass was dedicated an exhibition, Electrolux showcased itself, and Philips created a popular mini-exhibition about the past, present, and future of household appliances. Also presented there was an EU project, SME Woodnet, on the development of wood design in collaboration between Swedish Västerbotten, Finnish Ostrobothnia, and Italian Lombardy. The Swede Alexander Lervik (Beckmans design program -98) took part in Satellite's student section.

These fairs cover a total of approximately 180,000 sq m and are visited by 160,000 people (around 70,000 from countries other than Italy), who visit 1,990 exhibitors, 252 of which are from 26 countries outside Italy (2 Swedish).

During the fair week, around 200 showings of varying character take place around the city in permanent or temporary exhibition venues. The magazine Interni produces a guide supplement (distributed free at the fair) to these events, which are marked with a red-and-white banner at the entrance or on the street.

EL

Alexander Lervik had been invited down to Salone Satellite. He stood there all week in his chair booth. Tiring, of course, but at the same time it offered the chance for many interesting meetings.

Alexander Lervik wanted to “play a little”. The result was the exhibition “Ten stools — a hundred years”. His own interpretation of the century's design history.

Ten stools depict 20th-century design

LINKÖPING

The 20s is a tubular steel stool, the 60s an orange pouf, the 80s is ugly, raw, and vulgar. Untreated steel with visible weld seams . . . This is the 20th century according to Lervik.

A personal textbook on the century's design history! That is how Bonnie Festin, curator at Stadsmuseet in Norrköping, characterizes Alexander Lervik's “Ten stools — a hundred years”, an exhibition that has made a name for itself.

In connection with the furniture fair last winter, it was shown at the Odenplan metro station in Stockholm, before traveling on to, among other places, Salone Satellite, the furniture fair in Milan.

The ten stools are currently being shown at Stadsmuseet in Norrköping together with the touring exhibition of Utmärkt Svensk Form (the exhibition architect for the latter is Gunilla Allard, a renowned designer originally from Linköping).

It started just over two years ago, in May 1997. Alexander Lervik was a student in Beckmans design program and was about to do his graduation project.

He wanted to “play a little”, as he says. The result was a panorama of the 20th century, depicted in furniture form. But it is not about copies. Far from it.

Alexander Lervik immersed himself in the spirit of each decade, surveyed materials, visited museums, looked at images, cars, and the fashion and art of the period. Not least, he was inspired by film, by Tati and by Travolta's “Saturday Night Fever”.

When he felt he had found the decade's particular style, he began to draw. The result was striking. A gem, say those who have seen it. In Norrköping there is a chance until September 12. Utmärkt Svensk Form remains until September 3.

INGA WALLENQUIST

English translation of the original article. Text read from the scanned original; small transcription errors may occur.