The Danish Agency for Culture and the Consulate General of Denmark in Sydney were behind a promotion of trade for Danish industries from the cultural sector. The promotion was centered around a curated exhibition, “Danish Design at the House” in the Sydney Opera House. Furthermore, there were various activities for the participating Danish companies.

The exhibition, which was curated by the architects Gerard Reinmuth (AU) and Karen Kjærsgaard (DK), was placed in the six deep bay windows in the Opera House’s Western Foyer. In addition, there was a Danish architect and a Danish artisan involved for each window. The architects had created a special installation for each window inspired by Utzon’s works and thoughts.

Each window had its own theme: “materiality”, “craft”, “technology”, “human”, “pragmatism” and “desire”. Here, products from Danish design and creative industries were presented for an Australian audience.

Read the commisioners' statement and the curatorial statement.

Copenhagen - a city of architecture and design

At Danish Design at the House, VisitDenmark showed a specially produced 5 minute long film about Copenhagen as a city of architecture and design. The film includes short interviews with Jan Gehl (Gehl Architects), Knud Erik Hansen (from the furniture company Carl Hansen & Søn), Bjarke Ingels (BIG), Louis Becker (Henning Larsen Architects) and Louise Campbell (artisan). Furthermore, a brochure about architecture and design in Copenhagen was made for the exhibition.

The film and the brochure have been created by Wonderful Copenhagen and the Danish Agency for Culture. It is part of a collaboration about cultural tourism in the capital area, where also the Municipality of Copenhagen and the Agency for Palaces and Cultural Properties are partaking.

Facts

25 Danish creative industries, six Danish architects and six Danish artisans were part of the exhibition.

Exhibition partners: the Danish Agency for Culture, the Consulate General of Denmark in Sydney and the Sydney Opera House.

The Danish Arts Foundation supported the exhibition with contributions to the curators, and the Trade Council of Denmark supported with means for promotion of trade.
It was the first time that the Danish Agency for Culture was at the head of a promotion of trade for the industries from the cultural sector with support from the Trade Council of Denmark.