AVS. Arkitektúr verktækni skipulag - 01.12.2004, Page 60

''Rjstaurant
TRÖD
Sveinn Kjarval
Jóhannes Kjarval, Architect
Austufstræii 18 . Reykjavik
Sveinn Kjarval was an important pio-
neer in the field of furniture and inte-
rior design in lceland during the 40s
and 50s and was an important influ-
ence on the production of furniture
in the spirit of the utilitarianism that
influenced design at that time. He
studied the best in Danish furniture
and interior design as can clearly be
seen in his remaining work.
Sveinn was born in Copenhagen
on March 20th, 1919. His parents
were Tove Kjarval, writer born Merild
and Jóhannes S. Kjarval, painter.
In 1940 Sveinn married Guðrún
Kjarval, born Hjörvar and the couple
had five children.
He studied furniture production
at the workshop of Jakob Kjær in
Copenhagen. Already at that time
Danish furniture design, manufac-
turing and production technology
was considered among the best in
the world and the workshop where
Sveinn studied
was among the
best.
On comple-
tion of his
studies Sveinn moved to lceland
in 1939 and started his own fur-
niture workshop which he ran for
a few years until he moved back
to Copenhagen with his wife and
children to continue his stud-
ies - this time in furniture design
at the Kunsthaandværkerskolens
Mobelskole. Among his teachers
were some of the most famous and
respected designers of Denmark,
like Hans Wegener, Finn Juhl and
Borge Mogensen.
After having completed his design
studies Sveinn once again moved
to lceland and started his first
design office. His first large com-
mission was to design cupboards,
showcases and shelves for the then
new Gallery of National History.
Many lcelandic furniture and interior
designers started their careers in his
design office.
During this time ready-made well-
designed furniture was in short sup-
ply and not much was imported.
All interior fittings were made to
measure and the same applied to
much of the furniture. In the draw-
ing collection of Sveinn there are
therefore designs for both furniture
and interior objects of various types
and the commissions are named
after people, companies and public
institutions. Later on the commis-
sions grew in number especially
after the middle of the fifties. Shops,
private homes, libraries, hotels and
restaurants, churches and grammar
schools were among the projects
where one could see interiors and
furniture that Sveinn designed - not
to forget the Parliament and the
National Hospital.
The share of lcelandic furniture
design and manufacture increased
considerably during the 50s and 60s
and Sveinn worked with a number
of companies and individuals on the
development of his furniture and
getting them produced.
Most of his furniture was made
at the furniture factory Nývirki hf.
and the history of that company
and those who worked there is
closely connected to his design.
Jón Gunnar Árnason, artist and
iron-smith worked on the develop-
ment of his steel furniture in the iron
works, Sindri where many types of
the „Sindri - chair,“ as they were
called, were developed from iron
and other metals. Jón made also
many types of lamps and other
house objects, designed by Sveinn.
The weaver Guðrún Jónasdóttir
took also part in the development of
his furniture along with many others
60 avs