New Exhibition Presents Contemporary Expressions of Danish Design and Craft

The Mindcraft Project is an international platform for Danish design and craft, led by Copenhagen Design Agency (CDA). This autumn, the platform will continue its award-winning digital exhibition alongside a physical exhibition, hosted by Kvadrat in their Copenhagen showroom – running from September 26th to October 25th, 2024.

The Synergy of Craft and Industry

Since 2008, The Mindcraft Project has been dedicated to elevating Danish designers and makers by showcasing their work to a global audience and serving as a vital link to the established design industry.

“Since its inception in 2008, The Mindcraft Project has been a platform where the boundaries between exploratory, artistic, and industrial design are blurred, reflecting a unique synergy that defines Danish design. This year, we are looking forward to delving even deeper into the dual nature of Danish design – where the artistic and the functional coexist, inspiring both creators, the industry and audiences alike,” says Anders Kongskov and Kristian Kastoft, co- founders of Copenhagen Design Agency and co-directors of The Mindcraft Project.

For this year’s exhibition, Copenhagen Design Agency has selected Danish designer Maria Bruun as curator. Bruun’s own practice sits at the cross-section between sculptural studies into form and function and collaborative work with the established design industry.

“The selection of Maria Bruun as the curator of The Mindcraft Project 2024 aligns perfectly with the project's mission. Maria Bruun's own practice, which is characterised by a successful blend of artistic exploration and functional, industrial design, makes her an ideal curator for this exhibition,” says Anders Kongskov and Kristian Kastoft.

Expression and Ornamentation add to a New Interpretation of Danish Craft

The ten participating designers and studios that make up this year’s edition of The Mindcraft Project have each brought their own distinct approach to contemporary craft and design through objects in a range of materials and techniques. Many of the participants have utilised new technology to create expressive aesthetic outcomes, combined with a commitment to long-standing Danish design values surrounding honest materiality and transparency in production.

“The projects presented become specific instead of generic, and I think that is also something we experience now during this time; designers are interested in finding their specific language of form or their specific approach to experimentation. There could be a lot of opinions about why we need to know each designer’s subjective approach – why are we not creating functionality and more general design? But in my opinion – in my curation, I think that good design starts here, with the designers’ ambition and their subjective eye towards what design and craft could look like 20 years from now,” says Maria Bruun, curator of The Mindcraft Project 2024.

Another key aspect of this year’s exhibition is the relationship between solo-practitioners and that of the larger, more established Danish design industry. While some designers and studios have experience with this transition, others are approaching it for the first time. All participants express the importance in preserving craft traditions, with Bruun noting how industry can follow their lead.

“I applaud the daring nature of this year’s group, and we celebrate that they are unafraid to step into a more conventional world of production with a conviction that how they express themselves has value to us – the consumer, the viewer... The industry should look at this talent and their conviction and internalize their own responsibility towards protecting and promoting the future of Danish craft,” says Maria Bruun.

The ten selected designers and studios are:

Digital and Physical Exhibition

The Mindcraft Project 2024 is presented as both a physical and a digital exhibition. Continuing her hands-on approach to curation of this year’s exhibition, Maria Bruun has designed an immersive exhibition space within the Copenhagen showroom of Kvadrat. Noting the success of The Mindcraft Project’s digital platform, guests are greeted by a digital introduction to the exhibition, with the physical objects obscured behind a series of dividers crafted in Kvadrat textiles. Weaving through the space, each project is uncovered one after another, providing a slow and considered viewing experience.

NOTES FOR THE EDITORS

Explore The Mindcraft Project 2024

Online exhibition

View from September 26th on mindcraftproject.com Physical Exhibition

Press Preview: September 26th, 15:00 – 16:00

Opening Reception: September 26th, 16:00 – 20:00

Exhibition running: September 27th – October 25th 2024.

Kvadrat Showroom Copenhagen Klubiensvej 22, 2150 København

Opening hours:
​Monday-Thursday: 9-16, Friday: 9-15, Saturday-Sunday: Closed

About The Mindcraft Project

The Mindcraft Project is a platform for explorative and experimental design from Denmark, directed by Copenhagen Design Agency (CDA). Since 2008, The Mindcraft Project has worked to elevate Danish designers and makers by showcasing them to a global audience.
​For more than a decade, The Mindcraft Project presented Danish craft and design in annual exhibitions at Milan Design Week. Today, The Mindcraft Project is a digital platform with a considerable international following. The platform offers exclusive designer profiles, videos, online exhibitions, and interviews that highlight designers and makers from Denmark.

The combination of the words ‘Mind’ and ‘Craft’ highlights the essence of the project. It is a field that merges experimental, innovative, and conceptual design approaches with material knowledge and craftsmanship. The Danish designers and makers in this particular field address future challenges and opportunities, and inspire to new ways of thinking, making, and living.

mindcraftproject.com @mindcraftproject