Theme:
Various bodies

Crafts and design are closely linked to materiality, sensuousness and the physical – both in the inherent qualities of the works and through the hands that shape them. As a counter-movement to digital technologies, which are developing at the same speed as a Japanese high-speed train, we are seeing a growing interest in crafts, materials and techniques. This became clear when Danske Kunsthåndværkere & Designere (Danish Crafts & Designers) offered workshops in textile repair and woodwork at this year’s Frue Plads Market, which were quickly fully booked. The Biennial of Crafts & Design 2025 also highlights sublime craftsmanship and the strength of materials.

But what relationship do crafts and design have to the body today? Are they different from when Nanna Ditzel let the body move freely in her furniture landscapes?

What new potentials emerge when contemporary challenges – health, well-being, climate and sustainability – become pressing? How can craft and design enhance the well-being of the body and a bodily anchoring in materials?

In this issue, Formkraft explores corporeality with multiple perspectives on bodies and materiality.

Maria McKinney Vallentin and Bart Cooreman from the Royal Academy examine whether it is possible to measure the emotional significance of design when clothing provides comfort and solace.

Karen la Cour, Elise Bromann Bukhave, Kristina Tomra Nielsen and Eva Wæhrens from the University of Southern Denmark share new insights from a research project on the health effects of working with craft and needlework.

Annette Svaneklink Jakobsen from the University of Southern Denmark writes about the body, words and engagement – and how the exhibition format can raise awareness of the need for sustainable use of the earth’s resources.

Charlotte Østergaard, artistic researcher (PhD), textile artist and costume designer, talks about how community-building design challenges or expands the concept of co-creation – an expansion in which presence and care are crucial parameters in the creative community that arises or can arise between people and materials.

As always, Formkraft also brings you exhibition reviews and portraits of leading contemporary craftspeople and designers.

Keep an eye out for upcoming publications.

Thank you for your support in 2025: Augustinus Fonden, Statens Kunstfond, Ny Carlsberg Fondet and Konsul George Jorck og Hustru Emma Jorck’s Fond.