Pepis flora – this summer’s exhibition opens at Svenskt Tenn

During the summer of 2021, Josef Frank’s most beloved botanical designs are on display in the Pepis Flora exhibition. California, a floral poster pattern that he created while in New York in the early forties is also being re-launched.

Josef Frank’s floral patterns mix real flowers such as tulips and forget-me-nots with imaginary, leafy plants and fruit motifs inspired by the world’s places and cultures. The book Pepis Flora, by Kristina Wängberg-Eriksson, was a major source of inspiration for the exhibition.

“The exhibition and book’s name refer to Josef Frank’s nickname ‘Pepi’, which his closest friends called him. In this exhibition, Josef Frank’s patterns are being shown as artworks so visitors can discover his fantastic patterns as the masterpieces they truly are. It is always fascinating to dive deep into Josef Frank’s pattern world, where there are constantly new details to discover. He blends fantasy flowers with real flowers and composes his own combinations of plants, fruits and flowers – all to create these unique, fanciful, colourful and lively patterns. I think that everyone will discover new details and find new favourites through this exhibition,” says Thommy Bindefeld, marketing and creative director.

The California print is also being launched in connection with the exhibition. Josef Frank created this pattern sometime between 1942-1945 and it has been resting in Svenskt Tenn’s archive for a long time. He found the model for these California flowers in American Garden Flowers, Gladys Lynwall’s new flora book from that time. Josef Frank sketched some twenty summer flowers in total, among them cress, sweet peas, pansies, dahlias, petunias and zinnias.

“Those interested in plants will note in the exhibition that Josef Frank appears to have had his favourite flowers – such as English daisy (bellis perennis) and tulips – flowers that reappear in a number of Josef Frank’s different prints,” says Bindefeld.

The exhibition will be launched in a live webcast on June 10 at 6:30 pm on svenskttenn.se. The showing will be in English. On June 12, a Swedish translation of the webcast will be published on Svenskt Tenn’s homepage.

Products and prices
The California fabric costs SEK 1,700/metre and it is also available as cushions (SEK 1,500) and linen placemats (SEK 360 each).