Booklaunch - Vicke Lindstrand On The Periphery

Australian design historian Mark Ian Jones launches his new book Vicke Lindstrand On The Periphery. This is the first English language publication to examine the life and work of the Swedish artist and designer Vicke Lindstrand and his place in Swedish and Scandinavian design history. 

Through extensive field studies in Sweden, detailed archival research, informant interviews, object and text analysis, the author describes the image and reception of an artist and designer who didn’t “fit the mould” but has shown to be more influential than previously perceived.

Dr. Mark Ian Jones, who is also Program Director of the Bachelor of Design at UNSW Art & Design, has always been interested in glass and discovered there isn’t much written on Vicke Lindstrand while searching for information after purchasing a vase online. “That’s what piqued my interest, I wanted to find out why Vicke Lindstrand had been excluded from Sweden’s cultural history and why he divided people so much.”

He ended up writing his PhD thesis on Vicke Lindstrand. During his research Mark Ian Jones discovered that Vicke Lindstrand did not follow the trends or the then in force Swedish ideal of functional, democratic design, instead his influences were often more exotic and non-Swedish. Lindstrand was also better represented in foreign media. Dr. Jones points out that “Lindstrand was an internationalist which was partly why he wasn’t accepted. […] His glass design was influenced by numerous different cultures and artists, including Jackson Pollock, abstract expressionism and African and Asian culture. That didn’t sit well with accepted ideas of ‘Swedishness’ at the time.“ 

Today Lindstrand’s designs are much sought after and Jones’ book is an important contribution to further research. His book has been described as “a pioneering study” that “fills a knowledge gap in the field of Scandinavian design”. The richly illustrated text focuses on English language discourse on Swedish and Scandinavian Design during the 1950s and the reception and profile of Vicke Lindstrand.

Dr Jones’ book is published by Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis, Figura Nova Series. The book includes a foreword by Leo Lindstrand, Vicke Lindstrand’s grandson. 

For further information, please contact Professor Jan von Bonsdorff, Dept. of Art History, Uppsala University, Jan.Von.Bonsdorff@konstvet.uu.se, +46 (0)18–471 28 89, +46 (0)78– 248 34 45.

Venue: Uppsala Art Museum, Uppsala Castle • November 21st at 6 p.m.

The book is available through the Deptartment of Art History, Uppsala University or directly via www.ub.uu.se/actashop or by email at acta@ub.uu.se.

ACTA UNIVERSITATIS UPSALIENSIS
Figura Nova 34
Editor: Jan von Bonsdorff
ISSN 0071-481X
ISBN 978-91-554-9640-1

Funding by UNSW Art & Design, Sydney, Australia; The Royal Patriotic Society, Stockholm; Stiftelsen Konung Gustaf VI Adolfs fond för svensk kultur, Stockholm; Stiftelsen Längmanska kulturfonden, Stockholm and Uppsala University, Department of Art History, Uppsala.