Sweden Workshop

University of Kalmar, School of Design

Instructors
Leonard Bachich, Professor;
Linda Celentano, Adjunct Assoc. Professor

Coordinator/Assistant
Louise Häggberg, Adjunct Professor

The summer workshop of 2006 in Sweden occurred as a result of my being asked to begin a student exchange program with the Design School of the University of Kalmar. I suggested a workshop as a good precursor to the exchange program, where people could all get to know one another and students interested in the principles of abstraction as a result of the workshop could move naturally into the exchange program once they understood some of the fundamentals.

The University provided all tools and materials requested for two problems that I taught over a three week period. I was invited to do some research over at the Kosta Boda and Orrefors facilities as well as meet the Design Director of Ikea while I was there. All of this was arranged by the University.

They initially requested a Monday through Friday workshop and I assured them that the students and professor needed to reflect on their progress by teaching every other day. I can’t emphasize enough how important this type of schedule is. This work is fascinating and invigorating and at times exhausting. Of course it’s important to be fresh. Teaching everyday is too much!

I emailed over a meticulous list of materials, including links to manufacturers of the correct tools. The clay was different, but turned out better than what we use in the States. We will ship the wire this year as it was impossible to find the right wire, which at the very least should be 16 gauge SOLID copper wire.

For the first three classes — the first week — I taught the Rectilinear Volume Problem in clay. We had many crits where the students critiqued their own work. They learned the most in this way as they became well versed in the language. The second week, I introduced the Line Chart and gave them the Wire Problem. The third week they worked on their final Rectilinear Volume Problem in Plaster and their final Wire Problem in 16 gauge copper wire. We had a show on the last day of all the work and invited many guest as well as the press.

Craftsmanship in Sweden, I might add, has its roots in cultivating youngsters by the second grade in making beautiful objects in a shop environment, where they are already shaping bowls in wood as well as other objects. Their level of craftsmanship was remarkable.

— Linda Celentano

Sweden >

Korea >

Mexico >