Overview

Scandinavia is a region associated with modernity: modern design, modern living and a modern welfare state. This new history of modernism in Scandinavia offers a picture of the complex reality that lies behind the label: a modernism made up of many different figures, impulses and visions. It places the individuals who have achieved international fame, such as Edvard Munch and Alvar Aalto in a wider context, and through a series of case studies, provides a rich analysis of the art, architecture and design history of the Nordic region, and of modernism as a concept and mode of practice. Modernism in Scandinavia addresses the decades between 1890 and 1970 and presents an intertwined history of modernism across the region. Charlotte Ashby gives a rationale for her focus on those countries which share an interrelated history and colonial past, but also stresses influences from outside the region, such as the English Arts and Crafts movement and the impact of emergent American modernism. Her richly illustrated account guides the reader through key historical periods and cultural movements, with case studies illuminating key art works, buildings, designed products and exhibitions.

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9781350099562

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Reviews

A rich and fascinating account of art and design, in a particular place, during the modern period. It is an excellent introduction to the subject and offers many very useful suggestions for further research and reading ... Evocative and compelling. * Decorative Arts Society newsletter * Charlotte Ashby's impressively wide-ranging survey of Nordic modernism is a timely and much needed examination of the complex and interrelated strands of Scandinavian innovation in theory and practice. Its inclusive and multi-disciplinary approach, giving recognition to the internal and international impulses the fuelled the phenomenal successes of progressive Nordic culture, offering a fresh and original consideration that will appeal to the specialist and general reader alike. * David Jackson, Professor of Russian and Scandinavian Art Histories at the University of Leeds, UK * Modernism in Scandinavia is an impressive introduction to modern Nordic art, design, and architecture. Sidestepping the conventional lexical approach, Charlotte Ashby builds her narrative around a series of case studies ranging from mundane utensils to monumental buildings, from private interiors to public exhibitions. The result is an accessible and engaging account of Nordic modernism, which will be a wonderful resource for international students and scholars. * Kjetil Fallan, Professor of Design History at the University of Oslo, Norway * Ashby's case studies offer formal analyses that strike an impressive balance between commenting on the artworks in their own right as aesthetic objects and as objects of sociocultural significance... Ashby comments on paintings, design, and architecture with great scholarly authority, and with an ease that makes the reading experience both engaging and thought-provoking. Her formal analyses are stunningly detailed and well composed. Combined with Ashby's rigorous historical commentary, these interpretations breathe new life into the objects discussed... Ashby's book will prove a valuable resource for students and scholars who seek a diverse and thorough introduction to the rich history of modernism in Scandinavia. * Ingrid Nordgaard, Researcher in Slavic Languages and Literatures at Yale University, USA *

A rich and fascinating account of art and design, in a particular place, during the modern period. It is an excellent introduction to the subject and offers many very useful suggestions for further research and reading ... Evocative and compelling. * Decorative Arts Society newsletter * Charlotte Ashby’s impressively wide-ranging survey of Nordic modernism is a timely and much needed examination of the complex and interrelated strands of Scandinavian innovation in theory and practice. Its inclusive and multi-disciplinary approach, giving recognition to the internal and international impulses the fuelled the phenomenal successes of progressive Nordic culture, offering a fresh and original consideration that will appeal to the specialist and general reader alike. * David Jackson, Professor of Russian and Scandinavian Art Histories at the University of Leeds, UK * Modernism in Scandinavia is an impressive introduction to modern Nordic art, design, and architecture. Sidestepping the conventional lexical approach, Charlotte Ashby builds her narrative around a series of case studies ranging from mundane utensils to monumental buildings, from private interiors to public exhibitions. The result is an accessible and engaging account of Nordic modernism, which will be a wonderful resource for international students and scholars. * Kjetil Fallan, Professor of Design History at the University of Oslo, Norway * Ashby’s case studies offer formal analyses that strike an impressive balance between commenting on the artworks in their own right as aesthetic objects and as objects of sociocultural significance... Ashby comments on paintings, design, and architecture with great scholarly authority, and with an ease that makes the reading experience both engaging and thought-provoking. Her formal analyses are stunningly detailed and well composed. Combined with Ashby’s rigorous historical commentary, these interpretations breathe new life into the objects discussed... Ashby’s book will prove a valuable resource for students and scholars who seek a diverse and thorough introduction to the rich history of modernism in Scandinavia. * Ingrid Nordgaard, Researcher in Slavic Languages and Literatures at Yale University, USA *

Author Information

Charlotte Ashby lectures in the history of art and design at Birkbeck, University of London, the Courtauld Institute of Art and Oxford University, UK.

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