In 1963 a photography caused furore world-wide: Christine Keeler, a callgirl famous since the "profumo-affair", astride and stark naked on a chair. The difference between lady and furniture after 40 years: the chair hasn't lost anything of its sexappeal. With its sumptuous curves and its wasp-like waist the classic even today equips thousands of conference rooms, canteens, authorities and schools. "Absolutely modern", like almost every model of its designer Arne Jacobsen (1902-1971). Last year the Humblebaek Museum of Louisiana celebrated the 100th birthday of the danish architect and designer under the title of the same name (?). The Jacobsen factory-show can be attended from May the 23rd till 31st of August in the "Hamburger Deichtorhallen" as its only exhibition in Germany.
Top design as a mass-production, that is what the godfathers of modernism, Miese van der Rohe, Gropius and Le Corbusier have always been dreaming of. Arne Jacobsen, danish multitalent of 2nd generation, realised what they didn't do. Today some of his furniture are such famous best-sellers that they for sure go for "scandinavian style" and not for the work of an excellent designer. These contain the chair "3107", designed in 1955, which can be stacked, as well as the "Ant", as light as a feather, which got its name as a result of its extremely waisted backrest. With this piece of furniture he became internationally famous.
Like his great idol, Le Corbusier, Arne Jacobsen always had the complete art-works in mind. Up to the last doorhandle everything should have been designed - namely in this for him typical mixture of functionality and soft, feminine forms. This is the reason for all his furniture being "similar like a family". For the SAS-Hotel in Copenhagen, which he built, Jacobsen designed two shapelessly curved objects, which vary the style of the "Ant" into comfortable armchairs: "Swan" and "Egg". By the way, the hotel guests of room "606" are still using the original furniture today.
