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Karsten Eriksen
Karsten Lund Eriksen was born and raised in the countryside of Denmark in 1974 on his family’s green house farm. Although comfortable and happy in this environment as a young boy, it wasn’t long however until Karsten discovered another world into which he could escape. His new discovery- a busy yet quiet world contained within the four walls of a craft workshop at school, where wood shavings littered the floor, the warm smell of wood lingered in the dusty air and Karsten saw with excited eyes, for the very first time, how raw materials could be shaped and manipulated and brought back to life again.
Inspired by what he had seen and learned at school, and having discovered so soon how his hands served him well as creative tools, Karsten decided to train as a cabinet maker. And so in 1990 and working as an apprentice, he joined a small company in a small town. This was to be a privileged and a very special experience; one which would establish friendships with colleagues for many years to follow and an experience which provided Karsten with an intimate insight into the complex process of making furniture. During his time there Karsten would be introduced to each and every aspect inherent within the industry. From the physically challenging work of cutting heavy lengths from hard wood planks to the delicate art of working creatively with upholstery, and sewing with needle and thread.
Working with his hands brought Karsten great satisfaction and accomplishment, but it was not long before he realised that his mind too was seeking stimulation. It was for this very reason then that after having completed his service as an apprentice, Karsten enrolled to study Fine Arts for a period of two years. It was his hope that coupled with his natural ability and enthusiasm for working with his hands, that this new avenue of further education would provide him with the perfect foundations for designing his own furniture one day. And so it was, that his studies (History of Art, Painting and Sculpting- to name but a few) fuelled his keen and inventive turn of mind and gave flight to a freedom of expression that opened Karsten’s eyes to the full extent of his own creative capabilities. Standing often as an outsider and watching as his fellow students expressed their inner demons or political opinions through Art, and seeing just how easily they lost themselves within their work, Karsten realised that his own interest in Art lay elsewhere- in the world of design, functionality, and ultimately within the world of Industrial Design.
It was through his interest in Industrial Design then that Karsten discovered the perfect balance for his two great passions: Productivity and Art. Where the cabinet maker met with the artist inside of him, and creativity and technique could be used together, combined even, to create the desired results.
It was during these further studies that Karsten formed a partnership with a fellow student and his first ‘studio’ was born. Facing exciting and demanding times and both eager to impress upon the outside world what they had to offer as new designers, they enjoyed together many liberating and challenging experiences of ‘running before they had learned to walk!’.
Karsten’s unique ability to combine imagination with practicality was put to the test on his very first job as an Industrial Designer and from there on followed many and wonderful opportunities of working on various types of design projects. From company gifts to bicycle lights- even a doorstopper and some packaging concepts for Motorola crossed his desk.
And then in the Autumn of 2004, Karsten Lund Eriksen started up the studio ‘Klapstuhl’.
The name- an original twist on the Danish word ‘Klap-stol’ (meaning folding chair) and a simple comment about his affection for functionality and his interest in furniture. The folding chair after which his company was named represented perfectly what Karsten considers to be the most important issues involved within design. Predominantly interested in and concerned with functionality, the folding chair symbolises for Karsten something that is ‘alive’. Furniture with a function. Furniture that provides the possibilities for evolution, change and growth.
As well as still managing studio ‘Klapstuhl’ in Denmark, Karsten is currently working in the UK- in Formby, Merseyside. At an exciting and radical time of change and just as Liverpool is preparing itself for its 2008 City of Culture status, Karsten Eriksen brings Scandinavian simplicity to the forefront of modern furniture design, offering unique, stylish and refreshing concepts.
Stand 98