NICHOLAI
WIIG-HANSEN
Nicholai Wiig-Hansen (b. 1964, Denmark)
‘In addition to its functional purpose, design should spark curiosity and invite different interpretations, just like a good painting.’
– Nicholai Wiig-Hansen
Nicholai Wiig-Hansen founded his own design studio in 1990. Since then, he has continued to challenge himself and delight us all with a diverse range of designs: from chairs and tables to lamps and vacuum jugs. Examples include the popular Jules desk chair and the equally popular PS Locker for IKEA, the Sintra table for Frama, the Night Owl lamp for Lightyears and the Geo vacuum jug for Normann. Archetypal products – with a twist. Proportions and colours are always carefully considered, and details are only added if they serve a functional or aesthetic purpose.
Forms and colors from the world of art are Nicholai’s principal source of inspiration, and in addition to their functional purpose, he always seeks to imbue his design with the ability to affect the space around them, like a work of art. Nicholai grew up in a creative family. His mother, Leila Sallyman, was an accomplished ceramicist, and his father was the world-renowned sculptor and painter Svend Wiig-Hansen. Instead of keeping his nose in his school books, Nicholai preferred to stand in front of a display case in a museum. Then, as now, primitive folk art held the strongest appeal to him for its simultaneous functional and decorative character.
Nicholai enjoys being inspired and inspiring others, for example when he teaches future designers at the Swiss art college ECAL (École cantonale d’art de Lausanne). Going forward, Nicholai also hopes to be able to offer creative input and feedback to new creative talents at raawii.
ABOUT
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Designer and entrepreneur, born 1964
Industrial designer through apprenticeship at designer Niels Gammelgaard
Freelance designer for IKEA since 1989
Founded his own design studio in 1990
External teacher at ECAL (Ecole cantonale d’art de Lausanne) Switzerland since 2015
Cofounder of raawii.dk in 2017
External teacher at AECOM in Spain
Jury member of the Swiss council Pro Helvetia
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2024
Solen er så rød, solo exhibition, Galleri Lene Bilgrav, Aarhus, Denmark
2023
Årgang 2023, group exhibition, Møstings Hus, Copenhagen, Denmark Enter Art Fair, Galleri Lene Bilgrav, Copenhagen, Denmark
2022
Rolig Rolig, solo exhibition, Galleri Lene Bilgrav, Aarhus, Denmark
2021
Odense Skulptur Triennale, group exhibition, Odense, Denmark
2020
Sikås Biennale 2020, Sikås, Sweden
2019
Twenty Four, group exhibition, Bricks Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
Stilleben, group exhibition, Kunstbygningen I Vrå, Vrå, Denmark
TINFOIL AGENDA, group exhibition, Marie Kirkegaard Galleri Copenhagen, Denmark
Portrait Now, group exhibition, The Museum of National History, Hillerød, Denmark {GIFC Tour}
2018
Papercuts, group exhibition, Kristian Day, London Solo show, Kbh_Kabinet. Copenhagen, Denmark
Solo show, Grand Teatret, Copenhagen, Denmark {GIFC TOUR}
2017
Papercuts, group exhibition, Kristian Day, London
Welcome to the human experience, we are the ones doing works on canvas painting xxxx, group exhibition, CGK, Copenhagen, Denmark
2013
KP13 The artists easter exhibition, Kunsthal Aarhus, Contemporary Art Center, Aarhus, Denmark
2012
KE12 The artist autumn exhibition, Den frie, Centre of contemporary art, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Red Dot Award
Marie Claire Prix D’excellence
Red Dot Award Best of the best
German Design Award ”Special Mention”Interior Innovation Award
Design Plus Award
AD100Amongst award winning designs:
PS Locker, IKEA
Geo Jug, Normann Copenhagen
Strøm collection, raawii