Visual Bornholm
Published by Visual Media ApS
Designed by Miru Studio
The Bornholm Centre for Craft Art is a figurative epicentre for Bornholm and international craft art. The historic warehouse buildings from 1875 belong to Grønbechs Gård, an old merchant’s estate in Hasle, which has housed the Bornholm Centre for Craft Art since 1999. The carefully restored buildings (1,500 m²) are a must-see craft art showcase, where changing exhibitions challenge our notions of craft art. This artistic laboratory and aesthetic playground allows select craft artists to explore their craft through non-commercial projects. It allows them to experiment with materials and manifestations that transcend applied art and create innovative – and thought-provoking – quality products. In 2020, the centre will present an exhibition of the unique works of ceramics, glass, wood, textiles and metal created by a number of craft artists from Bornholm, from other parts of Denmark and from abroad. Local craft art is presented through exhibitions from the School of Design, Bornholm, the Arts & Crafts Association Bornholm (ACAB), and other venues. Visitors can enjoy a cup of coffee and explore a wide selection of Bornholm craft art in the centre’s café and shop selling craft art, and perhaps be inspired to visit one of the many open workshops on the island.
The international mindset at Grønbechs Gård is naturally associated with Bornholm’s designation as a World Craft Region. The title was awarded in 2017 by the World Craft Council (WCC), which is the largest international craft art organisation in the world and is recognised by UNESCO. The title is an international seal of approval for Bornholm’s unique craft art milieu with its dense concentration of talented professionals embodying both tradition and quality. The title imposes a duty on Grønbechs Gård to be a unifying, innovative centre for craft art and to actively facilitate events and initiatives which help disseminate world-class Bornholm craft art.
The vision of the Bornholm Centre for Craft Art – Grønbechs Gård is to raise awareness of craft art’s diversity and establish a creative, active craft art milieu where traditional techniques are developed and new methods are brought into play to inspire craft artists and enthusiasts from Denmark and abroad. Artistic ideas open up new aesthetic potential for the materials and generate a profusion of fascinating products – vastly different from the familiar, traditional productions of items such as cups and glassware. Grønbechs Gård presents craft art in every conceivable material and shape, represented by ten to fifteen changing exhibitions during a season.
