Laura Terp Hansen has kindly invited me over to Copenhagen to talk to her fellow Danish designers, healing so I thought I’d find out a bit more about why she’d like me to share my ideas and what she herself does.
I was wondering, stuff I first met you at the Sketchbook Mag pop-up shop – why were you in the UK and what drew you to be there?
I was in London to visit my sister, she studies at an art college and she heard about your talk at Sketchbook Mag pop-up shop. I have lived and worked in London when I was younger, so I know the city well and I always love to visit. I get very inspired by the creative atmosphere.
What’s the best thing (design-wise) that you discovered in the UK?
London has a great atmosphere with loads of creative people and inspiring energy. The city is very vibrant with a lot of different cultures brought together. I love that! When I studied at LCP (London College of Printing) one of the great things was that there were students from all over the world.
What made you chose to bring me over from the UK to talk with you? And who do you expect to attend the lecture?
I think you are a very inspiring person with all the work you do. I really enjoy reading Amelia’s Magazine and the work you do with environmental issues is great and very inspiring. It is amazing how you manage to put it all together. You seem like a real DIY-women – it is a great inspiration for me! At the lecture, there will be designers and people from the creative field in Copenhagen.
What do you do for a living?
I am a graphic designer. I do a lot of freelance work for magazines and for clients in the creative field. At the moment I am starting up a magazine for women.
Some of Laura’s design work.
Who else shares your studio space? Can you tell us a little bit more about them?
I share my studio with six others. Together with Lisa Grue, an Artist and illustrator, we formed Underwerket Projects, a laboratory for art and design where your lecture will be held. We also share the studio with two freelance journalist/writers, two web programmers and an industrial designer. It’s a very nice studio with great atmosphere.
What would you say to anyone in Copenhagen who are thinking of coming? Sell me!
Come and hear Amelia’s talk – she is a very inspiring woman with great energy. She will talk about how it all started with Amelia’s Magazine and about the inspiring work she is doing with sustainability.
Elisabeth Dunker.
Who else will be talking at the lectures?
In October we have Elisabeth Dunker from A Fine Little Day, and later on Meyer-Lavigne, two Danish designers who work with sustainability and recycled materials in their ceramic design. All very inspiring ladies!
Meyer Lavigne.
What is your interest in sustainable design and has it impacted your own practice?
I think that it concerns everybody to look after and take care of our planet and pass it on in good condition to the next generations. In my everyday life I am very aware of reusing materials, saving on water, I bike everywhere I can, eat organic food and support local groceries and shops. I am not fanatic though but I use my common sense. I would like to do some work for environmental organisations, help them with designing their materials and make campaigns that will make people aware of their important cause. My friend and colleague Lisa Grue is making a poster for Greenpeace later this autumn, it´s very exciting.
I thought my readers might like to know a little bit more about you too as your work sounds very interesting:
What inspired you to start working on a magazine for women? And why have you chosen to focus on what women do?
I am a huge fan of all sorts of magazines! I have worked in the magazine business for five years as an Art Director at different fashion magazines for women. I think that a lot of magazines for women look like each other and I get very bored of the stereotypes that they present. There is a lot of focus on how women look and dress, instead of focusing on what they actually do. Don´t get me wrong I love being inspired of beautiful pictures in fashion and lifestyle magazines, I just need something else as well, something deeper to read about. Why are the articles always so short in most women´s magazine? I would like to make a magazine for women that combines culture, fashion, music and feature interesting women.
More of Laura’s design work.
Who have you got in mind for the project so far and where have you found them?
There will be a lot of contributors from around my network. People I have worked with before – writers, photographers, artists and illustrators. And then I have contacted a lot of people who´s work I have seen and they do great work with their hands, among others Myuki Sakai, Jenny Hart, Erika Blomgren, and Rob Ryan.
Issue one will be Handmade – what will the next issues be about, and how often do you plan to make it?
Twice a year. I don´t know the next theme yet…
Will we be able to get it in the UK?
Yes! I hope they will sell it in Magma and other shops and museums around town.
Have you thought of a name yet?
I have been looking into many names! Mostly girl names that was in my family. My grandmothers names was Ella, Edith and Elvira and I thought about calling it my own name (Laura) too. I loved Ella but it´s too close to Elle, so I landed on Stella now – which means “star”.
I’m planning to take a few weeks travelling around Denmark and Sweden with my boyfriend – where do you recommend we go if we want to see beautiful countryside and cool underground art? If it’s possible to do both!
There is loads of things to see around here! You can jump on a free bike around Copenhagen and cycle around town. There are bike lanes everywhere (so don’t worry about cycling in the other direction) and many green oases to visit. Copenhagen is situated by the water and the coastline is just beautiful. Go to the galleries in the Meatpacking area, have lunch at the vegetarian place Morgenstedet at Christiania and go for a walk around here. Take the train up North and visit the museum Louisiana. It is near the coast and there is a beautiful view up here. They have a show on with Sophie Calle at the moment. You should also go to Malmø in Sweden, it’s just a twenty minute train ride from Copenhagen. Then head further up North of Malmø and go camping in the beautiful landscape around Kullen.
Thankyou! I’m looking forward to visiting very much!
My pleasure! Looking forward till seeing you here.
I’ll be travelling to Denmark on the DFDS ferry from Harwich to Esbjerg, and if you’re located over that way I look forward to meeting you at my talk on Thursday 2nd September. But remember to book your place now.
Categories ,A Fine Little Day, ,activism, ,Amelia’s Magazine, ,Christiania, ,Climate Camp, ,copenhagen, ,Denmark, ,design, ,DFDS Seaways, ,Elisabeth Dunker, ,Erika Blomgren, ,Esbjerg, ,Greenpeace, ,Jenny Hart, ,LCP, ,Lecture, ,Lisa Grue, ,London College of Printing, ,Meyer-Lavigne, ,Morgenstedet, ,Myuki Sakai, ,rob ryan, ,Sketchbook mag, ,Sophie Calle, ,sustainability, ,sweden, ,Underwerket Projects
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