BIOLOGISKA was one of the great highlights of Stockholm Design Week 2011. An exhibition that is about evolution, diversity, and universality, where contemporary design, art and light is housed in an unexpected context.  A magical place of historical and emotional value that creates a dialogue between the stationary artificial scenery and the always variable design stage. We sneak backstage into the most extraordinary taxidermy landscape and together with designers-curators Emma Marga Blanche and Fredrik Färg, we were  given a personal tour inside this scenographic narrative of design. 

INTERNATIONAL DESIGN IN THE SWEDISH NATURE
THE STORY:
The French-born designer Emma Marga Blanche visited ”Biologiska” Museum for the first time Christmas 2009. She was immediately mesmerized by the fantastic scenery. Even the inhabitants of Stockholm know more about the outside of the Museum than the magic inside, that revealed itself for Emma like a frozen treasure of nature from 1893. The idea of showing the location to others began to germinate.  In April 2010 Emma visited the site with Fredrik Färg and met Lars-Erik Larsson, the head of the museum, who vividly described the museum and its interesting history. The idea of a design exhibition within the premises was born and Fredrik who likes anything but white boxes as the backdrop for his work engaged himself.  In autumn 2010, it became clear that Lars-Erik of “Biologiska” and Hanna Nova Beatrice from PLAZA together with Emma and Fredrik would create the event: ”20 designers at Biologiska” (+2 including Fredrik Färg and Emma Marga Blanche design pieces) at Stockholm Design Week 2011.

It includes, as its name implies, 20 national and international designers from more than 15 countries.  From the Netherlands to Italy, Sweden and Canada.  Designers like Duilio Forte/Atelierforte (It), Sigga Heimis (Is), Cate & Nelson (Swe/Es), Jaim Telias (Cl/Il), Katrin Greiling (De), Cooper & Gorfer (Us/Au), Brikolör (Swe), Karin Auran Frankenstein (Swe), Chiara Onida (It), David Taylor (Sct), Jessika Källeskog (Swe), Mark Braun (De), Staffan Holm (Swe), Nyström+Persia (Swe), Ross Fraser (Gb), Valantin Loellman (Ni), Florian Hauswirth /Postfossil (Ch), Claudia Despres & Jeremy Couture (Ca), Kaspar Hamacher (Be) as well as the curators themselves Emma Marga Blanche (Fr) and Fredrik Färg (Swe), will have their contemporary design represented in the dioramas of Biologiska.  Biologiska, which in principle is a daylight museum will be shown in new and exciting ways made possible by the main partners, lighting companies Cardi and Elektroskandia Belysning.

Partners: Skansen, PLAZA DECO, Elektroskandia and Cardi Lighting.
Curated by Fredrik Färg, Emma Marga Blanche and Hanna Nova Beatrice.

BIOLOGISKA MUSEUM:
The “Biologiska museet” is situated at Djurgården and was built in 1893. The architecture is inspired by the medieval Norwegian stave churches. The pioneering educational aspect of the museum was the use of the diorama for the first time on a grand scale in order to present the natural habitat. The perspective of the diorama unites foreground and background. The large, painted backgrounds are the work of Bruno Liljefors who is famous for his dramatic painting of birds and animals. The vast diorama, which can be viewed from two levels, presents the different types of landscape from inland Sweden as well as from the coast.