‘Scandinavian Modern’: Nordic Design Behind the Scenes

Finnish designers played a huge part in the ‘Scandinavian Modern’ movement of the 1950s. It was a style that took America and Europe by storm with its cool functionality, natural materials and organic curves. But, lurking behind the scenes, were hidden hands and powerful political projects. It wasn’t just the social democratic urge to change consumer taste into something more rational. Nordic design became embroiled in a US plot to unite the West under one ‘democratic’ design idiom, to unsettle the Soviet bloc, and to demonstrate that America had culture and taste. Indeed Finland covertly used the opportunity to display its Western credentials to America at a time of Finlandisation.

This illustrated talk features designers and architects including Alvar & Aino Aalto, Tapio Wirkkala, Timo Sarpaneva, Bruno Mathsson, Josef Frank, Astrid Sampe, Hans Wegner, Finn Juhl, Arne Jacobsen, Charles & Ray Eames and George Nelson. It looks at major design exhibitions between 1930 and 1960 in Stockholm, Berlin, the United States, Helsinki, Helsingborg and Moscow. And it examines why modernism became such a useful Cold War tool, why ‘Finnish’ design suddenly became ‘Scandinavian’, and how a functionalist movement for the masses was transformed into an elite luxury style.

Bio:

James Vaux is a member of the Anglo-Finnish Society and an Accredited Arts Society Lecturer, specialising in Nordic art and design and modernism more generally. In 2025 he has 50 talks all over the country and hopes to spread a wider understanding of Nordic culture. He holds a recent MA in Scandinavian Studies (Language, Culture and History) from UCL, where his dissertation was on the politics of Nordic design in the Cold War. He has also studied design at the Inchbald School and Mid-Century Modern at Sotheby’s Institute. Before retirement he was a managing director and global partner of the international bank Rothschild & Co. He was head of the bank’s Nordic operations, which he founded together with Pehr Gyllenhammar. He lived and worked in Stockholm, and amongst other roles across the region he acted as an adviser to the Finnish, Danish and Swedish Ministries of Finance.

Pre-Talk Reception and Lunch:

A pre-talk drinks reception and lunch is organised at Lincoln’s Inn. The lunch price includes the talk. For talk only, £5 members; £10 non-members. The lunch and talk are open to our Anglo-Nordic friends at the members price. The lunch includes welcome drinks and a two-course meal. A dessert and wine at lunch can be ordered on the day at your own expense. Please indicate any dietary requirements to the Hon. Secretary at c2VjcmV0YXJ5IHwgYW5nbG9maW5uaXNoc29jaWV0eSAhIG9yZyAhIHVr.

Also check out other Arts events in London, Workshops in London, Exhibitions in London.