Mark Kingwell

George Baird

Rachel Gotlieb

Michael Propokow

"True Nordic" presents a comprehensive look at more than nine decades of Nordic and Scandinavian aesthetic influence in Canadian craft, design and industrial production. The book offers a broad historical survey of Canadian-made ceramics, furniture, textiles and metalware inspired by the aesthetics of Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Estonia. The design culture and movements of the Nordic countries have been the most significant in the development of Canadian design sensibility since 1920. Scandinavian design resonated with Canadians and was viewed as appropriate for the realities of domesticity and modernizing life. Praised for its material sensitivity and regarded as both modern and humble, progressive but quiet, Scandinavian and Nordic design resonated with Canada's ongoing efforts to find a fitting stylistic and culturally appropriate language. "True Nordic" includes essays from George Baird, Rachel Gotlieb, Mark Kingwell and Michael Prokopow.

How Scandinavia Influenced Design in Canada

True Nordic

Cora Golden

From the radical Project G stereo that every well-appointed, Pop-inspired "bachelor pad" had to have, to the wedge-shaped Contempra phone that quickly convinced homeowners to replace their boring black telephones, Canadian design has entered homes and shaped lives. Design in Canada showcases designs that were destined for mass production, and covers everything from popular plastic dishes to refined high-style furniture. Whether exploring post-war materials like plastic or aluminum, or finding ways to capture and tame new technology, Canadian designers have worked with imagination, style and an eye to the global market.

Rachel Gotlieb

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