Getting to know Poul Henningsen
Poul Henningsen is
known worldwide for his lamps, which in their time were revolutionary because of
the special screen construction, that allowed the lamps full glow, without being
blinding. Most of his designs are stunning
and do really give a special quality of light, but PH was much more than a
designer. He was a architect, screen
writer, film director and writer, during the second world war he fled to
Sweden in a rowboat together with Arne Jacobsen, because Arne Jacobsen
was a Jew and he himself a known resistant of Nazism.
Like most of the
leading architects of that time, he was a craftsman and hadn’t attended the
Copenhagen art academy architectural school.
He was one of the leading figures in the cultural radical movement often
associated with the modern breakthrough. The cultural-radicalism was about reevaluation
of religion, inherited social norms and welcoming new cultural impulses such as jazz,
modern architecture, art, literature and theater. Poul Henningsen was a big fan of Josephine
Baker The “ Bronze Venus”. After she received a wave of bad reviews based on her show in Denmark, Poul Henningsen half an hour before deadline, decided to write a letter to Josephine through the paper politiken, that praised her naturalness. Saying "If naturalness could be learned, mothers should send the girls to Josphine baker". Poul Henningsen ideal was kubism, and he remained true to to functionalisme til his death, dying from parkinsons he donated his body to medical science purposes.
Above; Poul Henningsen, Josephine Baker, P.H.s Kite-book for children between 8-128 years. and the famous lamp "Koglen"
Known PH Statements
Culture is weapons.
Culture is consistency.
Dividedness makes strong.
There is no off-taste. There is only good taste, which is poor.
He who dares do wrong, does right. Hereby is happens.
