Nanna Ditzel (1923 - 2005) was born In Copenhagen. She trained as a cabinetmaker before studying at the School of Arts and Crafts and the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen. In 1946 she graduated with a degree in furniture design. That same year she established own design studio together with Jørgen Ditzel and continued to work in the design sector until shortly before her death.
From the start of her career in the post war years, she was always challenged by new materials and new techniques. Nanna worked in various materials such as fibreglass, wickerwork and foam rubber, and in various disciplines such as cabinet-making, jewellery, tableware, applied art and textiles.
In the 50's she experimented with split-level floor seating. From 1968 to '86 lived in London, establishing the international furniture house Interspace in Hampstead with Kurt Heide.
Among her designs in continuous production are jewellery for Georg Jensen, textiles for Kvadrat and furniture for Fredericia, Kvist, Getama and others.
Nanna Ditzel has exhibited internationally with One Woman exhibitions in Amsterdam, Berlin, New York, Vienna, London, Stockholm, Milan, Glasgow, Manchester, Reykjavik, Paris and nationally in Denmark.
She has been awarded numerous international prizes including, in 1990, the Gold Medal in the International Furniture Design Competition, Japan, for her Bench for Two (Fredericia). She was elected Honourable Royal Designer, Royal Society of Arts, in London in 1996 and awarded the lifelong Artists' Grant by the Danish Ministry of Culture in 1998. |
