Scan Magazine | Issue 63 | April 2014

KIM BODNIA – ALWAYS ON A MISSIONCELEBRATING NORWAY’S CONSTITUTIONBIG SCANDINAVIAN FAMILY SPECIALGEARING UP FOR THE EUROVISION P

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ISSUE63

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Scan Magazine | Contents

COVER FEATURE8 Kim Bodnia: always on a mission

The enthusiastic actor behind the lovable The Bridgelead, Martin Rhode, Kim Bodnia tells Scan Magazineabout being the fastest runner in Denmark at the ageof 14, moving to New York, and the upcoming third sea-son of the popular Nordic Noir show.

DESIGN14 Tradition meets innovation

In addition to our usual picks, this month’s design sec-tion combines the most groundbreaking high-technological interiors solutions with the very best oftraditional hand-crafted design; everything that Scan-dinavia does so well, you might say.

SPORTS PROFILE17 Emma Johansson’s truths

The Swedish pro-cyclist, ranked number 1 in the UCIrankings, tells Scan Magazine about being her ownboss, taking in the Olympics podium, and beneficialScandinavian traits.

SPECIAL FEATURES18 The sound of music

We went music-centric with this month’s special fea-tures, discovering Aalborg’s brand newMusikkens Husand talking to the Swedish culture enthusiast behind anupcoming exclusive Cadogan Hall concert.

SPECIAL THEMES21 Norwegian Constitution Anniversary

Though celebrations have already started, the big dayitself is now fast approaching and we thought it hightime to look in more detail at the historical events be-hind Norway’s radical constitution, the country’s his-torical hotspots, and the top destinations for celebrat-ing the jubilee.

29 Discover SvalbardWith Norway deserving all the attention it can get thismonth, we quickly dip into the magical Arctic Ocean ar-chipelago that is Svalbard. Simply stunning.

33 Children of Scandinavia: NorwayDubbed a parental paradise, Scandinavia is a placethat loves families and makes family life that bit easier.Norwegians, it turns out, are now the happiest peoplein the world. We set out to explore the crazy fun they getup to in their leisure time.

37 Children of Scandinavia: DenmarkHome to LEGO and its legacy, Denmark is renowned fora cycling-friendly, design-savvy, community-focusedtake on life, and indeed, as Scan Magazine discovered,there are countless Danish brands leading the way forchild-focused design and development.

58 Children of Scandinavia: SwedenIf you have never seen a BRIO toy, you most certainlyare not a parent, and you have missed out on the strongtide of childhood nostalgia that is currently sweepingacross Europe. From BRIO to quality teddies and Sci-ence Centres, we found out about the family-friendlybrands of the country with the most generous parentalleave in the world.

70 Cultural FinlandFestival season is only around the corner, yet it seemsto have passed many festival lovers by that Finland is apromising destination for a trip combining culture withnature and relaxation. Here is your guide.

BUSINESS92 On communication skills and reaching goals

We have two powerful business columns this month, inaddition to a report from Nordea Bank S.A., whose CEOis retiring. That, and the story behind some of the bestliquorice on the market. Because you can never get toomuch liquorice.

CULTURE100 Eurovision special

Spring may always seem to arrive late in Scandinavia,so thank goodness for the Eurovision Song Contest!What better way to spend the months leading up to thebig show than with countless local and national quali-fying contests? Exactly: no better way. Add a Q&A withthe writers behind some of Nordic Noir’s most suc-cessful shows, and the result is a pretty splendid Cul-ture Section.

REGULARS & COLUMNS12 We Love This | 13 Fashion Diary | 82 Hotels of the Month | 86 Attractions of the Month

90 Restaurant of the Month | 98 Humour

Contents12


Norwegians have always been fabulously bril-liant at celebrating 17 May, the national inde-pendence day, but in light of the tragicmassacreof almost three years ago, it feelsmore pertinentthan ever to give the 200th anniversary of theconstitution plenty of attention. We join the Nor-wegians in celebrating democracy, freedom andequality with a special piece about the historical

events that led to the signing of the constitution, alongside features oneverything from jubilee highlights and historical hotspots to family-friendlydestinations in the great Scandinavian country in the west.

And speaking of family-friendly: this, we have plenty of in the April is-sue of Scan Magazine. Dubbed a parental paradise, Scandinavia offerssome of the most generous parental leave packages in the world, in ad-dition to highly subsidised childcare, a love of the great outdoors, and end-less child-friendly brands that make family life that bit safer, muchgreener, and a lot more fun. If in need of children’s wear or toys, or if plan-ning your next family holiday, look no further.

While the abovemay well contribute to the fact that Scandinavians arerepeatedly proved to be amongst the happiest people in the world, a lessscientifically-proved happiness contributor that we have nonethelessmade the most of in this issue is the Scandinavian devotion to the Euro-vision Song Contest. Read all about who won, who lost, and who is likely

to take home the big trophy at the European-wide finals next month, in ourEurovision Special.

Once done gloating about our highly-held democratic principles,healthy and happy children, and unquestionably world-class songwritingskills, Scandinavians are likely to move on to the slightly less glorifyingworld of Nordic Noir – which, of course, is just another trend that highlightsthe world’s current obsession with the cool countries up north. If NordicNoir is the cream of the crime fiction crop, Martin Rhode and Saga Norénare undoubtedly the king and queen of said cream. It is no exaggeration,then, to say that we have the current King of Scandinavia, the amazinglywarm and likeable Kim Bodnia, on the cover this month – a fascinatingcover feature for another jam-packed issue.

Please tuck in.

Linnea DunneEditor

4 | Issue 63 | April 2014

Scan Magazine | Editor’s Note

Dear Reader,

Scan Magazine

Issue 63 | April 2014

Published 04.04.2014

ISSN 1757-9589

Published by

Scan Magazine Ltd

Design & Print

Liquid Graphic Ltd

Executive Editor

Thomas Winther

Creative Director

Mads E. Petersen

Editor

Linnea Dunne

Graphic Designer

Svetlana Slizova

Copy-editor

Mark Rogers

ContributorsEmelie Krugly HillJulie Guldbrandsen

Emmie CollingeSigne HansenCamilla HuuseUlrika KuoppaJulie LindénKjersti WestengIngvild Larsen VetrhusStian SangvigMagnus Nygren SyversenStine GjevnoeElse KvistMarjorie de los Angeles MendietaNicolai LisbergThomas Bech HansenTina Lukmann AndersenSara MangsboAstrid ErikssonTaina VärriMia HalonenTuomo PaananenNdela FayeChristina ToimelaJohannes LaitilaJoanna NylundPaul BlackhurstAnnika Åman GoodwilleEleonoora KirkMette LisbyMaria SmedstadDena Tahmasebi

Adam Jacot de BoinodKarl BatterbeeDavid NikelSara Schedin

Sales & Key Account ManagersEmma Fabritius NørregaardMette TonnessenJohan EnelyckeJonna Klebom

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Sweden • Norway • Denmark • Finland • Luxembourg • Switzerland • United Kingdom • Singapore • Estonia • Latvia • Lithuania



Emelie Krugly Hill is a Swedish free-lance journalist based in London,working for both Swedish and Britishpublications. Particular interests areSwedish news and current affairs, aswell as the export of Scandinavian cul-ture to the UK and vice versa.

Prior to her move to the UK in2006, Emelie worked for a number ofnewspapers in southern Sweden. She

began working as a youth editor, moving on to become a newsreporter, an obituary editor and a proofreader. During this timeshe also studied at Poppius Journalistskola in Stockholm.

Emelie has produced numerous cover features, culture-related articles, news stories and other features about Swedesin London for Scan Magazine ever since the start in 2008. Readmore about her work at emeliekrugly.com.

For the April issue, Emelie contributes with a cover re-portage of an inspiring meeting with the fascinating Danishactor that is Kim Bodnia.

Ulrika Kuoppa is a Swedish long-term UK resident working as a TV,radio, web and newspaper journalistand copywriter. Years of live broad-casting have taught her that all peo-ple remember is what your eyebrowslook like, so there is really no need tostress – unless your eyebrows areuntidy.

Ulrika is currently working on try-ing to make her clonky guitar sound better, riding her cyclo-cross bike faster, and finishing her first children's book. Thatis when she is not writing for ScanMagazine about all that Swe-den has to offer.

For the April issue of Scan Magazine, Ulrika finds out whySkansen is the place to go for families on holidays in Stockholmand reports about an exciting upcoming London show.

Astrid Eriksson moved to London in2011 to study journalism at the Uni-versity of Westminster. Throughouther time in London she has been free-lancing as a writer and translator andis looking forward to turning it in to afull-time operation after her upcom-ing graduation.

Astrid loves coffee, working, walk-ing, dogs, singing, Google Translate

and laughing at her own jokes. When she is feeling low, shegives herself a high-five to cheer herself up, and if that does nothelp, there is always dancing.

Astrid goes back to her native Sweden as often as she canand is working hard to collect enough frequent flyer points toget a free croissant. But no matter how hard her heart beatsand bleeds for Sweden, she fell in love with London right off thebat and has never once regretted her decision to move.

This month, join Astrid as she finds out about the SwedishRailway Museum and brings the child inside to life.

Thomas Bech Hansen holds an MA inCommunications from Aarhus Uni-versity and works full-time as a PRadviser. On the side, he is a freelancejournalist and attends a postgraduateprogramme at London School of Jour-nalism. After a couple of spells inEngland, he is now back in his nativeDenmark, Copenhagen to be exact.

Besides writing, his greatest inter-ests reveal that he is a bit of an anglophile, with British footballand music at the top of the list.

Great stories, Thomas believes, are everywhere. A big partof his motivation is meeting new people and getting into areashe otherwise would never have access to. Indeed, he has cov-ered a variety of topics for Scan Magazine – from architectureto aquavit.

This month, Thomas makes his first foray into the world offashion, as he speaks to the owner of Danish clothing labelDanefæ.

This month’s featured contributors

Scan Magazine | Contributors




Scan Magazine | Cover Feature | Kim Bodnia


Issue 63 | April 2014 | 9


Kim BodniaAlways on a missionSporting an impressive sheepskin coat, he is taller than we imagined and broad-shouldered, with intense blue eyes. His hand

shake is firm, his voice big and his enthusiasm infectious, yet there is something about Kim Bodnia’s aura that is hard to define.

By Emilie Krugly Hill | Photo: Tim Mitchell / timmitchell.co.uk

Most know him as the character MartinRhode, a Danish detective, and for the lastmonth an estimated one million Britonsand expats have been glued to theirscreens watching double-bill episodes ofthe 10-part detective drama The Bridge.The series is filmed in two languages(Swedish and Danish) that most havenever even aspired to understand, letalone speak, but this has in no way ham-pered its phenomenal success.

It is the day before the final two episodesof The Bridge II are aired, Bodnia is at theSanderson Hotel in central London, andguests are turning their heads. He hasrecently returned from New York, wherehe was busy directing The Tailor’s Tale, aplay by his cousin Alexander BodinSaphir about his Jewish grandfather’sbrother’s life in Copenhagen during theNazi occupation. “It obviously can’t getmore personal and intimate than this,”says Bodnia. “This is something I knew Ineeded to do – it’s a part of my history,

the story I’ve always wanted to tell theworld.”

He then transports us back in time, re-counting anecdotes from his early daysin theatre. He is relaxed and clearly ex-cited to be in town to appear at the Nordi-cana festival at The Old Truman Brewery.

The fastest runner in Denmark

Born to Jewish parents, Bodnia grew up inCopenhagen and in his youth wrote music,lyrics and poems. He never enjoyed schoolduring his early years, but fortunately aphotographic memory helped him pullthrough. He went on to study at the Na-tional school of theatre in Copenhagen.

“I'm half-Russian, half-Polish and all Jew-ish. At 14, I was the fastest runner in Den-mark, believe it or not, and a youth cham-pion in the 100-metre run and long jumpand later on a professional goalkeeper,but a foot injury put a stop to any plans tobecome an athlete,” says the actor.

Unperturbed and with the prospect of anew fate, Bodnia eagerly turned to thetheatre, which in a sense was the perfectway for him to declare his love of art to theworld. “All I want to do with my acting, foras long as I live, is to connect peoplethrough love. That’s my mission,” Kim ex-plains in a serious tone.

He orders a salad and a tall grapefruitjuice, announcing that he is currently go-ing through a vegetarian phase. “Whenwe recorded The Bridge I ate lots of meatto get the energy to keep me going, butnormally I don’t need to eat that much;salads are usually enough for me.”

We chat casually about his love of actingand passion for performance art, whathe describes as his destiny. His grand-mother, who played an important role inhis life, would often remind him of howfar she had predicted he would go, andhe gets quite emotional talking abouther.


10 | Issue 63 | April 2014

A gentle bear of a manBodnia is often described as a gentle bearof a man with strong and warm charac-teristics, which leads us to ask about hispeculiar interest in animal behaviour,something he has been studying for years.“I study all animals,” he says. “In fact, I’vealways used animal behaviour as a refer-ence for my acting, as their response pat-tern is different and unpredictable. TakeHarald in In China They Eat Dogs: he is agorilla, and if you look closely, you cansee him standing like a gorilla in severalscenes – it’s proven to be a very usefulskill. I often judge people by what animalthey might be.”

A father of four, Bodnia’s children – hisfirst son, with the actress Lotte Andersen,and his other three children, with his wife,actress Rikke Louise Andersson – all

share his love of the arts. “My family iseverything to me: I need them and wouldbe nobody without them. It’s often veryhard to live for long periods without them,but we talk on the telephone and I tell mykids that longing is all about love,” he says.

“They’ve got art in their genes; acting is intheir blood and they are already showinggreat potential. My eldest son, Louis, is aterrific piano player: he recently gave aperformance in New York and was impro-vising like I’ve never seen. My two littleboys Charlie and Miles are also ravingabout the theatre, along with my daughter,Nomi, who loves to sing and dance.”

Just about to make a big move to NewYork, neither Bodnia nor his family canwait. “I feel at home over there,” he ex-plains. “It’s easy to fit in. You’re never

alone in a big city like New York as youeasily connect with people. Denmark hasalways felt small and it is a bit claustro-phobic; moving abroad is something I’vewanted to do all my life.”

Third season all about Saga

While preparing the move, Bodnia hasalso started recording the third season ofThe Bridge, which has already been soldto 150 countries, and is understandablyexcited about what is to come. “It’s out ofcontrol, complete madness – but in awonderful way. So far it’s all been aboutMartin, but this time the focus will be onSaga and what’s really going on insidethis closed book of a character,” the actorreveals. “At the end of the second season,we just began to find out about her past,but there is more to come. It’s going to begreat.”



Issue 63 | April 2014 | 11

Of all the characters Bodnia has played,he insists that he has most in commonwith Martin, who is strong, warm and sen-sitive – a far cry from the tormented andunpredictable characters he has playedso well in the past, resulting in people ac-tually thinking of him as “a bastard in reallife, which in a way is actually the highestpraise an actor can receive,” he suggests.

“I had a gut feeling that the series was go-ing to be a success,” Bodnia admits. “YetI had no idea that it would become such asuccess in the UK. We’ve always held UKproductions in such high regard, and nowyou’re admiring our work, which is in-credible. I have loved every minute of it,not least playing alongside Sofia Helin(Saga Norén), a fascinating character andin my opinion far from emotionless aspeople often describe her; on the con-

trary, I find her full of emotions, almostchild-like.”

Bodnia’s early breakthrough was as ma-cho character Jens in Ole Bornedal’sNightwatch (1994). After that, he starred inwhat many consider his best performanceto date, Nicolas Winding Refn’s cult movie,Pusher (1996), where he plays a low-leveldrug dealer named Frank, alongside MadsMikkelsen. Since then, he has appeared innearly 60 films, including Bleeder (1999),In China They Eat Dogs (1999), and its pre-quel Old Men in New Cars (2002).

Bodnia will soon be seen playing along-side Jennifer Lawrence and BradleyCooper in the not-yet released Hollywoodproduction Serena, based on the novel ofthe same name by American author RonRash, and directed by Susanne Bier.

The Bridge Seasons I&II are available onDVD and Blu-ray from Arrow Film’sNordic Noir label.

For more information, please visit:www.bodnia.dk

From The Bridge II. Photos: Noble PR


Kim Bodnia with writer Emelie Krugly Hill. Photo: TimMitchell


12 | Issue 63 | April 2014

Scan Magazine | Design | We Love This

We love this...Aswe are gearing up for weekends devoted to the garden, our selection of home accessories takes an outdoorsy turnthis month. And while we do love an unfussy and demure interior style, we cannot resist adding more than a fewcolour splashes – it just makes us smile.

By Julie Guldbrandsen

‘On-the-move’ is a stylish and lightweight side

table by Cane-Line with an easy-to-grab handle

and removable tray. Made from aluminium, it is

perfect for outdoor use. Available in six colours.

£225. www.cane-line.co.uk.

The graphic minimalism of these luxe knitted cushions by Fuss goes perfectly hand-in-hand with

the unfussy Scandinavian decoration philosophy. There are many cool colour combinations and

patterns available.

£73. www.byflou.com.

Royal Copenhagen’s new bonbonniere, with its

sweet hyacinth motif, is a little welcome treasure

for the new season. Use it for Easter sweets or

as a diminutive plant pot for spring flowers. £39.

www.royalcopenhagen.com.

The ‘Pantone’ cups by Room Copenhagen

are a cheerful choice for your tea or coffee

routine. Made from melamine with a heat-

protecting band in silicone, they are also

very practical. In line with the Pantone

Universe, they come in a wide range of

on-trend seasonal colours. £15.

www.royaldesign.co.uk.

Finnish interior brand Kauniste has

created a lovely range of home interiors.

We particularly love this coral-tinted

wool throw, which will liven up your

couch or garden furniture in a flash.

£92. www.kauniste.bigcartel.com.


Issue 63 | April 2014 | 13

Fashion Diary...Having just recovered from the worldwide frenzy of countless FashionWeeks, during which we were confronted withsome stunning A/W 14/15 pieces, we should probably settle down and focus on here and now: the first buds of spring,the blossom, and bare legs.

By Emmie Collinge

Rocking these jacquard print shorts will turn

some heads. We love the matching top, but

Clueless was in 1995 and no one will expect

you to match this spring – although we

would definitely give you a thumbs up. £89

www.bruunsbazaar.dk

This look is a springtime winner: a

laissez-faire stylish tee rounded off with

these suede ankle boots from Samsøe

& Samsøe. The height is manageable,

the shade summery – what’s not to

love? £177.50 (boots) £59 (tee)

www.samsoe.com

Add a casual dress and ankle socks and

you will get a spring in your step. With the

softest of mohair wool, you will be the

stylish one who knows that spring evenings

can veer on the chilly side. £45

www.weekday.com

Scan Magazine | Design | Fashion Diary


14 | Issue 63 | April 2014

When first seeing the stylish Opalumspeakers, you might be forgiven for beingunable to connect those paper-like walldesigns to the spacious, round sound thatthey produce. But that the speakers arethe source of one of the most sonically-balanced, accurate and time-coherentsounds available within on-wall solutionsis a fact confirmed by several industry ex-perts and awarding bodies. Many agreethat Opalum has raised the sonic bar forlifestyle sound solutions, and to do ex-actly that was the ambition at the com-pany’s foundation in 2009.

To put it more precisely, the company’sthree founders, sound engineer Pär G.Risberg, managing director Lasse Hald,and vice president of global sales andmarketing Ulrik Sindberg, wanted tomakethe world’s highest-performance, ultra-thin, digitally-active loudspeakers. “We al-ways wanted to provide the best solutionon the on-wall speaker market, and to dothat the main criteria are to avoid toomany cables and create a flexible sys-tem,” explains Sindberg, adding: “The keyto our system’s adaptability is our flexiblesource, the hub. You can connect every-

thing to this, a multi-room system or justyour TV or music system. It is very simple:you can connect the speaker to the huband then stream music from your phonestraight away. That’s why we are traded byso many interior designers – they like oursystem because it’s so simple.”

During Opalum’s short existence to date,its core technologies have secured thebrand a firm position on the European andNorth American markets, and the com-pany is now expanding into the growingmarkets of China.

With a clear touch of Scandinavian design and full, rich sound, Opalum’s on-wall speaker system is transcending the border be-tween interior design and sound technology. The company’s popularity within the design sector stems from its two patented tech-nologies, whichmake it possible to create not just ultra-thin, but also self-powered, speakers, eliminating the need for unsightlypower cables.

By Signe Hansen | Photos: Opalum

The new look of Scandinavian sound

Opalum’s ultra-thin on-wall speakers are powered through the same thin signal cable connecting loudspeaker and hub, making chunky power cables superfluous.


Issue 63 | April 2014 | 15

Seamless, colourful designsTo create a design that matched theOpalum speaker’s extraordinary poten-tial, the company’s three founders se-cured the assistance of one of Scandi-navia’s top designers, Eva Hanner. Sheinitially created the brand’s characteristicpaper-like FLOW speaker. The elegance ofthe FLOW speaker’s wave-shaped cabi-net not only gives it what the designercalls “a feminine touch” but also min-imises vibrations and directs the soundtowards the listener. “Our clients are typ-ically very design conscious, and that’swhy, at the heart of it all, it’s about creat-ing a cool piece of what you could call ‘artdesign’,” says Sindberg. The artistic ap-proach is evenmore obvious in the brand’sfollowing development, the BREEZEspeaker, which with multiple replaceablecolour fronts allows the owner to changecolours to suit interior, season, or mood.

High-tech – low complexity

The patented technologies, which allowOpalum’s sleek, almost acoustically-impossible, designs to accommodate theiroutstanding sonic performance, are theresult of years of research at LinköpingUniversity. The first technology, which wasdeveloped and patented by Pär G. Ris-berg, was the Actisonic, which processesthe audio signal digitally while enhancingand controlling it all the way through am-plification and to speakers. It is, says Sind-berg, what makes the sound “magic”.

Another patentedtechnology uniqueto Opalum is Acti-line. Actiline en-ables the speak-ers to receive bothelectricity andsound signalsthrough the samethin signal cableconnecting loud-speaker and hub,the latter of whichis the focal pointfor all music andsound devices.The hub is at thecore of the sys-tem’s flexibility,ensuring that itnot only provides asonic perform-ance unmatchedin other lifestyleaudio products,but also includesthe latest genera-tion of high-qualityaudio streamingby, for instance, combining Opalum’s Ac-tiline technology with the latest generationof Bluetooth wireless streaming. Whentechnological advances happen, the hubwill be updated and can be replaced for afraction of the price of a new sound sys-tem.

“It’s all made very simple, down to thepoint where you don’t even need a sepa-rate remote control if you don’t want it;you can just use the one for your TV,” ex-plains Sindberg and rounds off: “There isa lot of technology behind it, but in the endthat’s what makes it so easy to use.”

For more information, please visit:www.opalum.com

Scan Magazine | Design Feature | Opalum of Scandinavia

Opalum’s newly-launched KitchenSound Unit is incorporated into kitchendesigns by Europe’s most innovativekitchen brands, including HTH, Magnet,Marbodal, Sigdal, Novart, Hygena, EWEand Goldreif – all brands owned byNobia.

Opalum will be represented at thisyear’s NeoCon Conference in Chicago,North America’s largest designexhibition for commercial interiors.

Thanks to Opalum’s patented Actisonic technology, the FLOW speaker’s sound is not constrictedby the tiny dimensions of the loudspeaker.


16 | Issue 63 | April 2014

This footwear perfection is today known asthe Aurland shoe and has been producedat the Aurland shoe factory since the1930s. Part of a family-run businesswhere the ancestors are watching fromportraits on the walls, Geirfinn Lysne is afifth-generation shoemaker.

The history is a complex one: the originalfactory was started by a family namedWangen and run by them for three gener-ations before the Tveranger clan got in-volved. Nils Gregorius Tveranger, Lysne’sgreat-great-grandad, designed the firstAurland shoe in America and started themodern shoe adventure in 1953. The twofamilies partly ran the business togetherfrom then on until today, always focusingon maintaining, but also improving, thealready one-of-a-kind shoe.

“My great-great-grandad went to the USto learn shoe production and returned toNorway with his idea,” says Lysne. Today,the factory uses Tveranger’s original de-sign but aims to come up with limited edi-tions in different colours every season.

The village on the west coast of Norway isknown locally for its shoes, but the Aur-land design has also influenced interna-tional fashion. After American journalistsfeatured the original shoe in an article, thedesign was picked up by the US companyG.H. Bass & Co, and in 1936 the Americanbrand put a stylish spin on the Norwe-gian shoe design and playfully dubbedtheir shoes ‘Weejuns’ – after Norwegians.“We have the original design to what isknown worldwide as the penny loafer,”Lysne says proudly, adding that even

though he is surrounded by shoes daily,there is still one special pair up on thewall that he will never get rid of. “It is asmall pair of shoes that my dad wore onNorway’s national day 50 years ago,” heexplains. “He was very proud of hisloafers, but wearing new shoes in a pa-rade is something every child in Norwaytoday knows not to do.”

Even though the small pair of loaferscaused the 5-year-old some burning blis-ters back in 1949, the boy did not give upand continued to wear the brand for yearsto come, before handing the company overto his son – a man who today can be spot-ted walking the streets of Aurland, wear-ing identical loafers.

The secret ingredients needed for a flawless pair of shoesmight seem difficult to comeupwith, but for a locally-run shoe factory in Aurland, the answer proved a simple one.Take Native American moccasins mixed with a Norwegian slipper, and add a dash offresh Scandinavian air – and you have got the perfect product.

By Camilla Huuse | Photos: Aurland Shoe Factory AS

For more information, please visit:www.aurlandskoen.no

International fashion inNorwegian village design

A pair of Aurland shoes in spring colours.

Scan Magazine | Design Profile | Aurland Shoe Factory AS

Ingvald Lysne, Geirfinn Lysne’s father.

Shoe-making workshop at Onstad-Øyri, circa 1907.

Aurland shoes being produced.


Issue 63 | April 2014 | 17

Standing on the Olympic podium is a lotof fun. After a silver medal in Beijing, the2012 Olympics were a lot harder. Men-tally, it was a tough year and it took a lotof energy to come back from.

Cycling in Sweden is like cross-countryskiing in Belgium. Cycling does not getmuch attention in the Swedish press.Sometimes I think they’re more interestedin scandals.

I wouldn’t be a pro-cyclist today if it wasnot formy school. Living in SollefteåmeantI naturally went cross-country skiing andmountain biking a lot, but I spent everyweekend driving eight or nine hours toraces, so when I started at the cycling-fo-cused Katedralskolan in Skara, it madeeverything a lot easier. There was a biggroup of us cycling alongside our normalclasses. We had the facilities, the supportand the training –we pushed each other on.

When we were at school we promised torace the Vätternrundan when we werethirty. Now I think we will have to pushthat back to 40 – but if I had my choice I’dnever do it. I can’t imagine riding 300 kilo-

metres around a lake on my bike. I think Iwill have to be dragged round.

I am my own boss. Life as a professionalcyclist is definitely a lifestyle. In a certainsense I am always at work, but you couldalso say that I am always on holiday. Withraces all over the world, I get to explore somany places – but I need to train consis-tently, and it is up to me to get myself outthere and push myself.

I’m not 20 anymore. I’m married and Iwant to make themost of the time with myhusband. I could have trained in Australiawith my team Orica GreenEDGE, but 40degrees Celsius is not for me!

I’m a typical Scandinavian as I am good atbuilding a good foundation in training.Winter training is the best as I love not be-ing on the road bike. I spendmy winters inNorway on the mountain bike and skiingwhenever possible, as well as powertraining in the gym.

I’m not planning on cycling once I retire.I love racing and being up at the front, butthere is so much more out there to do. In

2014, I just want some nice wins – prefer-ably the World Championships in Sep-tember in Ponferrada, Spain.

The world’s number one opens up– Emma Johansson’s truthsBy Emmie Collinge | Photos: CorVos & Davy Rietbergen

Swede Emma Johansson began herpro-cycling career in 2005, has woncountless Swedish nationalchampionships and a silvermedal at theBeijing Olympics in 2008. At the end of2013, she was ranked number 1 in the UCIrankings. Her strength: the tricky cobbledroads of Belgium.


18 | Issue 63 | April 2014

With its circular windows, raw concreteexterior, and soft, drop-like interiors,Musikkens Hus has already become anarchitectonic landmark at Aalborg’s wa-terfront. The idea for the music hall firstarose in 1986, and 24 years of fundraising,political work and planning later, the firstbrick was finally laid. Today, an impressivenine-storey, 20,000-square-metre musichall containing four concert halls, a water

view restaurant, educational and researchfacilities, and much more, is adjoiningAalborg’s new waterfront and the innercity.

CEO Lasse Rich Henningsen explains whyhe found the idea of the newmusic hall ir-resistible: “What made the project ap-pealing to me were all the big challengesthat a house like this, being such a major

cultural project not just in this part ofDenmark but also in an international per-spective, represents.” Perhaps not sur-prisingly, taking the long wait into consid-eration, Musikkens Hus has been receivedwith much enthusiasm, and that hasmanifested itself not only in impressiveticket sales but also in more than 10,000likes on Facebook, a record for projects ofthis kind. But Henningsen is not takinganything for granted: “We are a presti-gious project, but we are very humble; ofcourse, we have a lot of ideas, but if peo-

Having been in the pipeline for 28 years, Musikkens Hus, Aalborg’s much-anticipatedmusic hall, is ready to open its doors. Located on Aalborg’s redeveloped waterfront,the building presents stunning views of the Limfjord, symbolic architectonic fea-tures, and an ambitious yet pragmatic approach to art. On 29 March 2014, MusikkensHus began its journey with an array of diverse classical, rhythmic and children’s mu-sic performances.

By Signe Hansen | Photos: Elfie Semotan

Aalborg’s new music hallis ready to impress

Lasse Rich Henningsen, CEO of Musikkens Hus, describes the building’s striking exterior as “heavy metal” and its interior as “fine classical”.

Scan Magazine | Feature | Musikkens Hus

Photo: Torben Hansen Nordjyske


Issue 63 | April 2014 | 19

ple will not come, we need to do some-thing else. Until now we’ve had great suc-cess and sold a lot of tickets – more thanexpected – but we have to keep working toget people in.”

Pragmatism and artistic ambitions

As one-third of Musikkens Hus is leasedby different cultural institutions, includingAalborg Symphony Orchestra, AalborgUniversity’s Department of Music, and theRoyal Academy of Music, the building lit-erally functions as a cultural hub for theregion. Part of Henningsen’s role is there-fore to ensure that the dynamic synergiesto work and create content are facilitated.“Another part of our job is to organise andpromote concerts, and that is by far thebiggest task: it is important to ensure thatthe profile we have decided on is adheredto, but also that we listen to what the pop-ulation wants. To me it is extremely im-portant to make sure that what we aredoing is also commercial. Finding theright balance between creating a creativeprofile and running a commercial busi-ness is one of our most important andgreatest challenges,” explains the CEO.“We should not just facilitate all the greatclassical and rhythmic concerts but alsofocus on adding new conceptual thinkingand even producing new content.”

In the 13-day-long opening programme,guests at Musikkens Hus will experiencea bit of everything. One example of theconcert hall’s great ambitions when itcomes to producing new and innovativecontent is showcased on 5 April, whenAalborg Symphony Orchestra will performwith three Danish rhythmic artists, TimChristensen, Jonas Petersen and SilasBjerregaard, who will perform their own

work with the orchestra as well as pieceswritten and produced especially for thisevent.

Heavymetal exterior, fine classic interior

Musikkens Hus not only presents spec-tacular music but also architecture, andmany will be curious to see what is hiddenbehind the massive exteriors. Designedby the Austrian architect firm Coop Him-melb(l)au, the architecture is, says Hen-ningsen, as full of surprises as the artis-tic programme: “We like to say that thebuilding has a heavy metal exterior and afine classical interior,” he jokes, explain-ing: “From the outside it is kind of a heavyhouse: a lot of concrete, steel and glass.But when you move around the house,and in the concert hall, you will find whitewalls, chairs and soft, drop-like shapes –the opposite of the exterior.” The drop-like shapes characterising the largestconcert hall’s interior are designed tosymbolise the meeting between musicand water. The building’s connection to

the water is also evident in the spacious,glass-fronted foyer as well as the waterview restaurant. Both will be open to thepublic, and not just concert goers.

For tickets and more information,please visit:www.musikkenshus.dk

- Musikkens Hus’ largest concert hall seats

1,298; the smallest seats 300.

- Among the concert hall’s permanent

residents will be Aalborg Symphony

Orchestra, Jutland’s Royal Academy of

Music, Aalborg’s University’s Department of

Music, the Centre for Jazz History, and

Musikkens Spisehus (restaurant).

- Musikkens Hus opened to the public on 29

March, offering a 13-day string of concerts

with local, national, and international artists

such as Caroline Henderson, the Danish

National Symphony Orchestra, the Royal

Philharmonic Orchestra, Jamie Cullum,

and many more.

With soft white shapes, the architecture of Musikkens Hus’ largest concert hall depicts the meeting between water and music.

His Royal Highness Prince Henrik visited Musikkens Husduring its construction. Photo: Mick Anderson

Photo: Henning Bagger


20 | Issue 63 | April 2014

“This is a concert not to be missed!” saysan excited Sofie Haag, founder and MD atLondon-based From Sweden Productions.And after more than 15 years in the busi-ness and arranging several large-scalesell-out performances at top London ven-ues, she should know. On 17 May, shebrings the crème de la crème of estab-lished and up-and-coming Swedish starmusicians to Cadogan Hall, Chelsea.What better excuse to celebrate Norway’snational day in style?

Portrayed as ‘the Yngwie Malmsteen ofthe clarinet’, zany 31-year-old Emil Jona-son is one of the leading clarinettists of hisgeneration. The audience at Cadogan Hallwill experience an evening of musical ex-citement when trombonist, conductor andcomposer Christian Lindberg takes centrestage with Västerås Sinfonietta alongsideJonason. The exhilarating programme in-cludes music by Leopold Mozart (Wolf-gang Amadeus’s dad) andManuel de Falla.

Two exciting UK premieres will also maketickets go fast. Christian Lindberg, named

one of the top brass players of our times,alongside Miles Davis and Louis Arm-strong, will performMozart’s genial Dma-jor concerto. Lindberg has also written theclarinet concerto The Erratic Dreams ofMr Grönstedt, for his musical friend Jona-son to reflect the youngman’s wit and bril-liant musicianship. Grönstedt, meanwhile,is a reference to a famous Swedish brandy.

33-year-old award winning composer An-drea Tarrodi’s new piece, Lucioles (Fire-flies), bears the trademark of shimmeringand captivating beauty that rapidly shother to stardom and earned her the job ascomposer-in-residence with the VästeråsSinfonietta. This 33-strong chamber or-chestra, its roots tracing back to 1883,collaborates regularly with soloists. “Thisorchestra has always been very close tomy heart,” says Lindberg. “It is one of themost exciting chamber orchestras inScandinavia at the moment.”

“We are immensely proud to welcomethese exciting artists to Cadogan Hall,”says Sofie Haag. “From Sweden Produc-

tions is a leading promoter of Swedishclassical music and performing artsabroad. We are passionate about promot-ing high-quality artists and productions,showcasing the best of Swedish enter-tainment to an international audience.This evening will be a fresh boost of en-ergy, for everyone!”

Star trombonist Lindberg is back in town!Fresh Swedish air will come blasting in at Cadogan Hall when world-famous trom-bonist Christian Lindberg returns to London to performMozart and his own new piece,written for critically-acclaimed clarinettist Emil Jonason. The dynamic chamber or-chestra, Västerås Sinfonietta, will calm the atmosphere downwith composer AndreaTarrodi’s captivating UK premiere.

By Ulrika Kuoppa

For more information, please visit:www.fromswedenproductions.com

The Erratic Dreams of Christian Lindberg

is promoted in partnership with the Embassy

of Sweden in London and the Swedish

Chamber of Commerce for

the UK.

Tickets £15-£35,

www.cadoganhall.com, 020 7730 4500.

Christian Lindberg. Photo: Mats Backer Emil Jonason. Photo: Andreas Sander

Andrea Tarrodi. Photo: Louisa Sundell


Issue 62 | March 2014 | 21

In January 1814, Norway was a farmingnation ruled by King Fredrik VI of Den-mark. As early as 1536 Norway had beendissolved as a nation and integrated intoits southern neighbour. From the begin-ning of the 1800s the Napoleonic warshad raged across the European continent– and had forced King Fredrik to surren-der Norway to a fate under Swedish rule.Concurrently, an uprising of unparalleledstrength was simmering in the west-Nordic nation.

Gathering in the name of independenceWhat happened next was to forever markthe pages of history books. Calling 21notables to a hasty meeting, stattholder ofNorway, Christian Fredrik, announcedthat he aimed to dispute the arrangementbetween Denmark and Sweden and taketo the throne as king. The officials said no.They demanded that the people shoulddecide – but it had to happen quickly, be-fore the Swedish army could attack.Christian Fredrik was overruled. One

choice remained: summoning a con-stituent assembly in the name of Norwe-gian independence.

1814 – the Norwegian year of miraclesForNorwegians, one particular calendar date echoes with loyal resonance. The national independence day of 17May is a day spentcelebrating a country noted for its belief in freedom, democracy and equality, values upheld by the world’s second oldest consti-tution. This year, the 200th anniversary of this constitution, which has been called miraculous by many an historian, will be cel-ebrated all over Norway. So what sparked the Norwegian year of miracles?

By Julie Lindén

The painting Eidsvold 1814 by Oscar Wergeland. © Stortinget. Photo: Teigens Fotoatelier

Fragmentary view of seals, Constitution of the Kingdom ofNorway, May 17th 1814. © Stortinget. Photo: Vidar M. Husby

SPECIAL THEME:

NORWEGIAN CONSTITUTION ANNIVERSARY


22 | Issue 63 | April 2014

On 10 April 1814, 112 men from differentbackgrounds, hometowns and walks of lifecame together on a humble country houseestate in Eidsvoll, north of Oslo, to form theNorwegian constitution. They had beenelected individually in the towns or ruralareas they came from, alternatively in theirmilitary regiment. Facing each other sit-ting side-by-side on wooden benches inthe great room decorated by little else thanspruce twigs were lawyers, farmers,scholars and theologians. Only five menwere over 60 years old. The average agewas 42. The youngest member, lieutenantThomas Konow, was only 17. An extraor-dinarymix of people and stories, according

to Odd Arvid Storsveen, professor of his-tory at the University of Oslo:

“It was a completely new idea in Norway atthe time, that farmers should have anequal right to lawyers in making theiropinions heard. This was a time and stateof emergency, with the looming threat ofa Swedish invasion, but it was still impor-tant for Christian Fredrik to have repre-sentatives from all counties and social or-ders present.”

The birth of a constitution

We know far from all about the proceed-ings that took place at Eidsvoll, as no ste-

Women in national costumes at Norsk Folkemuseum, Oslo.Photo: Anne-Lise Reinsfelt/Norsk Folkemuseum/visitnor-way.com

Celebration of Norway's National Day in Oslo. Photo: Nancy Bundt/visitnorway.com


Issue 63 | April 2014 | 23

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Norwegian Constitution Anniversary

nographer was deemed necessary. Still,diary notes, submissions to the protocoland letters sent home tell of heated de-bate, drinking feasts and physical con-frontations.

“There aremany stories of how thesemenat times ended up duelling and fighting. Itwasn’t idyllic in any way, but they hadgrown up in a revolutionary world andwere deeply moved by this extraordinarychance to decide over their own lives forthe first time,” says Storsveen.

The constitution was approved on 16May, dated on 17 May. In around 40 days,

and before any action could be mobilisedby neighbouring countries, Norway hadbuilt its own national statute. It wasbased on the idea of separation of pow-ers, and was relatively radical in itsdemocratic approach – an approach thatcould only be likened to the most liberalstates in the US at the time. It gave farm-ers the right to vote, along with malelandowners of a certain level. The finalversion was made up of a mere 110paragraphs, a rather short constitutionaltext compared to other examples. It isstill the fastest developed constitutionin the world, and is today one of the old-est still in use.

“The electorate that was made way forwas surprisingly wide compared to othercountries. If you owned or leased land youcould register your name and vote. Thiswas a huge contrast to the autocracy un-der the Danish king – the new constitutiongave power to the people through a par-liament,” says Storsveen.

Democracy two centuries onTwo hundred years later, the Eidsvoll es-tate’s interiors have been restored to asclosely as possible resemble the rooms of1814. Throughout Norway, a year of na-tional celebrations has commenced, hon-ouring the values and rights that the con-stitutional assembly fought for – andattained.

Hanne Hjelbak, head of communicationsat the Constitutional Bicentenary, theNorwegian Parliament, calls the string ofevents marking the anniversary ‘the ju-bilee of the people’.

“In some way, this anniversary will high-light many of the social values we take forgranted. The jubilee has a remarkablesymbolic power, and democracy, freedomand security are key focal points – and wewant to teach the constitution in order tobuild the future ahead,” says Hjelbak.“This is a small document with great con-tent. It’s the foundation for who we are.”

Oslo on Norway's National Day. Children march with flags. Photo: Nancy Bundt/visitnorway.com


24 | Issue 63 | April 2014

Stiklestad National Culture Centre is nes-tled in a picturesque cultural landscapenear the Trondheim Fjord, and tells thestory of St. Olav and the birthplace of theNorwegian nation. In the year of 1030,Olav II Haraldsson was travelling aroundNorway spreading the Christian gospel,but was killed in the great battle at Stik-lestad. As a result of his death, Norwaywas Christianised and united under oneking.

According to legend, Olav’s grave, situ-ated close to the River Nidelven in Nidaros(Trondheim), was opened one year afterhis death, and it was discovered that hishair and nails had continued to grow. As aresult of this miracle, Olav was canon-ised, and a church was built above his

grave. This was the start of what was tobecome Nidaros Cathedral, which is todayNorway’s biggest cathedral, nationalsanctuary and church of coronation. To-gether with the Archbishop’s Palace,where Norway’s Crown Jewels are on dis-play, it is one of the country’s major touristattractions.

In the Middle Ages, Nidaros was the des-tination of pilgrims on a par with Santiagode Compostela, Rome and Jerusalem,which again today attracts ever-increasingnumbers of pilgrims who walk along theSt. Olav Way. The Pilgrim Route to Trond-heim and Nidaros Cathedral is a part ofthe European Cultural Routes. Along theway, you can spend the night and have ameal at venues ranging from cosy hostels

to the venerable Kongsvold Fjeldstuemountain inn. There is also a pilgrim routefrom Sweden to Stiklestad.

When visiting Nidaros Cathedral, you canjoin a guided tour or explore the cathedralon your own. If you are lucky, someonemay be practising playing the organ, orperforming an organ concert when youdrop in – a wonderful experience. Thewestern façade, with its large number ofdetailed statues, is also worth studying.

Read more about historical Trøndelagon: www.trondelag.com

Many of the key events in Norwegian history took place in Trøndelag, and there is goodreasonwhy Stiklestad is known as the cradle of Norway andNidaros Cathedral as Nor-way’s national sanctuary.

By Trøndelag

Trøndelag– at the heart of Norway’s history

Left: Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim. Photo: CH-Visitnorway.com. Right: Children playing at Stiklestad. Photo: Marius Rua

The St. Olav Way. Photo: Havard Johansen



Within the four walls of Tromsø’s most recog-nisable landmark building, designed by archi-tect Jan Inge Hovig in 1965, you can hearbeautiful tunes played almost every day of theyear. At Tromsdalen Church, commonly knownas The Arctic Cathedral (Ishavskatedralen),the musicians only have one day off annually –and that is Holy Saturday. But, as AgnetheSoelberg explains, that is exactly what makesthe church special.

Both a working church and a tourist destina-tion, The Arctic Cathedral hovers as a guardianangel over the city of Tromsø, a lively city on theedge of the Arctic. And as the winter tourism innorthern Norway keeps escalating, so does thechurch’s reputation. In 2013, the cathedralsigned a contract with Hurtigruten (‘the Ex-press Route’), which is a daily passenger serv-ice along Norway’s western and northern coast,and today beautiful music can be heard 364days a year – making The Arctic Cathedral theonly church in the country to offer such an ex-tensive range of concerts.

“We are the church in Norway that hoststhe most live performances throughout theyear, and in 2013 we had over 500 concerts,”says Soelberg, who is responsible for culturalevents at the church. She reveals that thisyear’s summer programme includes a newseason of the traditional midnight sun con-certs originating from the 1980s, starting nextmonth. Audiences can expect a mixed reper-toire of singing and traditional music, accom-panied on many occasions by an impressive2,904-pipe organ.

The astonishing building draws inspirationfrom the Norwegian landscape and resemblesimpressive arctic ice mountains. But, even withits magical, icy Scandinavian look, the church isanything but cold: while the northern lights aredancing on the midnight sky, the cathedral willwarm you up with traditional Norwegian tunesinside.

For more information, please visit:www.ishavskatedralen.no

Cathedral tunes at the tip of NorwayBy Camilla Huuse

Above: The beautiful cathedral hovers over Tromsø.Photo: Yngve Olsen Sæbbe

The impressive 2,904-pipe organ. Photo: Joakim Enger

Everyone deserves to discover Scandinavia.

www.stenaline.co.uk

Everyone deserves a break.

Taking your car to Scandinavia? Let us share the driving. With a choice of short routes and frequent crossings or longer overnight journeys, you can decide how much time you want to spend driving and how much time you’d like to spend onboard. When you see our fabulous ferries, you’ll wonder why you never took this route before!

Remember, book early to get the best fares.


26 | Issue 63 | April 2014

Situated in Hamsun’s hometown ofHamarøy in the northern Norwegiancounty of Nordland, the Hamsun Centre(Hamsunsenteret) rises as a monumentalbeacon of literature interpretation. De-signed by renowned architect Steven Holl,the centre was completed on the 150thanniversary of Hamsun’s birth on 4 August2009, and offers year-round adventuresand cultural experiences for visitors of allages and interests.

Interpreting a literary genius

The architectural importance of Holl’s de-sign is a particular and popular attraction

for tourists and enthusiasts from all overthe globe. Both the characteristic north-ern Norwegian landscape and its lightwere considered from the very firstsketches of the centre, resulting in shift-ing light projections and appearances de-pending on time of day and season.

“The centre as a building is a wonderfularchitectural interpretation and con-veyance of Hamsun’s authorship, and ittruly touches people who come and visitus. Holl designed the centre after readingmany of Hamsun’s most famous and earlyworks, and was particularly inspired by

Hewas inspirational and controversial – but first and foremost one of Scandinavia’smost famous and innovative authors of all time.Knut Hamsunwas awriterwho resisted two-dimensional depictions andwent to great lengths tomake his fascinating personas comealive and inspire readers – a characteristic aim that now lives on in the iconic and architecturally-noteworthy Hamsun Centre.

By Julie Lindén

The Hamsun Centre – an architecturalinterpretation of a literary legend

Knut Hamsun is one of Scandinavia’s most famous and inno-vative authors of all times, awarded the Nobel Prize for Liter-ature in 1920. Photo: Nasjonalbiblioteket

At the architecturally-noteworthy Hamsun Centre, visitors get to familiarise with the celebrated author’s life and works and consider bigger issues such as what itmeans to have freedom of speech in a democracy. Photos: Morten Aspaas / Hamsunsenteret


Issue 63 | April 2014 | 27

his progressive thinking andmodernism,”says Bodil Børset, director of the HamsunCentre.

“Of course it was known that Steven Hollwas a great architect, but the impact themere architectural values of the centrehave had on tourism has been no lessthan astounding,” she adds.

Becoming a writer of the human world

The interest in the centre, nationally andinternationally, can only be matched bythe author’s own impact on the world ofhis time. As a writer he was ground-breaking, offering a counterpart to earlierauthors’ romantic literary characters inhis depiction of, as well as deep immer-sion in, the psychology of the humanmind. His work spans more than sevendecades and his most noted novels in-clude Hunger, Mysteries and Pan – aswell as Growth of the Soil, for which hewas awarded the Nobel Prize for Litera-ture in 1920.

“His characters are very complex. He de-scribed human beings and their strug-gles from within, never resorting to two-dimensional stereotypes but rather seeingpeople just as they were. He saw unrestand movement in human beings, some-thing he used to his advantage instead ofturning the other cheek,” says Børset.

Shadows and challenges

Accompanying Hamsun’s firm place in lit-erary history is a great deal of contro-versy. Beyond inviting debate through hiswriting, his political sympathy towards theNazi regime before and during the Second

World War has cast a shadow upon hiswork and continues to challenge new gen-erations of readers. This controversy isan important point of interest for theHamsun Centre, which in the light of Nor-way’s 200-year constitution jubilee wishesto encourage openness and dialoguearound Hamsun’s multifaceted author-ship.

“We see Hamsun as a great author whopioneered valuable writing techniques andan advanced way of depicting life, but he isalso a figure with highly debated and oftencondemned political views,” says Børset,adding: “These issues can be related tothe present time and thoughts we have to-day. What does it mean to enjoy freedomof speech in a democracy? What does itmean to be part of public debate? This iswhat we wish to focus on through Ham-sun’s link to controversy.”

Festivals, exhibitions and a walk throughthe books

Through permanent and temporary exhi-bitions, mini lectures, literary naturewalks and architectural guidings, theHamsun Centre invites you to take part ina vital piece of literary history – with evi-dent ties to the present. For those whowish to explore Hamsun’s earliest days,his very childhood home is open to thepublic during the summer and throughpre-bookings during the rest of the year.The Hamsun Centre is also happy totailor-make visits adapted to your needs.

In addition, the centre will, from 30 July to4 August this summer, feature the bian-nual literary festival The Hamsun Days,

focusing on Knut Hamsun’s social com-mentary and his days in Hamarøy.

“A visit to this centre has so much to offer,no matter what time of the year youchoose to come,” says Børset. “There isalways a range of activities to take part in,and a lot to learn and understand. We aimto help people see the real Hamsun, in-cluding the sunshine stories, challengesand issues – the whole truth.”

For more information, please visit:www.hamsunsenteret.no

Take a 360° virtual tour at:hamsunsenteret.no/no/arkitekturen/360-grader-panorama


©Hamsunsenteret.Photo:MortenAspaas

Photo:ErnstFuruhatt/Nordlandsmuseet

Photo:ErnstFuruhatt/Nordlandsmuseet

Photo:KarolineOAPettersen/Nordlandsmuseet


28 | Issue 63 | April 2014

This year, as the fortress takes part in the2014 Norwegian constitutional celebra-tions, one of the most dramatic events inthe country’s history is being staged as aplay. First dramatised in 2012, Kongeblodreturns to the fortress this summer in ho-nour of the document that granted Norwayits freedom. The play describes the biggestrebellion against the Danish occupation,led by knight Knut Alvsson. Written by TerjeNordby, the drama tells of a brave manwho fought for a country he loved, but un-luckily was killed in an ambush.

“It is a historical play, but it is also very en-tertaining and features horseback ridingand music by a Swedish medieval rockband that plays modern music on old, tra-ditional instruments,” saysMari Hjelmtveit,responsible for cultural events at thefortress. She explains that the music iscomposed by Henning Sommero and some

elements from the production are inspiredby modern TV series based on medievalhistory, such as Game of Thrones.

Kongeblod is not only a play about a greatwarrior; it is also a story about a kind,loving man and the struggle he and hiswife Mette had to go through when decid-ing between living quietly at the fortress orstanding up for what they believed in. Thestory of the 1502 event is told with a mod-ern twist and performed at the fortresslate at night, with the fading summer’snights and astonishing lighting effects to-gether creating a very special atmos-phere. According to Hjelmtveit, this mod-ern production promises a mix of dramaand humour which will excite the wholefamily.

“Some of the most famous actors in Nor-way participate in this production. It is a

wonderful experience,” Hjelmtveit con-cludes, adding that she is excited to en-tertain both the people of Oslo and thecity’s visitors with a truly special culturalevent this summer.

For more information, please visit:www.sakk.no

Overlooking Oslo from a hilltop by the harbour in the capital’s centre, the landmarkbuilding of Akershus fortress blends in with the modern vibes of a metropolis filledwith tourists, city strollers and hard-working business people. But the medievalfortress is not just a pretty addition to an already stunning seaside front: the old cas-tle has historical significance unlike any other building in Norway. The fortress is stilla military area, but is also one of the country’s biggest cultural arenas.

By Camilla Huuse | Photos: Lars Opstad

Experiencemedieval historywith a modern twist

Left: Kongeblod is played late at night with impressive lighting effects. Right: Knut Alvsson and his wife Mette Iversdatter Dyre, played by Gard Skagestad and Anna Bache-Wiig.

Lead actors in Kongeblod:

Gard Skagestad as Knut Alvsson

Anna Bache-Wiig as Mette Iversdatter Dyre

Per Frisch as Henrik Krummedike

Experience the play at the Karpedammen

stage at the Akershus fortress on

8, 9, 14, 16 and 17 August.


Issue 63 | April 2014 | 29

At 78 degrees north, Huset is one ofLongyearbyen’s most legendary build-ings. Named Huset (The House) by lo-cals, the building has served as hospital,school, theatre, church and post office inthe past. Beautifully located at the foot ofglaciers and huge mountains, it is safe tosay that Huset offers a view out of theordinary. “Svalbard is one of the mostbeautiful places on earth. In these kindsof surroundings, you deserve to experi-ence the very best of food as well, whichis where we come into the picture,” saysCEO Bo Tommy Ørnewald, who has yearsof experience as both sommelier andhead chef.

Visitors have two options when dining atHuset: the café or the restaurant. The caféhas been open since 1951 and is a localand historical establishment where manylocals go to eat their daily dinner. On Fri-day and Saturday nights it turns intoLongyearbyen’s only night club. Therestaurant opened in 1977 and is a fine-dining restaurant where guests choose

between a five-, six- or seven-coursemeal. Known as one of the best gourmetrestaurants in the country, it has beenunder the direction of several of Norway’sleading head chefs. The seasonal and arc-tic-inspired menu features reindeer,goose, seal and grouse. With the skin of apolar bear hanging on the wall, visitorsare reminded of the fact that they are eat-ing at the northernmost gourmet restau-rant in the world.

With one of Northern Europe’s largestwine cellars, Huset’s cellar masterproudly invites visitors for a taste of theworld’s finest wines and Champagnes.Former manager Hroar Holm spent over20 years building up the cellar selection,and it is now famous way beyond the is-lands of Svalbard. Since 2006, Huset hasbeen awarded Best of Award of Excellencewith a ‘two wine glass’ rating from WineSpectator. “With over 1,230 wines and alarge selection of Aquavit, we most defi-nitely have something for every taste,”says Ørnewald.

In a valley between glaciers and stunningmountains lies Svalbard’s finest restaurant.Famous for its gourmet food inspired by arctic cuisine, Huset also hides an extensivewine cellar with over 20,000 bottles of wine.

By Kjersti Westeng | Photos: Terje Bjørnsen

At Huset’s café, established in 1951, you will find countless locals, many of who come here almost every evening for their dinner. Photos: Huset

For more information please visit:www.huset.com

Fine dining at 78 degrees north

Scan Magazine | Mini Theme | Discover Svalbard


Scan Magazine | Mini Theme | Discover Svalbard

“On Svalbard, I found the landscape thatI never sought but always longed for,”says Norwegian painter Olaf Storø, whofell in love with the arctic island’s land-scape, where in year 2000 he opened apermanent sales exhibition.

Storø is concerned with capturing the smalldetails in nature, “which eventually becomeone great story,” he explains. His art is inspiredby long walks around the Norwegian island,which is the host of some of Scandinavia’s mostdramatic scenery. Bringing the outdoors to hisstudio, located in Longyearbyen, the painteruses the technique of lithography, a printingprocess that makes use of the immiscibility ofgrease and water, to communicate the tales ofthe nature surrounding him.

Together with his girlfriend, classical singerBerit Meland, Storø travels around Norway andacross the globe to convey the history behindthe paintings through storytelling and music.The artist is captivated with Svalbard’s manyshades of the colour blue. “My girlfriend’s son

once said that the sky looks like my paintings.That is a great acknowledgement coming froma ten-year-old boy,” he says.

This year, Norway is celebrating its consti-tution’s 200th anniversary, for which Storø hascontributed with a spectacular piece of art of apolar bear waking up from a deep sleep. Theoriginal print, named What, did you forget me?,ismeant to represent the voice of Northern Nor-way as people from the north were not presentwhen the constitution was signed at Eidsvoll.The painting is also a message from the north.

“The polar bear can see that the snow is melt-ing. Theworld’s thermometer is here. He tells us

that we mustprotect nature,”says the artist.

Dreaming of SvalbardBy Ingvild Vetrhus | Photos: Olaf Storø

For more information please visit:www.storoe.nowww.beritmeland.no

Berit Meland and Olaf Storø

I am one withthe glacier

What, did youforget me?


Issue 63 | April 2014 | 31

Picture a nursery playground full of chil-dren. Parents are turning up to collecttheir children; some are sat on benchesenjoying a fruit break and chatting to theirnursery teachers while others have al-ready finished up and are building snow-men. It is cold, but the sun is shining andthe all-weather winter overalls more of a

rule than an exception. There is no distin-guishing between parent and teacher, barthe odd suit jacket and smart shoe.

More than a situation unheard of, to aBriton this might sound like madness:children playing outdoors in sub-zerotemperatures! Moreover, the idea of male

nursery staff might send an unwelcomesense of unease down some British par-ents’ spines. Much like most Scandina-vians would find the lack of playing chil-dren on London’s residential streetssurprising, Londoners are likely to taketheir children and run for the airport at therealisation of just how relaxed Nordic par-enting can be, so different are the realitiesof these European nations.

Love it or loathe it, but Maria Öqvist, headof famous Swedish children’s wear brandPolarn O Pyret, has been known to saythat she was hesitant when expanding tothe UK as the brand’s entire philosophy isabout being able to play comfortably out-doors, something much less common inBritish culture. Tourists in Copenhagen,

With Swedish and Danish children continuously in the top-three of Unicef’s rankingsfor the world’s happiest children, Finland topping all OECD league tables for educa-tion, and Scandinavian parental leave by far the most generous in the world in termsof both financial security and equality, is Scandinavia a family utopia?

By Linnea Dunne

Parental paradiseEnjoyment of the great outdoors is part and parcel of the Scandinavian lifestyle, be it during long and bright summer’s evenings or in the freezing cold winter.

Photo:CH/Visitnorway.com

Photo:N

iclasStrom/im

agebank.sweden.se

Photo:Johan

Willner/imagebank.sweden.se

Photo:CH/Visitnorway.com


32 | Issue 63 | April 2014

Scan Magazine | Feature | Parental Paradise

on the other hand, are often shocked asthey find blanket-covered prams withsleeping babies abandoned outside thecity’s many cafés; but the prams are notabandoned, as they soon find out – it isthought to be good for the children to getsome fresh air while their parents have acoffee and catch up.

Scandinavians are happier

It is up for debate whether the responsi-ble thing is to protect your child from thecold or to provide them with enough freshair, but it is more difficult to argue withnumbers. Scandinavian children are sim-ply happier than their British peers, asare their parents: in the Legatum Insti-tute’s 2013 Prosperity Index, Norwegianscame out happiest in the world, withSwedes in fourth place and Danes in sixth;the UK fell three places to just 16th in theworld.

Moreover, the Nordic countries are all inthe OECD top-6 in terms of the highestspending on education, with the UK atnumber 17; all countries showed up insimilar positions in regards to spendingon parental leave per child, the UK strug-gling to keep up in 10th place. Breast-feeding rates are breaking through theroof in Norway, Denmark and Sweden,while the UK lags massively behind, andthe cost of a full-time nursery place aver-ages around £300 per month per child inDenmark and less than half that in Swe-den – hovering around the figures Lon-doners pay for childcare every week.

A different work-life balance

With continuously record-breaking figuresfor the Scandinavian countries, a Nordic

Noir craze that is showing no signs ofstopping, and the Nordic kitchen, too,more popular than ever, real-life experi-ments have been conducted in search foranswers as to what Scandinavia’s secretsare – and whether they are really so wor-thy of envy. For example, one Guardianjournalist and mother swapped lives witha fellow writer in Copenhagen to find outwhether the Danish dream was real.

What surprised both women most wasthe fundamental difference in attitudesto work and the definition of work-lifebalance. While the huge majority ofBritish women take much less time offwork after having a baby than the Danishstandard of little under a year, signifi-cantly fewer of them return to work on afull-time basis, considering it unthink-able to put their children into full-timechildcare. While work-life balance inScandinavia across the board takes theshape of a heavily subsidised childcaresystem that not only allows but prettymuch expects mothers as well as fathersto work full-time, UK mothers often facethe ‘having it all’ discussion, with moth-erhood seen as a choice at the cost of acareer.

Having it all seems like a no-brainer toScandinavian parents, though some arguethat it comes at a cost. At 50 per cent,Denmark has one of the highest divorcerates in Europe; a result, some would say,of a much too liberal society that allowsparents to put their own needs before theirchildren’s, and a trend that can be tracedback to the radical Nordicmarriage reformof the early 1900s, emphasising equality aswell as individual freedom.

That same equality and freedom, on theother hand, has been said to contribute toa society where there is less chance offailure – and as such less pressure onchildren to succeed. A Scandinavian fam-ily utopia? You decide.

Scandinavian parental leave averages:

Sweden: 480 days combined at 80% of salary,

60 days reserved for each parent respectively.

Denmark: 52 weeks, 18 ear-marked for the

mother, 2 for the partner (rate depending on

employment contract)

Norway: 56 weeks at 80% of salary or 46 at

100%, with nine weeks designated to the

mother around the birth and a 12-week so-

called ‘daddy quota’.

Finland: 108 days for the mother, plus 158

additional days for either parent.

Iceland: 90 days at 80% of the salary, plus

another 90 for either parent.

Cost of full-time nursery daycare:

Sweden: Up to 3% of household income,

capped at 1,260 SEK (£120) per month.

Denmark: Varies, but according to state law

parents must not be charged more than 25-

28% of the cost of the child’s care in the

institution.

Norway: Capped at 2,330 NOK (£230) per

month.

Finland: Capped at €264 (£220) per month.

Iceland: No figures, but 12% of the average

family’s annual income.

Costing just a fraction of most UK nurseries’ fees, Scandina-vian nurseries often offer plenty of outdoor activities, andmale nursery staff are no longer a rarity. Photo: Martin Sva-lander/imagebank.sweden.se

Left: Listen to the league tables: Scandinavian schools con-tinuously show up at the top of OECD league tables, with Fin-land known as the queen of quality education. Photo: LenaGranefelt / Agent Molly & Co / imagebank.sweden.se


Issue 63 | April 2014 | 33

If you bring a child to a whole new place,you might get a very different story thanthe one you would get from an adult. Thatis why we at Aktiviteter for Barn (Activitiesfor Kids) are focusing on those wonderfulmoments with children on our website.

Positive moments together in nature, at amuseum, inside the house or at the swim-ming pool – it is in our interest to share allof this, and more, with you.

Wherever you are going in Norway, visitour website to find out about the most ex-citing, child-friendly activities and desti-nations. Norway has a lot to offer its visi-tors – the little ones included.

For more information and all the topactivities, please visit:aktiviteterforbarn.no

Active kids in Norway– discovering the wonders of Norway with children and adults

SPECIAL THEME:

CHILDREN OF SCANDINAVIA - NORWAYPhoto: Marte Kopperud/Visitnorway.com Photo: Nils-Erik Bjørholt/Visitnorway.com Photo: CH/Visitnorway.com

Photo: Terje Rakke/Nordic Life AS/Visitnorway.comPhoto: Terje Rakke/Nordic Life AS/Visitnorway.comPhoto: CH/Visitnorway.com

By Line Konstali | Photos: Aktiviteter for Barn


34 | Issue 63 | April 2014

“We hate sitting in the office and we takeevery opportunity to go outside,” con-fesses Lars Engmark, before adding thatthe black slopes are the most challengingout of the 14 different hikes offered at theHoyt og Lavt (High and Low) climbing parkin Vestfold, Norway. The park is one of sixactivity parks across the country built byEngmark and his team, and they offereverything from family fun to business-related teambuilding activities.

The park not only offers the toughestslopes; it also provides visitors with anopportunity to throw themselves off a 30-metre pine. The park imported the secondlargest tree in Denmark last year to pro-vide the breath-taking experience knownas the Sky Fall. He might not be braverthan James Bond, but Engmark admitsthat he loves flinging himself from trees,Tarzan style, together with the kids whocome to the park for an adventurous day.

But, he explains, it is not as scary as itsounds, as security is top priority.

The park’s founder, Hans Christian Wil-son, got the idea while studying in France,where the concept of climbing as a familyactivity is common. He liked the idea ofbringing the family along when going for ahike, and the Norwegian entrepreneurworked out the park’s concept andbrought it back to Norway, where the finalattraction opened in 2009.

Engmark explains that what makes Hoytog Lavt different to other activity parks isthat visitors stay for a good eight hoursand therefore get a chance to see theirown progress. “It is incredibly satisfying tosee how some people start off really care-fully – but by the end of the day, we haveto drag them down from the trees,” helaughs.

Even if you are not the adrenaline-seekingkind, the park promises plenty of fun forthe whole family. Parents can sit back andrelax while enjoying a hot cuppa sur-rounded by beautiful nature. And the kids?Do not worry – they will be up in the treeshurtling themselves around like monkeyswith Engmark and his team at their heels.

At Scandinavia’s largest climbing park, an office lunch break does not just involve asandwich and a coffee. For the team behind some of the toughest mountain hikes inNorway, a trail down the two black slopes tends to bemore common than eating whenspeaking of midday activities.

By Camilla Huuse | Photos: Terje Aamodt

For more information, please visit:hoytlavt.no

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Children of Scandinavia - Norway

The Hoyt og Lavt climbing park offers fun activities for every age group.

Climb your way to the heart of Norway


Issue 63 | April 2014 | 35

Just a short drive from Stavern in Vest-fold lies Foldvik Family Park, an authen-tic, down-to-earth Norwegian farm,where families can spend the day enjoy-ing each other’s company. “Our bestchildhood memories are the momentswhen our parents participate in activi-tites with us. Here at Foldvik Family Park,families have the opportunity to just relaxand play together,” says owner SigmundFoldvik.

“I think what has made our park so pop-ular is the opportunity to spend time withyour family in a harmonious and safe en-vironment, combined with the chance tomeet lots of friendly animals and enjoyentertaining activities such as horse rid-ing, miniature golf, train and tractor rides,a huge jungle gym and a theatre whereour mascot, Foffa, appears twice a day,”says Foldvik.

Interact with friendly animalsWhile parents might just enjoy a quiet dayin the countryside, one of Foldvik FamilyPark’s major draws for children is the op-portunity to closely interact with a range offriendly farm animals. Cows, pigs, don-keys, rabbits and baby goats, as well aschickens, ducks, peacocks, parrots andcockatoos, all live at the farm.

“One of our most popular attractions is anarea we call ‘the nursery’. Here, childrencan pet kittens and rabbits, and there’s anincubator where they can watch babychicks hatch from their eggs. It is amaz-ing to see how some of the kids can spendall day in the nursery,” says Foldvik.

While the history of Foldvik farm datesback almost a thousand years, the idea ofa family park has its roots in the early1980s. Starting out as a free offer to keepkids occupied while parents were picking

strawberries at one of Noway’s largeststrawberry farms, the park was continu-ously extended due to its rapid growth inpopularity.

In 1997, Sigmund Foldvik took over thefarm from his parents. He made the deci-sion to commercialise the park, and in1999, after extensive improvements, Fold-vik Family Park as it is known todayopened its doors for the first time. Lastyear the park had 36,000 visitors.

Who says farm life has to be hard work? At Foldvik Family Park, you and your familycan spend a relaxing day in the country, surrounded by fun activities to choose fromand friendly farm animals.

By Magnus Nygren Syversen | Photos: Foldvik

For more information, please visit:www.foldvik.no

Where great memories are made

One of the most popular parts of the farm is an area called‘the nursery’, where children can pet kittens and rabbits andwatch baby chicks hatch from their eggs.

There are plenty of exciting activities on offer for the whole family at the farm, including a theatre where the park’s mascot, Foffa, makes an appearance twice every day.


36 | Issue 63 | April 2014

“The park was built and opened in 1983,”explains generalmanager Kristin Proeven,adding that the originalmain attractionwasand still is the miniature model of Lille-hammer’s main street, Storgata, from the1930s on a scale of 1:4. Thorough researchensured correct colours,models and sizes,including all the shops of the time, to givevisitors an insight into local history.

In 2006, the owners decided to giveLilleputthammer a facelift by renovatingtheminiature town and adding new attrac-

tions such as a rollercoaster, electric cars,a Ferris wheel, and a pool for boats. Todaythe park boasts twelve attractions andthree restaurants. “A unique feature ofLilleputthammer is the Children’s BookCity,” says Proeven, explaining that five oftheminiature houses contain some 15,000used books and comic books for children toread and buy. Short plays and readingstake place daily.

Like any self-respecting amusement park,Lilleputthammer has its very own mas-

cots. They are called Ola and Hedda, andboth can be seen in theatre plays in thepark and children can meet them severaltimes a day. A small train driving aroundthe miniature town also stops at Ola’s‘godteritunell’ (sweets tunnel) – a verypopular stop.

But the live entertainment programme haseven more to offer. “In addition to the gen-eral fun and readings, Malte Knapp’s one-man circus comes to town with the show AMagical World,” Proeven reveals. Here, vis-itors are amazed by acrobatics, balancingtricks and juggling of the highest level.New for this summer at Lillehammer willbe the famous children’s TV series, City ofFriends, with a show every day during threeweeks of July.

The fun-packed miniature town

Left: In the Lilleputthammer family park, children can ride a rollercoaster and Ferris wheel or explore the many small houses. In miniature town, children feel like adults.Right: One-wheel bike artist Malte Knapp has a show in Lilleputthammer every day throughout the summer.

The train driving around the miniature town is a very popularattraction.

For more information, please visit:www.lilleputthammer.no

Lilleputthammer is an adventure park for familieswithmost activities designed for chil-dren up to eight years old. It is located a couple of hours by car north of Norway’s cap-ital Oslo, just north of Lillehammer, which hosted the Winter Olympics in 1994.

By Stian Sangvig | Photos: Esben Haakenstad

The park’s season lasts from 24 May

through to mid-August.

It is open on weekends alone during the first

month, and every day from late June.

Children are always keen to meet the mascots Ola and Hedda.

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Children of Scandinavia - Norway


Issue 63 | April 2014 | 37

In LEGO®Wear you find a complete cloth-ing concept with everything you need fromtop to toe. KABOOKI® designs everythingfrom underwear to outerwear, tops andjeans, skirts and dresses, and a mix-and-match rain wear collection, as well as aLEGO® Tec outdoor collection.

LEGO® Wear stands for fun, function,quality, comfort and safety. “Our design isunique because we combine the latesttrends with the highly popular LEGO®

themes. That’s why we are in a specialposition with a very high recognitionvalue,” says Kasper Eis, CEO at KABOOKI,the company behind LEGO®Wear, aboutthe success of the brand. “In our designsyou find famous classical themes like StarWars™ and Ninjago, the five girls fromLEGO® friends, and the brand new char-acters from Legends of Chima. Especiallyour award-winning outdoor collectionLEGO® Tec has a lot of young fans allover the world.”

In addition to the connection to the LEGO®universe, the collections are favoured fortheir special design, focusing on the needsof children at play. Additional functionali-ties like adjustable wristbands and trouserlengths guarantee maximum freedom ofmovement and a long lifespan. For tod-dlers, LEGO®Wearmeans a focus on softmaterials, a comfortable fit, and easydressing and undressing. “We are in con-stant dialogue with kids in order to find outwhat’s important for them, and what couldlimit them in a play situation,” Eis adds.

“Safety is one of our key priorities. In ourcollections, strings, reflectors, and safetyhoods are all above the usual standards,”Eis continues, ending: “We are a brand forchildren, and we fulfil the trust consumersput into the LEGO®brand by 100 per cent.”

Thecollectionsof kids’wear lineLEGO®Weararedeveloped for lively boysandgirls, fromtoddlers to 12-year-olds, who love to play thewhole day. Take happy, vibrant colours andaddadesign that strongly appeals to kids,materialsmade to last, and characters andhe-roes well-known from the popular LEGO® universe printed on high-quality t-shirts,jackets and accessories – that’s what makes the LEGO®Wear collections unique.

Text & photos by LEGO® Wear

A kids’ wear brand for active and playful kids

KABOOKI®: the company behind LEGO®Wear

KABOOKI® is the company behind the LEGO®Wear brand. It was founded in 1993 to design,produce and sell garments for children underlicence by the LEGO® group. The main office issituated in Herning, Denmark, and KABOOKI®has employees in numerous offices all overEurope. Furthermore, there are facilities in theFar East, for instance handling quality control,to the benefit of retailers as well as consumers.

www.legowear.com

SPECIAL THEME:

CHILDREN OF SCANDINAVIA - DENMARK


38 | Issue 63 | April 2014

Almost three years ago, Theresa DamborgBlicher, design and buying responsible atLITTLE PIECES and mother of three, se-cretly teamed up with a colleague to cre-ate a collection of girls’ clothing with dis-tinctive prints and fashionable designs. “Ihave three girls, and what I found wasmissing was a brand that looked to thefashion world for inspiration – sort of amini-version of grown-up fashion, not toocutesy or brightly-coloured,” explainsBlicher and adds: “It actually started outas a secret project. While working forPIECES, a colleague and I started creatinga collection of similar clothing for girls,

and when we got the result back, it hadturned out even better than we had daredto hope. We went down to our local shopwith a sample and they immediately or-dered the collection.”

The following years, many others – in-cluding shops like Selfridges in London –have followed suit, and today, the brand issold in around 10 countries all over theEU. Furthermore, this year, LITTLEPIECES’ brother, LP BOYS, arrived with acollection of basic and trendy clothes andaccessories focused on quality and de-sign for boys aged three to 12.

Fashion and functionalityWith hand-drawn prints, illustrations, richtextile structures and fashionable colours,LITTLE PIECES appeals to parents andkids looking for distinctive details and highquality. But that does not mean that func-tionality is sidelined, stresses Blicher: “It’sa challenge to make fashion and function-ality come together, but it’s very importantto us that our clothes are functional andsafe. The clothes need to be comfortable towear and children need to be able to playin them – that’s what it’s all about really.”By using mainly eco-certified suppliersand strictly controlling that all productionunits adhere to BESTSELLER’s Code ofConduct, LITTLE PIECES also ensures en-vironmental and social sustainability whenproducing its garments.

For more information, please visit:www.littlepieces.dk

Deriving from the company behind 11 of Denmark’s best-known fashion brands, itis not surprising that BESTSELLER’s new children’s wear brand, LITTLE PIECES,is quickly gaining momentum among fashion-forward and cost-conscious shoppers.Like its older sister, PIECES, the brand follows the latest high-fashion tendenciesand delivers affordable quality designs for girls between three and 12.

By Signe Hansen | Photos: LITTLE PIECES

Little pieces for little fashionistas

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Children of Scandinavia - Denmark


Issue 63 | April 2014 | 39


At BANGBANG Copenhagen, unconventionalideas are embraced through the creation ofplayful design. This is clothing done on chil-dren’s terms. Oh, and forget pink for girls andblue for boys: BANGBANG Copenhagen is alsoknown as the gender benders.

Five years ago, Louise Lundholm and Mia Ris-ager both felt that there was a gap in the mar-ket for children’s clothing. Most designs weretoo traditional or retro, so they decided to set upBANGBANG Copenhagen and create their ownuniverse – a universe that has become so pop-ular that their collections are sold worldwide,with Asia as the biggest market.

“It is essential for us that the children liketo wear BANGBANG. All too often, children arewearing clothes in which they can’t movearound the way they want to,” say Lundholmand Risager. “Of course, it’s the parents whodecide what to buy for their children, but weknow for a fact that the parents often buy ourdesign simply because their children like it.”

Playing is serious businessIt does not take more than a rapid glance at thedesigns to see how they stand out from com-petitors. Some outfits directly reference cos-tumes. By using folding techniques andorigami, BANGBANG Copenhagen appeals tothe curiosity of children.

“We are trying to appeal to the imaginationof children through the use of humour, so wespend a lot of time having fun during the designprocess,” say the two founders and designers.“We want to make sure that the shapes as wellas the materials we use feel comfortable. Chil-dren should not worry about their clothes get-ting in the way while playing outside, so wehave to make sure that the garments are prac-tical for the children as well as their parents.The best compliments always come from thechildren themselves.”

FRANCK & FISCHER is a Danish design brandspecialising in organic and natural children'stoys and nursery products. Children’s devel-opment is strongly impacted by their humanand material surroundings, and FRANCK &FISCHER wants to offer the option of safeproducts in natural materials, without com-promising on fun and functionality.

In 2005, FRANCK & FISCHER was founded onthe principles of social and environmental re-sponsibility by designer Annemarie Franck andbusiness economist Charlotte Fischer. Origi-nally a textile design graduate, Franck devel-oped a passion for children’s toys during herseven-year employment with LEGO. Throughtheir children, Franck and Fischer came intocontact, and soon their organic and sustainablebusiness adventure began.

Being well-travelled in Asia, the businessowners have always been very conscious oftheir choice of manufacturers and suppliers,and will not compromise on environmental im-pact and working conditions for employees.”We've cut out the middle man by travelling

out and meeting our business partners in per-son, which in turn ensures that our ethical andenvironmental standards are being met,”Franck explains.

The core of the FRANCK & FISCHER col-lection consists of cute-looking animal char-acters, and the sweet and edgy toys are firmlygrounded in the timeless, modern Scandinaviandesign tradition. Franck, who single-handedlydesigns all the products, takes inspiration fromher own childhood as well as the current artsscene. Along with sustainability, children’ssafety and development are essential to theduo, and so they only work with organic cottonand natural materials.

FRANCK& FISCHER products can be foundin shops all over the world, and for the twowomen there is no such thing as an emptypromise: “When we say ‘design for kids – madewith care’, it really means something – to us, toour manufacturers, and, hopefully, to you too!”

Design for kids – made with careBy Stine Gjevnoe | Photos: FRANCK & FISCHER

For more information, please visit:franck-fischer.com

The gender bendersBy Nicolai Lisberg | Photo: Anitta Berendt | Illus: Marie Willumsen

For more information, please visit:www.bangbangcph.dk

FRANCK & FISCHER offers safe products in natural materi-als, without compromising on fun and functionality.

All products are made from organic cotton.


40 | Issue 63 | April 2014

Designer Tine Holt Møller and fashion pho-tographer Barbara Hvidt first developedthe idea for Soft Gallery in London, wherethey both worked and studied for nearly adecade. Back in Copenhagen in 2007, theyset forward to display their love of artthrough a clothing collection. “The idea be-hind Soft Gallery came from an interest inart. We fell in love with the possibility of in-corporating art into clothing, creatingsomething that was truly heartfelt and spe-cial and much more than just a piece ofclothing. It was our ambition to share thevisions of creative and talented people atthe eye level of kids,” explains Hvidt.

Shortly after Soft Gallery released its firstkid’s wear collection, Hvidt and Møllerwere contacted by women asking if theymight fit into a size 12. The interest led tothe brand releasing a small luxury t-shirtcollection for women based on the sameidea as that of the children’s collection.Since then, the designers have continu-ously increased their collections of bothchildren’s and women’s wear, and the

brand is now sold in more than 30 coun-tries all over the world.

A gallery on fabric

The name Soft Gallery did, explains Hvidt,spring from the idea of a living gallery.“Soft Gallery is first of all the idea of agallery on fabric – a soft gallery. Each sea-son is a new exhibition, so to speak, andfeatures a wide range of art works.”

By collaborating with artists from aroundthe world, Hvidt and Møller wish to givechildren a small piece of art on a soft can-vas and an itemwith a story behind it. Eachof the involved artists brings forward theirown artistic take on the seasonal theme,which is derived by Hvidt andMøller. “Mostoften we work with artists who have theirown personal universe but somehow fitand reinforce the theme of the season andthe spirit of Soft Gallery. When we contactthe artists, we cross our fingers and hopethat they feel inspired to work with us as ateam and want to show their work at our‘gallery’,” says Møller. Though Soft Gallery

keeps a close dialogue with the artistsabout the theme, colours, silhouettes andso on, it is the artists who interpret how thefinal artwork appears on the garment.

A shared love of children

Though Soft Gallery has a distinct Scan-

By collaborating with artists from all over the world, Soft Gallery and its poetic children’s wear collections are creating a bridgebetween art and clothing. Tine Holt Møller and Barbara Hvidt, the two fashionistas behind the successful brand, talk to Scan Mag-azine about their urge to create children’s clothing that is not just personal, exclusive, comfortable, and modern, but also artistic.

By Signe Hansen | Photos: Soft Gallery

Merging art and clothing“Through personal stories from the past, we have put together a magical, sophisticated and humorous collection with a scent of childhood joy,” says the design duo behind Soft Gallery, BarbaraHvidt and Tine Holt Møller.



Issue 63 | April 2014 | 41

dinavian feel to it, the brand indeed alsohas an international appeal, which, con-sidering the fact that the idea for it arosewhile both Hvidt and Møller lived in Lon-don, is perhaps not surprising. “I guess itcame most naturally to us to be an inter-national company as we ourselves are in-spired by the world, and we love that weare in contact with people from all overour beautiful planet. Working with artistsacross a wide range of cultural back-grounds makes our everyday life an un-limited flow of ideas and thoughts,” saysHvidt, adding: “Many ideas come quitenaturally, through a kind of intuition anddesire and a curiosity about everythingthat is happening around us. The rela-

tionship between art and fashion makesyou focus more on what you are drawn toor inspired by in life – more than just whatthe fashion is dictating.”

With their unique motives and designs,Soft Gallery’s pieces of fashion artworkare likely to be loved, worn, shared andkept by children for a long time. But thefact that the brand has caught on withparents and children all over the world isnot just due to its immediate aestheticexpression but also the thought behind it,which is, believes Hvidt, universal. “Theshared love for our children and the wishto give them the best of what life can of-fer is found everywhere in the world,”

she stresses and rounds off: “Everythingwe put into the brand comes from ourhearts, and we wish to pass on some-thing special.”

For more information, please visit:www.softgallery.dk

Some of Soft Gallery’s clothes are produced in

India, and the company donates a percentage

of the sales of this range to Danish Indian

Childcare. The pieces made in India are

recognised by a special tag.

All Soft Gallery garments wear a tag with the

name of the artist behind that specific piece.


Nostalgia, the inspirational theme of Soft Gallery’s SS14 collection, has led to bursts of creative output from the collaborative artists.


42 | Issue 63 | April 2014

When Angulus started making foot-shaped footwear for kids in 1928, it wasone of the only shoemakers focusing oncomfort rather than style. The idea wasmet with a great deal of scepticism byDanish society, which, back then, expectedkids to be dressed neatly, not comfortably.However, thanks to some lucky publicity,the firm’s luck eventually turned, and whatwas at first seen as a nonsensical ideagradually turned into common sense.

Today, what most parents look for whenshopping for shoes is something that sup-ports the foot while giving it space to growproperly and providing safe, non-slipperyfooting. What sets Angulus apart fromnewer entrants to the market is not justthe fact that it delivers all that, and hasdone so for decades, but also the com-pany’s uncompromising quality standards.“I think that people recently have had areal eye-opener on the importance of the

comfort of the shoes they buy for theirkids, and more generally on the quality ofthe footwear on their children’s feet aswell as on their own. If you have to buy twopairs of shoes to get through the winter,youmight as well spend the same amounton a quality shoe that lasts throughout,”

For generations Angulus has been the footwear of choice for Danish parents looking forhealthy, safe, high-quality shoes for their kids. The company, whichwas founded in 1904,was one of the first in the Nordic region to consult doctors and physiotherapists on thehealthiest shape and functionality of footwear for children.

By Signe Hansen | Photos: Angulus

The first step in the right shoe


Angulus has produced children’s and women’s shoes for 100 years, and next winter, the brand will also release a men’s footwear collection.


Issue 63 | April 2014 | 43

explains marketing coordinator LineKaren Jørgensen, adding: “What we ex-perience is that when parents have boughtone pair, they return to buy more, and thatis, of course, a great indicator to us thatthey like our product, and that it is actuallybringing the comfort and quality that wepromise.”

Angulus, which is today led by ChristianDawe, the son of the company’s formerpurchasing manager, is not only a leadingchildren’s footwear brand in Scandinaviabut also gaining more and more attentionfrom further afield. In 2012 and 2013, thebrand received the prestigious BritishJunior Magazine Design Award as bestfootwear brand for its comfortable andcolourful designs.

You get what you pay for

Angulus releases two yearly collectionsof children’s and women’s shoes. Allfootwear is, as it has been for the last 50years, handmade by 130 dedicated shoe-

makers in a factory in Portugal. The factthat the shoes are made in Europe and al-ways from high-quality leather is, ofcourse, also reflected in the price. Butcustomers do not pay more than they haveto, stresses Jørgensen. “One of the thingsthat we are really proud of is that we havea product with which you actually get whatyou pay for – every effort is made to makethe best shoes possible. With the chil-dren’s shoes, what you get is the crafts-manship. The fact that it is handmade,that each piece of leather is cut and sewnby a worker, not by an automatic machine,means that each step of making the shoeis controlled by a human hand and eye,and that is also the reason why we can putsome very fine details on our shoes.”

Though the shoe is a high-quality product,it is not seen as a product for the kids ofthe elite in Scandinavia. Many parents,who have themselves grown up with An-gulus shoes, see them as the naturalchoice when buying shoes for their own

kids. Besides, the designs, which are tra-ditional but with contemporary colours,twists and details, appeal to a broad rangeof people. “You might think that it wouldbe a special group of a certain incomethat would buy our products, but throughour different social media we have a lot ofcontact with our customers in Denmarkand the rest of the EU, and we can seethat there are all kinds of people. Theyare very different style-wise, income-wiseand location-wise – some live in the coun-tryside, others in the capital,” says Jør-gensen. “It’s all about word of mouth:when people hear their neighbour talkingabout Angulus, they try it, and whenthey’ve tried it, they want to keep buying itfor their kids.”

Next winter, Angulus will also release acollection of men’s footwear.

For more information, please visit:www.angulus.dk


Though contemporary trends and colours are always represented in Angulus’ two yearly collections of children’s shoes, the main focus is, as it has always been, on comfort, functionality, and health.

Angulus shoes continue to be handmade by professional shoemakers in Portugal, as they have been for the last 50 years.


44 | Issue 63 | April 2014

MarMar Copenhagen was founded by theDanish designer Marlene Anine Holmboein 2008. Having worked for several majorchildren’s brands, the mother-of-threehad a clear idea of what wasmissing fromthe Scandinavian kids’ wear market. “Myambition back then was to create a col-lection of more classic, uni-coloured chil-dren’s clothing, something that was easyto put on without having to think toomuchabout how to combine it with the rest,”says Holmboe. “I used to spend so much

time trying to get my daughter’s dotteddress to match with the striped socks andprint t-shirt, because that was all therewas, unless you wanted to buy some ofthe much more expensive French brands.Back then, everything was about prints,and no one could imagine making a plaint-shirt – and that was definitely somethingthat was missing.”

MarMar Copenhagen’s collection quicklygained attention, and soon other brands

Combining classic French cutswith contemporary Scandinavian trends, MarMar Copenhagen has become a pioneerwithin children’sclothing. Full of contradictions, the Danish brand allows kids aged 0 months to 14 years to (be) dress(ed) for every occasion, be itgrandmother’s birthday party or hanging out at the skate park.

By Signe Hansen | Photos: MarMar Copenhagen

Creating new trends within Scandinavianchildren’s wear


MarMar Copenhagen’s collections are created with the assumption that all children want to wear something that feels like their own, and that shows that someonecares – whether they are off BMX’ing or staying in drawing.

MarMar Copenhagen was founded by the Danish designerMarlene Anine Holmboe in 2008.


Issue 62 | March 2014 | 45

started to follow suit, interpreting her sim-ple ‘mini-me’ approach to children’s wear.Holmboe’s ability to stay on top of, andreinvent, new and old trends has been keyto the success, which has led to MarMarCopenhagen being traded all over Europe,the US and parts of Asia.

Creating new trends

The inspiration for MarMar’s characteris-tic designs, which Holmboe describes as“classic French with a Scandinavian soul”is, perhaps surprisingly, not derived fromthe newest trends of the fashion industry.“Fashion magazines and shows are not agreat source of inspiration for me; ofcourse I read magazines, but really theyonly allow you to follow everything frombehind. Among the things that inspire memost are classic films and old photos, be-cause trends always return. What it’sabout for me is looking back and then tak-ing the styles to a new place,” explainsHolmboe.

Her insistence on not just following thecrowd also means that shoppers will reg-ularly find items in her collections thatmight at first seem out of fashion or odd,but which will, says the designer, be re-membered when there is a new trend thefollowing year. “In our newest collection wehave created this bottle-green sweater,which might not seem very child-like, butit is extremely beautiful and I feel that it ismy job to take some chances, and, hope-fully, people will remember that greensweater when they are looking at all thegreen in the new collections next year,” ex-plains the designer.

Style, practicality and idealsClassically-laced ballerina shoes, soft-wool vests and baggy jeans are all amongMarMar’s many stylish clothing items forkids. But even though it might end up look-ing like you spent hours dressing your lit-tle angels, it is actually made as simple aspossible. When designing the collections,practicality is, stresses Holmboe, amongher top priorities. “It has to be easy to pullover the head or to close; of course, some-times I just have tomake a shirt full of but-tons because it’s just too wonderful not tobemade, but everything can’t be that way.”

As the mother of two nine-year-old girlsand a 12-year-old boy, Holmboe is alsoacutely aware of the differences in kids’tastes and characters, but being dressedwith care is, the designer believes, some-thing that everyone appreciates. “Kidsneed to be free, but our clothes are equallysuitable for someone who loves BMX’ingthrough themud as someone who prefersto play with dolls inside. My own girls arevery different: one always has to climb thehighest tree, and the other prefers to stayinside drawing, but that does not meanthat they can’t both look lovely,” stressesHolmboe, concluding: “I think that it’s im-portant to kids that they are wearingsomething that is their own, and that theyfeel that they are wearing something nicethat works, something that someone putsome thought into – of course your life isnot defined or changed by clothing, but itis important to feel that someone cared.”All of MarMar’s products are produced innatural fibres in factories with fair workconditions.

For more information, please visit:www.MarMar.dk


The inspiration for MarMar’s characteristic designs isderived from various sources including classic filmsand old photos.


46 | Issue 63 | April 2014

The two women behind the company wereamong the entrepreneurs responsible forthe first retro waves in kidswear to takeDenmark by storm. Marlene Ullum andher stepmother, Margit Egeskov, startedthe Copenhagen-based business ten yearsago – and what started out as a hobby tookoff so quickly that they both had to give uptheir jobs to keep up with the demand.

Today, their wider family is involved in thecompany, which now distributes 1970s-inspired children’s wear to high-street andweb shops worldwide. “We caught on tosomething that appealed to parents andchildren alike,” says Ullum. “We see our-selves as modernist hippies – modernistbecause we continue to develop the qual-ity in terms of functionality and comfort,and hippies because of the playfulnessand creative approach to our design. The1970s saw a lot of innovation, so we seethings in a bigger perspective than just

bell-bottoms and laces in the hair – wewant to make prints in fun colours, butthey also have to last.”

The story began when Ullum was on ma-ternity leave from her job as a schoolteacher and started designing jewellery,and later also old-fashionedwomen’s vests.Egeskov, who was a nurse, sold the prod-ucts at the hospital. “When I was looking forclothes for my daughter, all I could find

was light pink and baby blue, and I toldMargit, wemust do something for childrenin bright 70s colours,” Ullum explains. “Ini-tially she thought, ‘how boring, just becauseyou’ve had a child’. But I kept showing herthese old images of an owl and a cat.”

The owl became their logo and clothesfeaturing the striking image, as a big, boldprint or small, knitted detail, continue tobe among the most popular. It soon be-came evident that they had found a gap inthe market. “We both loved our jobs, butwe just couldn’t juggle everything any-more and had to make a choice.”

Today, Ullum is head of design whileEgeskov is director of sales.

1970s hippy culture gets amodern twist

To view the collection, please visit:ejsikkelej.dk

A trip down memory lane can lead past a big, bold sunflower, and maybe there is a lit-tlemouse hiding in the grass. The idea behind clothing brand ej sikke lej, which this yearcelebrates its 10th anniversary, is that children are inspired by its prints to continue thetale themselves.

By Else Kvist | Photos: ej sikke lej

Marlene Ullum and Margit Egeskov


Issue 63 | April 2014 | 47

Sift through Danefæ’s collection and youwill discover a very Danish brand. Swans,storks, Vikings andmermaids adorn play-ful designs of a robust quality, taking intraditional icons and using garmentsmade for the Scandinavian climate.

Fun to wear, hard to wear out

“We make humorous, stylish and colour-ful products that kids think are fun towear. High quality is important so thatchildren can play, dance and scuffle about– our universe of happy Vikings and glit-tering mermaids is made for children thatare allowed to be children,” says Danefæ’sowner, Louise Warberg Hækkerup.

Contemporary design will always be atthe heart of the brand, but Danefæ is alsoon a mission to assure parents that theyare sending their young ones safely intothe elements. “It is important to producequality clothes, for instance so that par-

ents know that their children remain dryon a rainy day. We also emphasise theneed for endurance wash after wash, sothat the clothes can last longer and getsold on once the children grow out ofthem. From an environmental perspec-tive, there is no need to produce a load ofoutfits that last a short time only to bethrown away.”

Responsible company

Indeed, Danefæ has social and environ-mental responsibility woven into its fabric.One of the latest initiatives is a fundraisingproject for Families of Children with Can-cer, which among other things involves aspecially-designed support jersey. Next upis a project for SOS Children’s Villages.

“We draw up contracts with all our suppli-ers that consider environment andworkingconditions and of course strictly prohibitthe use of child labour,” says Hækkerup.

“We are also part of a government-fundedproject on Corporate Social Responsibility,which involves a range of other clothingmanufacturers. So we are constantly striv-ing to improve our social awareness.”

Danefæ’s range of stylish children’s clothes feature iconic Danishmotifs and stand thetest of the playground’s hustle and bustle.

By Thomas Bech Hansen | Photos: Danefæ

Durable designs for tinyVikings and little mermaids

The Vikings are coming

Danish icons like Vikings, mermaids and

swans are central to Danefæ’s identity. This

does not mean, however, that other cultures

are not catching on. Far from it.

“Our brand is very popular abroad, for

instance we have a big German market. You

don’t have to be Danish to think that our prints

are fun,” says Louise Warberg Hækkerup with

a smile.

For international stockists, please see:danefae.dk

Children of Scandinavia - Denmark


48 | Issue 63 | April 2014

In 2006, Majken Banke, a freshly-mintedbachelor of architecture, had just givenbirth to her daughter, and hand-me-downclothes were pouring in from friends andrelatives. Now on maternity leave fromher studies, and with affordable qualitybaby clothes in short supply, Majken puther creative skills to use. She supple-mented the hand-me-downs with usedclothes, bought online, and some new fab-rics as well. Armed with a sewing ma-chine from the local supermarket, she setto work. The result was unmistakablyfrisky and unmistakably recognisable: aplayful mix of colours and shapes vaguelyreminiscent of those from her parents’youth.

Banke wanted to make clothes fromdurable fabrics in vibrant colours and witha cut that allowed the wearer to moveabout with ease. With these parameters

set, her artistic sense of the broad linescombined with fine details did the rest tocreate the AlbaBabY look. Though shewanted to create a style inspired by herown childhood, she never intended it to beretro. Instead, she sees her designs asembracing some of themost poignant andmemorable details from the fashion of thepast, combining them with a modern ap-proach to comfort and flexibility. Thus, thehallmark loose cuts, the quality fabricsand the timeless colour palette have be-come the main themes of AlbaBabY’sbiannual collections.

The vision comes to life

Banke soon found her handmade qualityproducts in high demand. A local retailerput some of her creations on display, andsoon orders were being placed faster thanher sewing machine could be threaded.However, with her master’s thesis in ar-

chitecture looming on the horizon, Bankedecided to put the baby clothes project onhold. This would not last long, however, as,shortly later, she fell pregnant with twinbaby girls, a spark that rekindled her cre-ative genius – but this time, she wanted toaim at a bigger-scale production.

Her designs were presented at fashionexhibitions under the brand of AlbaBabY –

In a little less than 4 years, AlbaBabY has established itself as a well-known lavish quality children’s clothing brand. The distinctivelines and vibrant colours, usually combined with pertinent flowery details, make the brand clearly distinguishable at every retailer.Originallymade for infants and toddlers, the brand has now branched out to embrace school children and evenmarkets some prod-ucts for adults. The story behind it is that of a designer’s knack for creating the exquisite yet practical.

By Marjorie de los Angeles Mendieta | Photos: AlbaBabY

Clear lines and colourful details

The first seeds for what is today known as AlbaBabY were sown when new mother Majken Banke combined hand-me-downs with additional items and fabrics bought online, creating a brand newlook distinguished by playful colour combinations and nostalgic shapes.

AlbaBabY family portrait


Issue 63 | April 2014 | 49

named after Banke’s firstborn daughter,Alberte. In 2010, the company’s first offi-cial collection was launched, but almostimmediately, a set-back was encountered,as it turned out that the company’s man-ufacturer in Vietnam was using sub-standard parts and fabrics that did notstand up to AlbaBabY’s uncompromisingscrutiny. Family and friends were enlistedto help with the repairs and replacements,and the company’s reputation was se-cured.

In 2011, the company found a Polish andlater a Ukranian manufacturer who hassince been delivering the standard syn-onymous with AlbaBabY. Two years ago,Banke’s husband joined the company asmarketing director, and the company hasbeen expanding ever since, now boastingmore than 200 retailers in 16 countries.The company’s entire production line ismarked Oeko-Tex class 1, and in their up-coming collection, some articles are evenGOTS certified.

Visions for the future

As the name suggests, toddlers were Al-baBabY’s original target group, but asBanke’s design experience grew – alongwith her daughters – it was only naturalfor the business plan to evolve to includeclothes for older children. For this pur-pose, the company has launched collec-tions under the name of Alba KiD for 3-10

year olds, and it recently also produced aline of dresses for adults.

As always, the aim of AlbaBabY’s produc-tion is to produce durable and lastingitems of clothing, providing stretch andcomfort: ever-changing but still true tothe original concept that defined thebrand. Nevertheless, what is just as im-portant to the founder and designer isthat the majority of the production isreasonably-priced for the everyday con-sumer, as she recalls how she, as a youngmother, thought that children’s clotheswere rather pricy. Making all of the new

designs herself is also of paramount im-portance to her, as she insists that her jobhas to remain interesting and present herwith new challenges; otherwise, it be-comes tedious.

Banke sees the future of AlbaBabY in ex-panding into new markets. Recently, re-tailers have made AlbaBabY’s new collec-tion available in Asia. What the futureholds, only time will tell.

For more information, please visit:www.albababy.dk



50 | Issue 63 | April 2014

Even grown-upsmight find it hard to resistpicking up the chunky, slightly clumsyhippo, Ozzo, to give him a little squeezewhen no one is looking. Ozzo, like all theother animals in Silly U’s Zoopreme Col-lection, has his own story and personality.His intrinsic lovability is at the core of thebrand’s appeal, as is its distinctive Nordicexpression, explains brandmanager AnneØstrup Hansen. “What characterises ourdesigner’s work is her ambition to createan expression in the animals that signalsthat they are great friends. Of course, theyare also very sweet with their big, expres-sive eyes, but they are not traditionallycute. What we wanted was something that

had a very strong Nordic signature andgraphic expression and appealed to bothboys and girls,” she stresses and adds:“It’s part of the storytelling, which enableskids to create cross-gender friendships.We create different stories and individualcharacteristics, like Nozo, the rhino who’safraid of mosquitoes, and Antee, theanteater who loves food. That enables thekids to identify with the animals, and it isalso a way for them to learn that it’s ok tobe different; that whether you’re orange orstriped, we can still be friends!”

The Silly U brand, which was establishedthree years ago, has quickly become a

global phenomenon, with the Zoopremecollection traded in most of the EU as wellas Japan and the US.

Transforming the messy kids’ corner

The Zoopreme collection is the result ofDanish designer, andmother-of-four, He-lene Hjorth’s ambition to create amodern,Danish brand promoting playing, laughterand friendship while also stimulatinglearning and socialisation. Dedicated tomodern design, high-quality materials,and last but not least safety, Hjorth’s firstsmall collection of stuffed animals quicklybecame a must-have for Scandinavianfamilies. In the following years, she added

With soft colours, graphic designs and lovable characters, Silly U’s Zoopreme collection has struck a chord with parents and chil-dren all over the world. The Danish brand is behind a wide range of characteristic stuffed animals, shelves and accessories (for0-3 year olds) designed to promote play and interaction while, at the same time, stylishly complementing a modern home.

By Signe Hansen | Photos: Silly U

Scandinavia’s most squeezable designs

Designed in a mixture of soft pastels with turquoise, coral, black and white, Silly U’s Zoopreme collection makes a stylish addition to a modern family home.


Issue 63 | April 2014 | 51


her trademark graphics and colours to aselection of furniture and children’s ac-cessories.

Everything is designed to accommodatethe Scandinavian lifestyle, in which chil-dren’s play areas are often an integratedpart of the family space rather than lim-ited to a separate bedroom. The entirecollection builds on the zoo theme andincorporates it into, for instance, tablesand chairs. But it is also characterised bythe same Nordic and stylish graphic ex-pression. “It’s a way of incorporating theScandinavian style into the children’sworld, and it proves that just because it’sfor children, it doesn’t need to be in superbright yellow or green colours,” ØstrupHansen explains, adding: “We are very

much inspired by children and their playand creativity; we want to integrate thatinto the family space with some fabulousmaterials and wonderful designs, but itwill always be on the children’s terms.”

Safety and practicality

Though Silly U is, as the brand name re-veals, about having fun and allowing sillyand creative ideas to flourish, a lot of ef-fort has been put into thinking throughboth the aesthetic and the practical as-pects of the design. “Our starting point isof course the needs and comfort of thechildren. When we design a table, it has tobe good to sit at, and bed linen has to becomfy to wrap up in – the quality is un-challengeable. But on top of that, Hjorth,with her four kids, has a lot of experience

to draw on for the smaller issues – like,for instance, the convenience of having asmall strap to attach the dummy to. Par-ents face a lot of small and big challenges,which she has managed to solve withpractical but stylish designs,” ØstrupHansen rounds off.

When it comes to themanufacturing of theproducts, Maki, Silly U’s parent company,swears by an equally detail-orientatedprocess, ensuring that all products adherestrictly to all EU safety requirements.

For more information, please visit:www.sillyu.dk

The squeezable hippo Ozzo is the Zoopreme collection’smost clumsy character, but when the music is turned on, hecannot help but dancing right away.


52 | Issue 63 | April 2014


After 30 years in the business, GreenCotton is still going strong. A large, play-ful print on environmentally-friendlyclothing is the formula for success.

Fashion might have changed a lot sincethe founding of the company back in 1983,but Green Cotton still aims to take a Scan-dinavian approach to design. “We havethis colourful universe of large prints onour clothing that children find interest-ing. In Scandinavia, children often playoutside, so therefore our clothes aremade

for active children – and we aim to makethem both fun and durable. There are nolittle princesses in our universe,” saysmanaging director Sanne Nørgaard.

Organic cotton pioneer

The colours are not only joyful: they arealso amongst the most environmentally-friendly on the market. Green Cotton wasan early adapter of organic cotton for its t-shirts, and still to this day the brand pridesitself on designing garments that take theenvironment into consideration. “We want

our design to work on different levels,”says Sanne Nørgaard. “First of all, creat-ing environmentally-friendly clothing alsomeans creating high-quality clothing thatlasts not only for a fewmonths. In additionto this, we want each garment to tell astory. The shirt with the monkey and thebanana also highlights the importance ofthinking about the environment in order toprotect the jungle, where themonkey lives.We hope that our clothes inspire parents totell these stories.”

In recent years, a growing number ofDanish children’s wear brands have es-tablished themselves abroad, owing tothe quality of their products. Brands suchas Småfolk, Katvig and Danefæ, to namea few, are becoming increasingly sought-after commodities in all of Scandinavia aswell as Germany.

Rita Byskov believes that this is no coinci-dence. The new-generation brands ofDanish children’s fashion generally com-bine organic fabrics and durability withexquisite design. Byskov’s mission is tomake these brands available to a wideraudience. Since 2012, she has been run-ning the company isaDisa in Ringkøbing,and through a solely internet-based trad-ing platform, the company is able to dojust that. At present, isaDisa is a distribu-tor of more than 15 well-known Danishclothing brands.

The company distributes its productsacross all of Europe, but so far, it hascatered mostly to Danish and Germanconsumers. With Byskov at the helm,however, isaDisa aims to make a push foramong others the British market. With amain customer segment consisting ofparents of young children, isaDisa focuseson marketing via newsletters and compe-titions in social media. Right now, thecompany is garnering an ever-growingnumber of followers on Facebook and In-

stagram. These new and expanding mar-keting tools are quick at relaying themes-sage, thus sharpening the demands onthe services and products provided. Al-ready a large and increasing number ofreturning customers testify to the fact thatisaDisa is upholding its end of the bargain.

For more information, please visit:www.isadisa.dkwww.facebook.com/isadisa.dk

Colourful clothing for active childrenBy Nicolai Lisberg | Photos: Peer Klercke Photography

For more information, please visit:www.green-cotton.dk

Promoting Danish children’s wear brands abroadBy Marjorie de los Angeles Mendieta | Photos: isaDisa

Rita Byskov


Issue 63 | April 2014 | 53

A changing bag used to be something thatcame with the pram – with matching flow-ers and a look that could not hide the func-tionality. Since 2008, Danish Judith Ger-strøm has been trying to change this withthe brand byStroom, which consists of ma-ternity wear, changing bags and acces-sories. byStroom is sold online and alsorepresented in various shops inmany Euro-pean countries. The design is internationalbut with a Scandinavian touch in its sim-plicity, detail and minimalistic, clean lines.

Having a baby brings joy, but also a lot of ex-penses, and Gerstrøm’s vision is that youshould be able to wear and use these bagsfor more than ‘just’ the baby. She feels thata mother-to-be should still be able to feelcomfortable and lookgoodat the same time.Therefore, thematernity wear does not looklike maternity wear; it has functionalitieslike chic openings for breastfeeding and atrendy design thatmakes it possible to dressupanddown for any situation – plus it canbeused afterwards as well.

The bags are still practical on the inside,but on the outside they look like fashionbags, which can still be used when thenappies are no longer necessary. Themother can still be a woman; a workingbag can include a nappy section as well asan iPad section. The byStroom brand isvery feminine in some ways, but it also of-fers solutions for men with unisex bags –black or brown bags that the father canbring on a baby-free weekend trip, too.

Even your child can be fashionable, asGerstrøm just started making backpacksfor children that can be used from kinder-garden and for years to come. “The back-pack grows with the child,” she explains.The quality fabric, timeless design andchanging straps make it an essential partof the child’s early years.

Choose byStroom’s fashionable collection,and carry your life with you the cool way.

Maternitywearandchangingbagsused tobe forwomenonly andhadonesinglepurpose.Now it is possible to look trendyandusebabyaccessories in all situations–even if youarethe father.

By Tina Lukmann Andersen | Photos: byStroom

Modernmother and fashionable father–multi-functional, unisex and trendy parenthood

For more information, please visit:www.bystroom.com

byStroom makes practical yet fashionable bags for the whole family.



54 | Issue 63 | April 2014


High-quality, anti-fashion products that lastand can eventually be passed on – that is themain philosophy behind The Organic Com-pany, which is why all their products for chil-dren belong in a universe of adults.

Six years ago, Joy Vasiljev was tired of alwayshaving to choose between ecology and designwhen looking for a gift or something for thehouse. She decided that she could do it betterherself, so in order to combine ecology and de-sign, she founded The Organic Company.

“We avoid trendy patterns, because we thinklong-term, which means that we are prettymuch gender neutral in our selection of

colours. Instead, we see our textiles as goodporcelain you want to collect and keep for manyyears, because they never go out of fashion,”Vasiljev explains.

A responsible way of thinkingLess is more. That is the company slogan, andthat is exactly what separates this brand frommany others. Traditionally, a bib, for instance,would be considered a product for children –but not at The Organic Company. Functionally,they are designed for children, but due to theirappearance they belong in a universe for adults.

“This also makes sense from a responsibleand environmental perspective. Our weavings

are of high quality, which combined with our ex-pression makes the textiles durable and clas-sic. If you create good textiles, you do not needa thousand of them. That is the general ideabehind our brand,” Vasiljev ends.

With its edgy yet pretty ‘princess with atti-tude’ look, Danish brand Creamie has won thehearts of girls all over the world.

Creamie is an international brand that designsfashion with an edge for girls. With cool andeye-catching details and a philosophy of qual-ity, value and luxury at affordable prices, thebrand has created a universally-appealing, chic

feminine look. “I think that one of the thingsthat make Creamie so popular is that you cancombine the items in so many different ways.The Spring 2014 collection makes it really easyto create a fashionable everyday outfit that iseasily transformed into a sophisticated dressylook,” explains designer Anne Mette Stampe.

Creamie was established three years ago,as a mini version of DK Company’s highly suc-

cessful women’s wear brand, Cream. Creamie,however, quickly developed its own identity,drawing inspiration from the fashion scene athome and abroad. Stampe says: “It’s children’sclothing with an edge – a bit more raw andtrendy than what you usually see. The Creamiegirl is sweet and tough. She is a princess withattitude.”

For more information, please visit:www.creamie.eu

Less is more By Nicolai Lisberg | Photos: Line Thit Klein

For more information, please visit:theorganiccompany.dkinstagram.com/theorganiccompanywww.facebook.com/TheOrganicCompanyInternational

Princess with attitude

The Creamie girl is sweet and tough – a princess with attitude.

Creamie releases 6 yearly collections for girls

aged three to 14.

The Creamie collections are sold across the

whole of Europe, the US and Canada.

Creamie is part of DK Company, which since

its inception in 2001 has grown to become one

of Europe’s leading suppliers of fashion and

lifestyle brands catering to men, women and

children.

By Signe Hansen | Photos: Creamie


Issue 63 | April 2014 | 55

A shared passion for making products thatmatter, and a shared desire to changeconsumers’ perception of socially- andenvironmentally-conscious brands as dulland lifeless – ten years ago, that was howthe story of Serendipity Organics began.The brand was founded by designer Anne-Sofie Tobiasen, and as it grew, her sisterCaroline Tobiasen jumped on board.

The essence of Serendipity Organics isthe love for natural materials. “If we canfind an alternative to artificial materials,we do it,” Caroline explains. As a result,Serendipity Organics only uses 100 percent organic cotton and its entire produc-tion process, from cotton growth and spin-ning to the finished product, is certified byGOTS, the Global Organic Textile Standard– something the sisters are rightfullyproud of.

Natural beginningsAnne-Sofie finds her inspiration in the soft-ness ofmelange yarns and natural fibres ofhigh quality, as well as in the clean andclear lines of nature. The style is classic,functional and simple – an expression ofthe globally popular Scandinavian designtradition. But most importantly, the prod-ucts are designedwith children’s happinessand comfort in mind: “We want the child towear the clothes, not the otherway around,”Caroline explains.

The core collections are aimed at childrenaged 0-11, and recently Serendipity Organ-ics added a women’s collection as well as apopular collection for premature babies. Asmore andmore children are bornwith aller-gies or hypersensitivity, parents have be-come increasingly aware of the importanceof organic, natural and sustainable prod-

ucts. In addition, the aftermath of the finan-cial crisis has spurred a generation of so-cially- andenvironmentally-conscious youngmothers and fathers, who value quality overquantity. Serendipity Organics combines thisawareness with fun and functional designs.

Deeply rooted in the functional and simpleScandinavian design tradition, Serendipity Or-ganics is a reputableDanishdesignbrand specialising in organic children’swear.With anuncompromising focus on quality and sustainability, Serendipity Organics’ designs havetruly captured the spirit of a resurfaced generation of quality-conscious parents.

By Stine Gjevnoe | Photos: Heidi Lerkenfeldt

Dressing organic is a way of life

For more information, please visit:www.serendipity-organics.com

2014 summer collection.



56 | Issue 63 | April 2014


With timeless and classic, knitted children’swear, Danish design brand FUB has estab-lished itself as a key player on an increasinglypopularmarket. FUB has an unwavering focuson quality and sustainability, and its productsare designed to last a lifetime – or at least achildhood.

Founded in 2006 by designer Anne-Sofie Olrik,FUBmixes traditional traits of the Scandinaviandesign tradition with current, modern trends.Having lived a number of years abroad, Olrikand her husband decided to return to Denmarkwhen they were expecting their first child, andthe designer noticed a substantial gap in themarket. “At the time, most children’s fashionwas full of patterns and prints. It was too busyfor my taste and I was looking for something‘cleaner’ and timeless that could be handeddown to the next child,” Olrik explains.

Soon business partner Lotte Bundgaardjoined, and the first FUB collection hit the mar-ket in the fall of 2007. The simple yet creativeand fun designs quickly proved to be in linewith the current zeitgeist of quality-consciousconsumers; materials are organic when possi-ble, and FUB avoids any harmful chemicals inorder to protect the children and help sustain ahealthy environment. Children’s comfort andwell-being is at the core of every collection,and, as Olrik argues, “it’s not about dressingright or dressing up, it’s about giving the childthe freedom to play and have fun.”

While quality and durability form the foun-

dation of every design, that does not excludethe fun and playfulness characterising child-hood. “Each FUB stylestands out as a one-of-a-kind design, butit also challenges youto be creative and mixthe different stylesinto inventive looks,”Olrik concludes.

The simple, childlike and genuinely charmingdrawings of Ida Tradsmake up the essence ofthe success of the Danish children’s wearbrand, IdaT. With its instantly-recognisable,colourful expression, the brand has become ahit with children (from 0 to eight years of age)and parents in numerous countries from Fin-land to the US.

Having always had a natural creative talent anddrive, Ida Trads created her first small collec-tion of children’s wear in 2005, after the birth ofher first child. Based on the happy monkey, acharacter initially intended for a children’s

book, the simple cuteness of Trads’s designsappealed to almost everyone. Soon the happybaby face, one of the designer’s most charac-teristic drawings and the brand’s logo, was aregular in most of Copenhagen’s children’swear shops.

“I think what appeals to so many people isthe simplicity and cute drawings. We also workwith a set variety of colours, but it is the cutedrawings, which Ida draws by hand, that give thebrand its immediately appealing impression,”says Trads’s husband Morten, who runs the ad-ministrative side of the design firm, adding: “Weare also very well-known for our value-for-

money, high-quality cotton and take pride inhaving a sustainable product. We take great careto ensure that we only use factories that treatworkers properly and do not use child labour.”

IdaT creates two yearly collections, sold byretailers in 12 countries and through thebrand’s own website.

For more information, please visit:www.idat.dk

Inspiring children’s wear of quality and consciousness

For more information, please visit:fubchildrenswear.dk

Drawing children’s wearBy Signe Hansen | Photos: IdaT

IdaT’s designs are, thanks to Ida Trads’s characteristic handdrawings, immediately recognisable.

Left: The smiling monkey was one of IdaT’s first characteris-tic drawings, initially created by Ida Trads as the character ofa children’s book.

By Stine GjevnoePhotos: FUB


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58 | Issue 63 | April 2014

Anyone with children in their lives knowsthat they sweep in like a whirlwind of loveand chaos. Days get a different rhythm,priorities change, and new discoveries aremade. And as the children grow, from thatvery first smile, the very first step, the firsttrip on the bike and the first night awayfrom mum and dad, we adults grow.

But it is not without growing pains. Sud-denly you stand there, bewildered and un-certain, wondering what to do. How doother parents get their children to sleep atnight? Are all families this stressed in themornings? And what is that rash that hassuddenly appeared? Today, luckily, you nolonger need to stand alone with your con-cerns.

Formany parents, social media and the in-ternet are like an extended arm andmuch-needed support. The web is where we gofor quick answers and to find out what

others have done. And we share – boththe good moments and the not-so-good.

This interaction means an awful lot tomany people, as we at Familjeliv.se havebecome aware. For the last ten years,Familjeliv.se is Sweden’s largest meetingplace for parents and those expecting,and no issue is too large or too small to beaired here. The heart of the site is the fo-rum, where visitors can find others in thesame situation as themselves or ask oneof the site’s experts a question. Nothing isdeemed insignificant, silly or embarrass-ing – there is always someone who hasexperienced the same thing.

Thousands of posts are shared on theFamiljeliv forum every day. Many visitorsfind the site when they have just had apositive pregnancy test and find other ex-pectant couples who are due around thesame time, sometimes even in the same

town. They stay in touch all the way to thebig day, exchanging thoughts and experi-ences on our forum, and as their eagerly-awaited baby arrives, it continues. Somebecome friends for life and stay in touchfor many years, as one mother wrote toanother: “Enjoy the time the baby wants tobe in your arms all the time and sleep ontop of you, because it doesn’t last long.Since I had my son, I feel like the happiestperson in the world – no one canmakemelaugh the way he does!”

“Without my kids, the house would be clean and my wallet full, but my heart would beempty.” When we have children, our lives change: we step right into the children’s worldand they step into ours. Nothing will ever be the same again – and how lucky!

By Susanne Ståhl, editor of Familjeliv.se | Photos: Familjeliv.se

Parents: you are not alone

For more information, please visit:www.familjeliv.se

Familjeliv.se was set up by parents in 2003 as

an online meeting place, and today it has over

1 million unique visitors every week. In one

month, Familjeliv reaches more than half of

all mothers in Sweden with children between

0 and 6 years of age (Orvesto 2012). Since

2013, Familjeliv also exists in Norway

(Familieprat.no), now Norway’s fastest-

growing women and family site.

Familjeliv Media launched three apps in two

languages during 2013: Gravidguiden and

Babyguiden. Part of Stampen Media Partner,

Familjeliv Media runs the sites Familjeliv.se,

mobil.familjeliv.se, Familieprat.no, Familie.pl,

Bröllopstorget, Gobaby.se and odla.nu.

SPECIAL

THEME:

CHILDREN O

F SCANDINA

VIA- SWEDEN


Issue 63 | April 2014 | 59

“We work with the most important, bestthing we’ve got – our children. Our top pri-ority is to work to ensure that the toys wesell are safe,” says Jennifer Rydén Eng-lund, CEO of the Swedish Toy Association.

The trade association works to safeguarda sound development of the Swedishmar-ket by promoting social responsibility andmarketing of safe toys. This is done pri-marily through Icti Care Process, with of-fices in Hong Kong and 20 employees. Putsimply, the initiative is all about ensuringreasonable working conditions, safe work-places, environmental issues, and thecomplete absence of child labour at thetoy factories. Today, 1,100 factories across12 countries are affiliated with the pro-gramme, and all members of the SwedishToy Association are obliged to guarantee

that they only do business with certifiedfactories.

Toys sold across Europe must meet somestrict security standards.Where a toy is pro-duced is irrelevant, since the regulations

apply to all toys regardless ofwhere they aremanufactured. Toys sold in the EuropeanUnionmust not contain any substances thatmay be dangerous for children.

Another key part of the work of the tradeassociation focuses on ‘value of play’. Areport written by Jeffrey Goldstein andcommissioned by TIE has established thatplay is crucial for the development of hu-man society, and that play during earlychildhood is necessary for all individualsto reach their full potential.

Parents can help their children to playsafely by always:- buying toys from reliable retailers;- choosing appropriate toys;- ensuring that the toy is used as in-tended;

- overseeing play;- and keeping smaller children away fromtoys intended for older children.

“We fully support thosemarket control ef-forts that endeavour tomake sure that toysthat do not meet all the requirements areremoved from the market,” Rydén Eng-lund ends.

Leksaksbranschen, or the Swedish Toy Association, is the trade association for allplayers on the Swedishmarket for toys, hobbies and baby products. The organisationalso works at a European level through itsmembership in Toy Industry of Europe (TIE)and globally through the International Council of Toy Industries (ICTI).

Text & photos by the Swedish Toy Association

Swedish Toy Association– working for safer toys

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Children of Scandinavia - Sweden

For more information, please visit:www.leksaksbranschen.se

Jennifer Rydén Englund, CEO of the Swedish Toy Association


60 | Issue 63 | April 2014

“It’s the act of playing that is of vital im-portance,” says Sophie Elvefors, DeputyManaging Director of BRIO. “For over ahundred years it has developed us, both asa company and as people.”

In 2014, BRIO celebrates its 130th an-niversary. Instead of looking backwardsand profiling ground-breaking milestonessuch as its Labyrinth game (1946) andminiature wooden railway (1958), theSwedish toy company decided to pay trib-ute to the magic of play and celebrate thechild within us all.

Around the world, there is a growingconcern that play is not afforded the im-portant and necessary role it shouldhave in children’s upbringing. Scientificresearch shows that children are givenless and less opportunity to play freely

and that families are spending less timewith each other. In November last year,the Cambridge researcher Dr. DavidWhitebread was awarded the BRIO prizefor his report, The Importance of Play.This spring, BRIO is continuing its workof introducing more play into people’sdaily lives.

In a recent Facebook campaign, BRIOgives adults a chance to reawaken theirinner child. The winners will be paid totake time off work in order to be a child fora day. “It’s a fun way for us to place the fo-cus on something that we think is impor-tant. Free play is being given less and lessof a role, despite the fact that we know

Throughout the ages, play has formed the foundation of children’s well-being and development. So when the Swedish toy com-pany BRIO was planning its 130th anniversary, it decided to celebrate by paying tribute to the importance of play and letting adultsbe children again for a day.

By Linnea Dunne | Photos: BRIO

130 years of never growing old


Michael Heun Sophie Elvefors


Issue 63 | April 2014 | 61

that it’s central to development and cre-ativity for both children and adults,” saysElvefors.

Once there was a wooden horse…

BRIO was founded in 1884 in Osby, asmall community in the south of Swe-den. The name is an abbreviation of ‘theBRothers Ivarsson of Osby’. BRIO quicklygained a reputation for making toys ofhigh quality, and in the 1940s, it was ap-pointed official supplier to the SwedishRoyal Court, an honour the company re-tains to this day.

The company’s first globalsuccess, the Labyrinthgame, came in 1946.This was a unique in-vention, not onlyadored by children butalso used all over Eu-rope in the rehabilita-tion of thousands of in-jured pilots, following theSecond World War. No otherproduct was as important during the1950s and 1960s when it comes to spread-ing the BRIO brand across the world –and no other BRIO product has beencopied as much.

After the enormous impact of theLabyrinth game, success upon successcontinued to make its way from the com-pany’s production facilities. 1958 saw thearrival of BRIO’s miniature railway, withtracks and bridges made of wood. Today,BRIO’s railway and train sets are the com-pany’s largest exports, amounting to morethan 75 million train sets and in excess of260 million wooden rails sold to date –

enough to build a railway longer than thecircumference of the earth.

Timeless yet innovative

BRIO has noticed that children often in-herit their first BRIO toys from their par-ents and go on to create imaginativeworlds by combining the older toys withnew, modern BRIO products. Today,monorail trains and aeroplanes run alongthe same railway that granddad playedwith as a child. “We have put a lot of energyinto raising the value of playing with andexpanding, for example, the railway world.

At the same time, we are doingthis in a respectful way to en-sure that the old and thenew literally fit together,”says Michael Heun,Product DevelopmentManager at BRIO.

BRIO’s railway andbuilder ranges are open-

play systems to which newparts can always be added.

There is never a ‘right or wrong’ wayto play with the toys. “We want to inspirechildren to base their play activities ontheir own imagination and creativity. Weare convinced that children are the bestcreators of their own imaginary worlds,”Heun insists.

One of the keys to BRIO’s survival andgrowth during its 130-year history hasbeen its ability to focus on the act of play-ing while, at the same time, keeping pacewith the times. “BRIO’s history is an in-herent part of the company’s identity andwill be a strength as we look to the fu-ture,” says Elvefors.

For more information, please visit:www.brio.net



62 | Issue 63 | April 2014

“35,000 different species are endangereddue to trade alone,” says Martin Testorf,communications director at the museum.“We are not alone to think that this is anincredibly urgent concern, so togetherwith WWF, the Department of Agriculture,and the Swedish Customs Office, we havedeveloped this exhibition to raise aware-ness.”

But what has this got to do with sou-venirs? As most keen travellers will know,markets often make the perfect place topick up a present for someone back homeor a little something to help carry thememories of a wonderful trip; yet thesemarkets are not always very well regu-

lated, and you can forgive tourists for feel-ing clueless as to which items make eth-ical purchases and which do not.

Following a family on holiday in an exoticcountry, visitors at A Souvenir for Life getto experience familiar places including amarket place and the customs area at theairport, helping the family decide whatitems to bring home and learning aboutendangered species as the baggage getscaught in customs. “We’ve got a widerange of items on display at this exhibi-tion,” says Testorf. “You’ll find everythingfrom furs and ivory to bags and snakeskinboots – and they’re all here becausethey’ve been caught in customs.”

Small in size but big in terms of the mes-sage it wants to convey, A Souvenir forLife is a call for consciousness. “The ex-hibition isn’t anti-consumerism as such,but it aims to make the connection be-tween your choices and their conse-quences. With thousands of species en-dangered purely because of trade,together, as conscious consumers, wecan change that.”

For children, but not childish

The Swedish Museum of Natural Historyprides itself on taking a proactive ap-proach to education, reaching out toschools with ready-made teaching plansand guiding around 30 classes of school

With a proud mission of educating the public and impressive premises in the world’s first ever national city park near StockholmUniversity, the Swedish Museum of Natural History boasts dinosaurs, a world-class research unit, and a super high-technologicalstate-of-the-art IMAX dome cinema. But this spring, a new exhibition shifts the focus away from historical fauna phenomena anddigital 3D systems to put the spotlight on another important issue: that of souvenirs.

By Linnea Dunne

An adventure for change


Photo:M

ikaelAxelsson


Issue 63 | April 2014 | 63

children every day. On site, it is the con-creteness of themuseum’s resources thathas the greatest impact and leaves thelongest-lasting impression. “Many of themuseum’s 10 million collectibles are ondisplay here – no nature documentary onTV can beat that,” says Testorf. “The ex-citement of the children who come here ispalpable as they run up to the differentitems and start touching and getting closeup looking at them.”

Indeed, what the museum does best, ac-cording to one review, is targeting chil-dren without being childish, somethingTestorf feels hits the nail on the head. Yetthe exhibitions suit visitors of all ages, andscience novices as well as those with ad-vanced knowledge of the subjects ex-plored. And as everyone can learn some-thing new and get something out of thedisplays, the whole family can enjoy themtogether – another important strength.

Nature, dinosaurs and 3D coral reefs

Among the nine permanent exhibitions isSwedish Nature, showcasing a wide rangeof Swedish animals, including arctic foxes,moose and seals, each display telling itsown story. Moreover, this spring wel-comes a very special temporary exhibition,while the 4½ Billion Years exhibition aboutthe history of life and earth, including di-nosaurs, is closed for reconstruction: thesmall but equally fascinating Mini Dinoexhibition will teach dinosaur fanatics allabout the life of the long-gone creatures.

But when it comes to breaking recordsand boasting on paper, Cosmonova takesthe prize. The super high-technologicalIMAX cinema reflects up to 35 billioncolours and uses a file format over tentimes larger than that of a regular cinema,all within a dome of 23 metres in diame-ter with 262 tiered and tilted seats. Thefilm Journey Through the South Pacific,which premiered in February, lets theviewer follow a young West Papua islandboy on a journey alongside sharks andsea turtles, and teaches an important les-son about living in balance with nature.

“You really get to step right into the ad-venture,” says Testorf about the unique-

for-Sweden experience. And perhaps thatis the secret behind this government-funded educational hub: that whatever theexhibition, it is so much more than a flat

screen – from the eagle attacking its preyto the shark that jumps out of the IMAXscreen. May the adventure begin!

For more information, please visit:www.nrm.se


Above: The film Journey Through the South Pacific follows a young boy on a journey through coral reefs, presenting the viewerto sharks and sea turtles while teaching a lesson about living in balance with nature. Photos: MacGillivray Freeman films/IMAX

Below: The new exhibition, A Souvenir for Life, aims to raise awareness around the fact that 35,000 different species are endan-gered due to trade alone – and help keen travellers become more responsible in their shopping habits. Photos: Sara Ringstrom


64 | Issue 63 | April 2014


The world’s largest exhibition of computergames, Game On 2.0, has since last Octoberengaged thousands of enthusiasts of all agesat the Swedish National Museum of Scienceand Technology in Stockholm.

Computer games no doubt have a special placein most people’s hearts, and Game On 2.0 hassuccessfully attracted big crowds to theSwedish National Museum of Science andTechnology. “Families with toddlers, seniors,groups of teens and fanatic gamers all get to-gether to play, find their old-time favourites

and discover the worlds of computer games,”says museum director Ann Follin.

Originally created by the Barbican in London,the exhibition is described as an in-depth lookat gaming’s fascinating past and limitless fu-ture. “The visitors get the opportunity to tryover 100 games,” Follin says excitedly. “There’severything from Pong and other old arcadegames to dance mats, 3D glasses and the lat-est computer game consoles.”

A comprehensive Scandinavian collectionBut this is more than a temporary theme at themuseum. “Game On 2.0 marked the start of ourown documentation of computer game devel-opment. With many world-leading gamingcompanies founded in Scandinavia, we feel thatit’s an important part in the history of technol-ogy,” says Follin.

Located in the beautiful park of Djurgården inStockholm, and with thousands of square me-tres of interactive exhibitions and activities, theNational Museum of Science and Technologymakes for a great day out for the whole family.

In fact, the museum’s vision is to be “every lit-tle genius’s favourite place.”

Families can be sure to always get a warmwelcome at Balthazar Science Center. Locatedin the town of Skövde, between Stockholm andGothenburg, Balthazar is a perfect day out forthe whole family, catering for visitors of allages.

Science centres are an international phenom-enon, represented in almost all Europeancountries and beyond, some large and somevery small. Balthazar is modestly sized andprides itself on having friendly staff and a widerange of activities. “Having enthusiastic andengaged staff who know what they are talkingabout is incredibly important to us,” says PaulaBäckman, centre director. “We encourage ahands-on approach, as well as creativity, dis-covery, discussion and having fun. There ismore to do here than just press buttons on acomputer screen, and something for everyoneregardless of their age.”

Investing in the future, todaySeveral important companies can be found inand around the town of Skövde, and Balthazar is

aware of its role in engaging young people anddeveloping their interest in science and tech-nology. Bäckman thinks it is important to con-tinue to learn about science and technology out-side the classroom tomake sure that the subjectis both challenging and enjoyable. “We want toshow the next generation, who are big con-sumers of the latest technologies, that they canactually influence and contribute to the devel-opment of their hometown,” says the director.

For more information, please visit:balthazar.nu

Relive the best computer games

For more information, please visit:www.tekniskamuseet.se/en

Science and technology for everyone

There are three family-focused, staff-led activity sessionsevery day.

By Sara MangsboPhotos: Anna Gerden

By Sara MangsboPhotos: Balthazar Science Center

Upcoming events at Balthazar

28 April – 1 June: Fun with physics!

2 June – 15 June: Bubbleology!

16 June – 18 August: Summer break

– open seven days a week, 10am-5pm

Photo: Ellinor Algin

The latest gaming technology as well as retro games fromthe ’60s are explored at the Game On 2.0 exhibition.


Issue 63 | April 2014 | 65

“Visualisation as a tool, be it x-rays inmed-icine or maps for spatial relations, can beincredibly powerful,” explains Karl Eldebo,business developer at the centre. “Whenyou’re able to spin around in space, yousuddenly begin to grasp just how big it is.”

This view is shared by a number of otherScience Centres across the world, butwhat is unique in regard to Visualiser-ingscenter C is its close connection toboth researchers and entrepreneurs. Notonly can you contribute to the university’sresearch by taking part in a visualisationstudy, but you are also likely to bump intoone of themany CEOs and professors whomeet in the restaurant and café for a busi-ness lunch or chat over coffee.

Meet technology early on

This buzzing environment benefits bothschools and families, as one visiting

teacher once said: “If youmeet technologyearly on, you’ll take the way of thinkingwith you through life.” And there is no bet-ter place for children of all ages to meettechnology: while the youngest can ex-plore apps and experiments in ProfessorPupil’s brand new lab, the slightly olderwill be blown away by Kosmos 3D, an in-teractive dome space tour, and the olderstill can learn how to code.

With regular theme weekends and guestspeakers, such as astronaut Christer Fu-glesang, who recently came to launch theaforementioned 3D show, there is alwaysexcitement in the air.

The physical meets the virtual

The great advantage of visualisation, ac-cording to Eldebo, is its capacity to reallymake an impact and contribute to a wowfactor – which, of course, is why parents

keep coming back. “Parents notice thattheir children leave the centre with a newunderstanding of science,” he says.“Something tickles their interest, andonce you’ve ignited that spark, the schoolwork suddenly feels more enjoyable, too.”

Building bridges between the physicalworld and the virtual, VisualiseringscenterC brings together advanced research witheverything from LEGO to Minecraft and3D cinema, encouraging its visitors to getcreative and explore endlessly. Time toawaken the scientist in you!

Norrköping boasts not just Norrköping Science Park, a hotspot with over 800 entre-preneurs and knowledge enterprises, but also Linköpings University’s science re-search institution. A hub within this science hub, Visualiseringscenter C is a ScienceCentre taking all this expertise and presenting it to the public, aiming to increase thegeneral understanding of technology through visualisation.

By Linnea Dunne | Photos: Visualiseringscenter C

Awaken the scientist in you


For more information, please visit:visualiseringscenter.se/en


66 | Issue 63 | April 2014


In the beginning, Rietz and her mothermainly produced cotton and fleece hatsand baby blankets, based in the seam-stress’ workshop. But business picked upquickly and another pair of hands wasneeded. Along came Rietz’s sister, SaraMarmsjö, bringing bags of sales andmar-keting expertise from the music industry.And the rest, as they say, is history.

“When we spot Geggamoja hats in town,we still think it’s someone we know – butthat of course isn’t the case anymore,”say the sisters about the hugely popularhallmark hat. “It’s so instantly recognis-able because of the vertical logo at thefront, and we’re delighted that it’s still sopopular, tens of thousands of hats later!”Though the sisters admit that the earlyhats and comfort blankets are still amongtheir personal favourites, Geggamoja to-day makes everything from bibs and

jumpsuits to dresses, jumpers and high-quality durable overalls, now availableacross 15 countries. The garments areproduced with sustainability in mind, thehuge majority certified by GOTS, and thecompany actively works to keep improvingeverything from environmental impact toworking conditions.

At the heart of the brand, however, is alove of children – and fun. “We’re inspiredby active kids and parents, so we makeclothes for the nursery, for parties, and forall kinds of activities,” says Rietz. “We cre-ate classic cuts and clever details, work-ing with soft, comfortable materials andlong cuffs – clothes we can see ourselvesand our children wearing.”

Perhaps the clue is in the name: ‘gegg-amoja’ is a Swedish word for mud, mainlyused by children. It is bound to get messy,

but with a new range of overall suits of-fering a water column of 10,000 mm, abreathability of 3,000 g / m² / 24 hours,and reflectors, there is no need to worry.

Collaborating with charities for which they“have an extra heart”, producing chil-dren’s wear so popular that they have hadto expand the range to cater for adults,and determined to expand the Geggamojakingdom to include sports shops, Rietzand Marmsjö have certainly achieved a lotin less than a decade. The next time yousee that vertical black and white logo, youknow where it came from.

After eight years in the advertising industry, Anna Rietz knew that she wanted to cre-ate something of her own. She had just became amother and discovered a new-foundenthusiasm for adapting the baby clothes available on the market, all with the helpof her seamstress mother. It was 2005, and soon, the foundation for what was to be-come Geggamoja was born.

By Linnea Dunne | Photos: Geggamoja

Clothes with a purpose – and heart

For more information, please visit:www.geggamoja.com

Owners and sisters Anna Rietz and Sara Marmsjo


Issue 63 | April 2014 | 67


Skansen is the world’s first open-air museum,founded in 1891: a breathtakingly beautifulcity oasis wheremoose can be spotted, picnicshad and the fascinating world of the past ex-perienced firsthand.

“There are plenty of opportunities to take part infun-filled activities here. But Skansen also of-fers serene tranquility, as this is a place whereyou really get a rural feeling, despite the factthat we’re right in themiddle of a big city,” saysCecilia Törnqvist, marketing officer at Skansen.“Skansen is a perfect place for tourists to visitas you quickly get a feel for Sweden when youembark on a historical and geographical tripthroughout the whole country.”

At Skansen, situated on the island ofDjurgården, visitors can stroll through five cen-turies of Swedish history, with a real sense ofthe past enhanced by the interaction with nu-merous living history guides in period dresses.In the abundance of furnished houses andfarmsteads, cultivated plots and gardens andboth domestic and wild animals, visitors canexperience and explore everything from theSkåne farmstead in the south to the Sami campin the north. If you are lucky, you can help feedthe hens, learn how to spin yarn, or take part intraditional old-fashioned games.

As a zoo, Skansen is primarily committed toshowing Scandinavian animals, and visitors getto see both domestic and wild animals such as

bears, wolves and lynx, as well as more than 70other species and breeds. “At our children’szoo, Lill-Skansen, our aim is to teach childrenhow to interact with animals in a positive andrespectful way,” says Törnqvist. “After a recentrefurbishment, there are now evenmore placeswhere the children can play and have a whaleof a time and, above all, some great places forthe animals to live.”

Fun-filled, rural time travel in Stockholm city

For more information, please visit:www.skansen.se/en

In an old, listed building dating back to the17th century, on one of Gamla Stan’s manycobbled lanes, is Postmuseum, owned by theSwedish Post Office and founded in 1906. Butwhile its premises are steeped in history, themuseum itself is far from dated.

“A lot of people who come here are quite sur-prised at what they find,” says Malin Valentin,head of communications and hosting at themuseum. “Traditionally, Postmuseum wasmainly a treasure trove for stamp collectors –impressive, infairness, withcollections dat-ing back to 1855,but perhaps notthat exciting fora family withkids. Today, it isan entirely dif-ferent story.”

Recently ren-ovated, Postmu-seum boasts

four separate exhibitions: Your Post, about thepostal service of the past and present; The Lit-tle Post Office, where children can try out thetasks of postmen and sorting officers; Hello!about all things communication and the writtenword; and, finally, the stamp treasure trove.You only need to imagine a toddler moving let-ters from one box to another or a primaryschool child getting ready to deliver the mail ortry out a typewriter, and you can see why fam-ilies holidaying in Stockholm often stop by here.

“Everything has been developed with a

child’s perspective in mind, from the height ofdisplays to the approach to discovery,” Valentinexplains, adding with a smile: “But it’s not justchildren who love getting dressed up in post-man’s outfits and getting their photo taken!”

Put simply, Postmuseum views the worldfrom both the postman’s perspective and thechild’s, for example allowing children to inter-view researchers about communications. “It’s amuseum about the postal service,” saysValentin, “but at the end of the day, the historyof post also says a lot about the history of so-ciety and how it’s changed.”

For more information, please visit:www.postmuseum.posten.se

Signed, sealed, delivered – but how? By Linnea DunnePhotos: Ulf Michal

Postmuseum is open Tuesday to Sunday,

except on public holidays, but the library, the

shop and The Little Post Office have limited

opening hours.

By Ulrika Kuoppa | Photos: Marie Andersson


68 | Issue 63 | April 2014

It started in 1945, as Danish Grete Thom-sen moved to Gothenburg’s Lundby andstarted making doll’s houses and furni-ture for her niece. Today, the blogosphereis struggling to find enough superlatives toexpress its love for the toy. Perhaps be-cause it is more than just a toy, as JonasAronsson, CEO of Micki Leksaker, ownerof the brand Lundby since 1997, suggests:“There’s a growing trend for adults to becreative with doll’s houses, too. While theyoungest kids mainly enjoy role play, olderchildren and parents start moving things

around and getting closer and closer to in-terior design.”

Swedish creatives and bloggers are at theforefront of the recent home improvementtrend, so it is perhaps no coincidence thatthe doll’s house that perfectly embodiesDIY enthusiasm originated here. With twoready-made houses to choose from – thetraditional villa, Småland, and the luxuryarchitecture version, Stockholm – every-thing fromwallpaper and furniture to add-on gardens and DIY picture frames helps

make the doll’s house a blank canvas foryou to make your very own.

“Though play is always our primary focus,and far more important than design, we’veseen a real strength in the fact that ourproducts are of such high-quality design,”says Kristin Stafström, Micki Leksaker’smarketingmanager. “We’ve developed ourwebsite to include lots of creative ideas,just to inspire our customers to continue toplay with and enjoy their doll’s house for along, long time.” Got an old doll’s house inthe attic? Why not dust it off and give it acomplete facelift with tips, inspiration andaccessories from Lundby?

But just like Lundby’s story started withthe urge to stay close to loved ones, so to-day it remains bigger than current trends,much greater than the sum of its parts.“There is less and less time for parents toreally play together with their children in acreative way, away from the TV couch andtouch screens,” says Aronsson. “Our doll’shouses show that we can find a way backto this – to quality family time, and to ex-ploring and creating together endlessly.”

With a DIY trend that appears to have a life of its own and Swedish bloggers leading theway for keen home improvers, the story of a doll’s house producer from Sweden isspreading across the globe. Offering houses created by interior architects, endless op-tions for making the house your own, and fancy functionalities such as electric light-ing, Lundby encourages endless creativity – and not just for the little ones.

By Linnea Dunne | Photos: Micki Leksaker

Make yourself at home

For more information, please visit:lundby.com/en


Smaland doll's house

Above: Stockholm doll's house


Issue 63 | April 2014 | 69


The Swedish RailwayMuseum is a treasure forpeople of all ages. This summer, it presents afun-packed programme sure to delight theentire family.

The focal point at the Swedish Railway Mu-seum is authentic children’s play, with possi-bilities to dress up, interactions with the railwaycharacters guarding the rail and managing thetrain traffic, exhibitions, shows and activities, allpart of a world-class collection to be exploredby the visitors.

Even outside, the fun continues. Some smalltrains are there to be played with and a real, oldrailcar is ready for a ride to the world’s largeststore for museum trains. Places where childrencan really be children are hard to come by, buthere, kids are encouraged to play using their fan-tasy rather thanmodern technology and screens.

You do not have to be the world’s biggesttrain enthusiast to find this delightful. On thecontrary, most guests showing up and return-ing have no burning passion for railways.Rather, they appreciate the interactive playful-ness, the way guests are encouraged to get in-volved in the exhibitions and how free from re-

straint the atmosphere is. Children are allowedto play around and grown-ups enjoy a well-deserved break, a history refinement, points ofrecognition, or the rewards that come with en-gaging the whole family in pure excitement.

Anyone who has ever spent a lot of time witha young child knows just how important theircomfort blanket or favourite teddy can be: theone thing they just cannot go to sleep without;their best friend for life, whom they tell alltheir secrets. With this in mind, the Norlingfamily founded Teddykompaniet.

Raili Norling was working as a distributor ofteddies and had just become a grandmother,but she felt that a certain feeling was missing.“I had obviously just become a mother andcompletely knew what she meant when shecalled,” says Anna Norling, who insists that atoy that should be cuddled must be of the high-

est, softest quality.Now, nearly 20 years later, Teddykom-

paniet’s toys are available in more than 30 dif-ferent countries, and its focus on top qualityand ethical trading is as persistent as ever.“First and foremost, only the best is goodenough for our children,” says Anna. “Butmoreover, we want to be able to look our cus-tomers in the eye. As such, we have a veryclose relationship with all our suppliers, and wevisit them regularly to make sure that we arehappy with all conditions.”

Hand-picked for collaborations by charitiessuch as Astrid Lindgren’s Children’s Hospitaland Save the Children as well as the companies

behind Alfons Åberg and That Emil merchan-dise, Teddykompaniet certainly seems to havesucceeded in bringing about the perfect soft,cuddly friends, far from the ever-changingtrends of fashion and design, all in the name ofmaking teddies that become friends for life.

If in doubt, just look at all those little oneswhosimply will not let go of their Teddykompaniet Di-inglisar range comfort blanket, shaker or teddy.Just one touch, and you will understand why.

For more information, please visit:www.teddykompaniet.se

Never before have trains been so much fun

For more information, please visit:www.trafikverket.se/jarnvagsmuseum

Only the softest teddies become friends for life

By Astrid Eriksson | Photos: Swedish Railway Museum

By Linnea Dunne | Photos: Teddykompaniet

All Teddykompaniet products are certified CEaccording to EN71.

For the diary:

14-27 April: The hugely popular LEGO

exhibition, Wind Wagon, and the display of the

functioning, highly-advanced model train and

railway.

11 May: The Children’s Festival, with

performances and events in celebration of the

little ones.

16 June–17 August: The Summer Programme.

Event-packed and open every day! Theatre

performances, rides on the railcar, and

exhibitions are just a few of the activities to be

enjoyed.

The LEGO exhibition


The major centenary exhibition, simplynamed Tove Jansson, opened in theAteneum Art Museum in Helsinki inMarch, and in September it will movefrom Helsinki to Japan, where theMoomins have long been a huge success.As if that was not enough, a hand-drawnanimated feature film, Moomins on theRiviera, will premiere in the autumn of2014.

Coincidentally, Finland also celebrates100 years of Finnish animation this year.The first animated short films by EricVasström were shown in theatres beforethe main feature films the same year ToveJansson was born. The first animated fea-ture film, Seven brothers, by Riitta Nel-markka in 1979 was based on the classicstory of Aleksis Kivi (1834-1872), theFinnish author who wrote the first signif-icant novel in the Finnish language.

Special events will be held throughout thecountry. The gaming industry is growingfast and new talents are very much in de-mand, so there will be a special emphasison developing education. Rovio with itsAngry Birds is a remarkable employer foranimation artists, Niko the reindeer is aninternational movie star charming his wayall around the world, and pre-scool ani-mation series Dibidogs has attractedmore than 50 million viewers already.

Moomin philosophy

The Moomin stories are hugely popularamong children, but there is amessage ona deeper level of the Moomin philosophyabout freedom, friends and open-minded-ness, which touches grown-ups as well.

70 | Issue 63 | April 2014

SPECIAL

THEME:

CULTU

RAL FINLAND

LEFT: The Ateneum Art Museum hosts a major centenary exhibition presenting Jansson’s impressive career. Tove Jansson: Early Moomins (painting) Tampere Art Mu-seum ©Moomin CharactersTM. TOP RIGHT: Tove Jansson: Alice in Wonderland (illustration) Tampere Art Museum. Photo: Finnish National Gallery/Jenni Nurminen.BELOW: Tove Jansson: Family (painting) Private collection. Photo: Finnish National Gallery/Hannu Aaltonen ©Tove Jansson Estate.

The Moomins are the creations of the multitalented Finnish artist Tove Jansson(1914-2001), one of the best-known Finnish artists in the world. This year sees ToveJansson’s 100th birthday, as well as another big anniversary, being celebrated withseminars, concerts, happenings, and children’s events.

By Taina Värri

Finnish creative Centenariansare having a ball


The sympathetic Moomins are well-known all over the world, not least fromthe Japanese animated films made forchildren in the 1980s and 1990s. The new80-minute-long movie is a French-Finnish-venture, the story and visualsbased on the original cartoon by ToveJansson in 1955. At the Riviera, theMoomins get a taste of bright lights, ad-venture and glamour, which, combinedwith the length of the film, will make it al-luring to adults too.

Those already familiar with Jansson’s wayof life and philosophy are not surprised:the early Moomins were actually quite lib-eral in their ways. The first volume of hercartoons was The Moomins and the GreatFlood in 1945, and in the 1950s Janssonsigned a contract with the largest eveningpaper at the time, The Evening News inLondon. Soon, people in more than 20other countries were familiar with thequirky residents of the Moominvalley.

Tove Jansson was raised in a family ofartists, and the Moomin family is said tohave developed from these experiences.Her brother, Lars Jansson, played a bigpart in drawing the cartoons. Sometimeshe did all the drawing, when his sisterwas swamped with other passions andduties.

Full life, love and art

Tove Jansson lived in her beloved paintingstudio in the centre of Helsinki, but alsospent as much time as possible atKlovharu, a modest cottage on a tiny isletin the Gulf of Finland. She also travelledthe world with her life partner, TuulikkiPietilä, or ‘Tooti’ (1917-2009), and someendearing moments were captured ontheir 8-millimetre films, as the artist, fullof joy, jumped around. Fortunately, thesefilms were saved and later published inDVD format.

But the Moomin cartoons and animationswere only one side of Tove Jansson’s per-sona. Already as a young art student, shewas a gifted painter. She also created il-lustrations, graphic prints and publicworks from murals to mosaics. Her writ-ing career started in 1968 with the auto-

biographical novel Sculptor’s Daughterand went on for decades, and the grown-up novelist wrote perceptive stories aboutpeople and their complicated relation-ships.

Ateneum’s exhibition covers all the peri-ods in Jansson’s productive career, in-cluding her Surrealist paintings of the

1930s, Modernist art of the 1950s, andmore abstract works in the 1960s and’70s, as well as her satirical anti-war il-lustrations for the magazine Garm, hermonumental paintings for public spaces,and, of course, her enormously popularand internationally renowned Moomincharacters and stories.

Issue 63 | April 2014 | 71

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Cultural Finland

For more information, please visit:tove100.com and 100vuotta.finnanimation.fi

Books:Tove Jansson: Life, Art, Work – biography byBoel Westin, Jan 2014 (Sort of Books)

Tove Jansson, Labora et amare– biography by Tuula Karjalainen, 2014(Penguin)

Major centenary exhibition:Ateneum Art Museum: Tove Jansson,14 Mar – 7 Sep, ateneum.fi

Hand-drawn animated film:Moomins on the Riviera 2014, HandleProductions Oy, moominsontheriviera.com

Cartoon Digital:A top-level seminar about the latestdevelopments in digital animation andentertainment for connected screens,5-6 May, Helsinki, www.cartoon-media.eu/cartoon-masters/cartoon-digital

TOP: Tove Jansson, the ambassador of fun, freedom and open-mindedness (b/w photo) ©Moomin CharactersTM.MIDDLE: Tove Jansson in her studio. Photo: Per Olov Jansson ©Moomin CharactersTM. BOTTOM: The Moominswill party hard on the Riviera this autumn. Moomins on the Riviera (movie) ©Handle Productions Oy & PictakCie ©Moomin CharactersTM.


72 | Issue 63 | April 2014


The midnight sun in northern Lapland re-ally is incredible. Every year, Sodankylä, asmall place a thousand kilometres northof Helsinki, hosts an international filmfestival. When you leave the cinema in themiddle of the night after a film, you haveto put your sunglasses on because thesummer sun is so bright.

Did you know that Ruisrock, a rock festi-val held on the island of Ruissalo outsideTurku in Finland every year, is the secondlongest-standing in Europe? One of theconcert stages is situated right by the sea,facing a narrow strait that is a major searoute between Finland and Sweden. Oc-

casionally, foreign bands on stage stopplaying in awe when huge multi-storeyferries sail right past the shoreline.

Summer theatres are another Finnish cu-riosity. While theatres close for the sum-mer and the staff take holidays, many ac-tors carry on working in theatres erectedoutdoors. The programmes at these the-atres differ from the usual in that there isa lot of comedy and farce, including plentyof amateur performances.

Finland’s Ministry of Education and Cul-ture gives financial support to countlessart and culture events. Our aim is to pro-

mote and foster a versatile range of artand culture happenings of high qualityacross the whole country, catering to thewhole family. Your place of residence, in-come level and social status should not bea barrier to participating in these activi-ties.

To mark the 100th anniversary of the birthof Tove Jansson, the mother of the inter-nationally-renowned Moomin characters,all sorts of celebrations and events willtake place this year, including the cente-nary exhibition at the Ateneum Art Mu-seum in the heart of Helsinki (read moreon p. 70-71).

The Moomins represent a complete phi-losophy of life for adults and childrenalike, and you can experience Moomin lifein the idyllic town Naantali’s MoominWorld or in Moomin Valley at the Art Mu-seum of Tampere. On the same trip, whynot visit the Naantali Music Festival,which, this summer, treats music loversto top chamber music performances inNaantali and the surrounding archipel-ago for the 35th time? The world-classSavonlinna Opera Festival is set in Olavin-linna Castle, the world’s northernmostmedieval castle, while at Ilmajoki MusicFestival, the opera performances are heldby the river.

Also take the chance to appreciate a well-established Art Festival, one of our mostprestigious summer exhibitions in con-temporary art, in the small town ofMänttä. This year is particularly interest-ing as a brand new museum of contem-porary art, an extension of the SerlachiusMuseums, will be inaugurated.

Come and delight in a unique summerexperience in Finland!

You have probably heard of the summer nights in Finland, when the sun never sets.During these luminous nights, the normally quiet and reserved Finnish populationtransforms into fun-loving extroverts. Here are some must-try experiences if youwish to see how exotic a nightless night can be.

By Paavo Arhinmäki, Minister for Culture and Sports, Finland

Art flourishes on brightsummer nights

LEFT: Paavo Arhinmäki, Finland’s Ministerfor Culture and Sports.

For more information, please visit:www.festivals.fi


Issue 63 | April 2014 | 73


Finland is well-known for its untouched,pure nature, the one and only SantaClaus, and iconic, timeless design.

These are three reasons to visit the Landof a Thousand Lakes – but here are threemore, specific to the year 2014.

Tove Jansson and the Moomins

The white, hippo-like Moomins are prob-ably the most-known and most-adoredFinnish creatures of all time. They cameto life in the 1940s and 50s when Swedish-speaking author and artist Tove Janssonmade her first Moomin book and comics.Tove Jansson was born in 1914, and 2014celebrates the 100th anniversary of herbirth.

This year will see Moomin-related activi-ties popping up all over the country andbeyond its borders. One of the most excit-ing happenings is the Finnish NationalGallery Ateneum’s major centenary exhi-bition, presenting Jansson’s impressivecareer. Another great experience is the

Jansson-oriented tours for visitors aroundthe old coastal town of Porvoo.

The Finnish food scene

Today’s Finnish food scene is cutting-edgeand ever-changing. Pop-up restaurantsand the Restaurant Day phenomenon,known across the globe, are both brain-children of Helsinki-based food enthusi-asts and a whole new generation of chefs.Their latest invention is Helsinki StreetFood Festival, which sees the capital’scoolest culture districts change into streetfood hubs. While Finnish food itself is allabout local, seasonal, wild and fresh, withgame, fish, mushrooms and berries at theheart of it all, these innovative food eventsembrace all culinary cultures and tastesof the globe.

Midnight Sun Film Festival

While Finnish summer is in itself an ex-perience (in the northernmost parts of thecountry the sun does not set at all for 70consecutive days), combining the phe-nomenon of the midnight sun with cul-

tural activities can be mind-blowing. Onesuch event is the legendary Midnight SunFilm Festival in Finnish Lapland. Ownedand established by the famous film direc-tor brothers Aki and Mika Kaurismäki, theevent hosts a breathtakingly vast array offilms, shown around the clock. To top itoff, 2014 is a jubilee year for Finnish ani-mation, and exhibitions and screeningswill take place throughout the year fromHelsinki to Rovaniemi.

Three reasons to visit Finland in 2014By Visit Finland

For more information, please visit:www.visitfinland.comwww.tove100.comstreathelsinki.com/enwww.msfilmfestival.fi

LEFT: Tove Jansson swimming (Photo: Tove100.com). MIDDLE TOP: Hietalahti Market Hall (Photo: Visit Finland). BELOW: Fresh Finnish food (Photo: Visit Finland).RIGHT AND BOTTOM: Midnight Sun Film Festival (Photo: Midnight Sun Film Festival).


74 | Issue 63 | April 2014

STRINGS ATTACHEDAl Di Meola plays The Beatles & more,31 May – 8 June

Acoustic guitar music lovers will have agreat start of the summer during thefirst week of June at Tampere GuitarFestival. The happening will sport guitarclasses, workshops and church concertsalong with networking, camps and sales

events in seven municipalities acrossTampere.

Tampere Guitar Show is a two-day salesshow at the Tampere Hall, which is alsothe venue for the Momentous Concerts.Guitar Camp in Ylöjärvi offers profession-ally-guided lessons to amateur guitaristsand chamber orchestras, for both adultsand children over 11 years.

The acoustic guitar music includes a widerange of styles: from classical to fla-menco, fado, Argentinean tango andBrazilian choro. The festival concerts aredesigned for different tastes and the per-formers represent the top of their league.Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year,the festival’s live stage will be taken byone of the most prominent fusion gui-tarists, Al di Meola, and his trio, togetherwith a string quartet. This guitar masterhas an illustrious history with the likes ofPaco de Lucia, John McLaughlin, StanleyClarke and Chick Corea. The Al Di Meolaplays Beatles & more project is the mae-stro’s lifelong dream coming true.

www.tgf.fi


On the map of Finland, the Pirkanmaa region is the pocket on the Finnish maid’sdress. In this pocket, you will find a treasury of festivals: poetry, music, art, playful-ness and natural beauty. Summertime by the lake or hot spices in the city – it is allthere for you to choose from. And in the autumn, when the evenings get dark, it istime to get indoors, get together and just enjoy.

By Taina Värri | Press Photos

Can you festival?Al di Meola plays The Beatles and more at Tampere Guitar Festival.


Issue 63 | April 2014 | 75

Also availableGuitar Train from Helsinki P119; packagefor four P109/person; with buffet, P149,for four P139/person.Hotel packages from P188.A 10th Anniversary Buffet will be servedbefore the concert in Tampere Hall.

PLAYTIMEAnnikki OFF, 4-6 JuneAnnikki Poetry Festival, 7 June

Annikki Poetry Festival in Tampere takesfresh views on poetry and puts togethersurprising combinations of performers,redefining the boundaries of poetry events.It is a non-profit event, run by volunteers,and takes place in a quarter of old woodenresidential buildings in Annikinkatu (An-nikki Street). The 100-year-old houseswere in bad shape, but the tenants lovedthe place and the community feel, tookinitiative and after some hair-raising turnsmanaged to save them from the bulldoz-ers. The houses and homes are fine nowand the Poetry Festival, the foremost inFinland, now celebrates 10 years.

Jenni Haukio, the First Lady of Finland,was the patron of the festival in 2013 withEarth as the main theme. This year, thetheme is Playtime: joy, humour and ex-perimentation. The pre-festival, AnnikkiOFF, sprawls around the city offeringdozens of cultural events put together byindependent event organisers.

The Annikki festival’s focus is still on po-etry, but it has expanded to include prose,music and visual arts. This year, Finnishperformers alongside visiting interna-tional guests such as Hasso Krull (Esto-nia), Ron Whitehead (USA), Gerður Kristný(Iceland) and Henry Bowers (Sweden) pro-vide a rich combination. There will also bea lot of special events for children.

www.annikinkatu.net/runofestivaali

JUST A MOMENT!Mantta Art Festival, 15 June – 31 August

The festival started with volunteers in1993 and has since grown to an event with10,000 visitors. Known for its bold and

brave selection of contemporary art,Mänttä is seen as a beacon for the state ofthe contemporary art scene in Finland. Anew curator every year keeps the festivalalive and surprising. There are no com-promises – only one personal vision.

The main focus at this summer’s MänttäArt Festival is in seizing the moment, andone way of doing the carpe diem thing isto go travelling. In and around the PekiloArt Center, artists will observe moments,create and immortalise them. Perform-ances and poetry collide with visual arts;the visitor will be taken from the Antarc-tica to Burma and from the rhythms of Ja-maica to the coolness of Norway’s Lo-foten archipelago. Mysterious trips to theland of coffee and the borders of death arealso on the itinerary.

A boat, made from recycledmaterials, willbe sailing between Tampere and Vilppula.

Through this work, three environmentally-conscious artists explore life as lake dis-trict nomads and comment on the state ofthe Baltic Sea. Kaarina Kaikkonen, aFinnish artist who creates touching in-stallations using old clothes, will collectshirts and coats from the people of Mänttäand use the old church wall as her canvas.

www.mantankuvataideviikot.fi

NINO ROTA MEETS THE ACCORDIONSata-Häme Soi Accordion Festival,Ikaalinen 1-6 July

The accordion reflects the Finnish soul,creating happiness, joy, and good ambi-ence. Founded in 1972, the annual Sata-Häme Soi International Accordion Festivalembraces the art of the instrument. Thinkhip hop, pop, jazz and rock, classical,modern and world music. Did we misssomething? If so, it will probably be cov-


LEFT: A live performance at the Annikki Poetry Festival in Tampere (Photo: Ville Koivisto). TOP RIGHT: Sata-HämeSoi Accordion Festival (Photo: Minna Plihtari). BOTTOM RIGHT: Visitors will be taken on a journey from theAntarctica to Burma at the Mantta Art Festival (Photo: Pekka Niskanen).


76 | Issue 63 | April 2014

ered in Ikaalinen. Add summer, add lakeand there you go: a perfect festival.

The happening takes place during the firstweek of July in the town of Ikaalinen, justone hour’s bus ride from Tampere andthree hours from Helsinki. The majorhighlights of the festival will be the GoldenAccordion Award (held since 1983), theSilver Accordion Award for children (since1986) and the Primus Ikaalinen Interna-tional Accordion Competition (since 2005),as well as dancing and getting togetherwith like-minded people – usually around30,000 of them.

Every year, individuals, whole families andsport club members serve the festival incapacity of volunteers for the joy of hear-ing music and meeting friends, old andnew. You never know: you could end upjamming with a lively Romani band duringthe bus ride from the airport...

The highlight this year will be world-famous French-Italian Richard Gallianowith his orchestra playing Nino Rota’ssoulful movie themes.

www.satahamesoi.fi

BLACK AND WHITE KEYS TO YOURHEARTMänttä Music Festival, 6-10 August

The only international annual pianomusicfestival in Finland brings together topnames in the realm of piano music aswell as domestic stars and young talents.In addition to piano concerts, the pro-gramme includes a children’s concert, anentertainment evening at Klubi with sur-prise artists, and a free-admission pro-gramme.

The brand new Gösta’s Pavilion, designedby Spanish MX_SI architecture studio, willserve as the main venue of the festival

from this year onwards. Due to the new lo-cation, this year the festival is held in Au-gust instead of July.

The five-day festival hosts ten concerts.The last one will present Paul Lewis (UK),who as a top performer follows earlieryears’ guest stars Cyprien Katsaris andMarc-André Hamelin. Opening the festivalare Anna Vinnitskaya (Russia), the winnerof the 2007 Queen Elisabeth piano com-petition, Laura Mikkola (Finland), and Sla-womir Zubrzycki (Poland). The latter playsthe viola organista, inspired by the draw-ings of Leonardo da Vinci.

MänttäMusic Festival brings several inter-national masters to the stage, but there isalso a strong emphasis on promoting andsupporting young, talented Finnish pianists.After all, these gifted musicians were theones who founded the festival in 1999.

www.mantanmusiikkijuhlat.fiwww.serlachius.fi/en

RED HOT AUGUSTOChilifest Finland, 15-17 August

The youngest and hottest festival of thePirkanmaa region is Chilifest Finland, ded-icated to, well, chilli peppers. The festivalis free and suitable for the whole family,from babies to grannies. This one and onlyFinnish chilli festival was born in 2010 andgathered 8,000 visitors in its first year.

Now situated in the very heart of Tam-pere, it has grown into a fiesta of nearly28,000 visitors, many of who wish to seeand taste new hot stuff and test their lim-its with chilli foods and other chilli pepperproducts, from seeds to ice cream andcider.

It will come as no surprise that the land ofcompetitive sauna bathing is also home tothe Naga Morich Chili Eating WorldChampionships. It has already become atradition, fulfilling the expectations of sus-pense and drama, fire and pain associatedwith chilli peppers.

There are, however, thousands of differentchillies: some that will make smoke come

TOP: Paul Lewis (UK) will headline the Mänttä Music Festival (Photo: Josep Molina/Harmonia Mundi). BELOWLEFT: The youngest and hottest festival of the Pirkanmaa region is Chilifest Finland. RIGHT: Anna Vinnitskaya(Russia), winner of the 2007 Queen Elisabeth piano competition (Photo: Gela Megrelidze).


Issue 63 | April 2014 | 77


out of your ears, yes, but also milder, mel-low types. Garlic is also invited to join theparty, so there will be quite a rush of sen-sual experiences among the BBQ stands.

The most recent addition to Chilifest Fin-land’s programme is Chilirock, introduc-ing young talents along with well-knownFinnish artists. Outdoor concerts com-bined with a picnic? Not a bad idea.

Chilifest Finland 2014 will be sizzling allover Keskustori, Tampere. Since thesquare is located in the very heart of Tam-pere, it is easy to access from everywhere.

www.chilifest.fi

SOLIDARITY THROUGH DOCUMENTARYPHOTOGRAPHYBacklight Photo Festival,5 Sep 2014 – 4 Jan 2015

September 2014 will see the internationaltriennial in photography for the tenth timein Tampere and Valkeakoski. The theme ofBacklight 2014 explores the tensions be-tween individuals, communities and soci-eties and the forces that both unite andseparate us: trust, love, fear, addiction,hope, suspicion, values, isolation, religion,poverty, shared history, self-indulgence,sense of safety, money, desperation...Themes focus on the phenomena of peo-ple’s solidarity (and the lack thereof), in-corporating individual as well as collectiveresponsibility. How do we picture trustand confidence in a world that mainlyseems to value money and power? Howare these issues represented throughcontemporary photography?

Photographic Centre Nykyaika startedthe festival in 1987, and in 1999 the eventwas given the name Backlight. Backlighthas exhibited more than 200 artists of atleast 30 different nationalities in theTampere region and internationally. Thefestival is rooted in documentary photo-graphy and open to innovative conceptsand approaches extending and updatingculturally-rooted perspectives on reality.Themes about migration, laughter, child-hood and identities have been in the spot-light at earlier festivals. Each Backlight

forms a new, unique entity, with socialthemes, a new, innovative structure, andchallenging content.

This year, five photographers from theMid-dle East have been invited to exhibit theirwork as part of Backlight’s theme at theTampere Art Museum. Curated exhibitionsfrom nearly 700 submissions from over 60countries will be shown in galleries andpublic spaces around the Tampere region.On the jury judging the open-call submis-sions are Tuula Alajoki (Finland), Miha Col-ner (Slovenia), Anahita Ghabaian Etehadieh(Iran) and Issa Touma (Syria).

During the festival, Backlight 2014 organ-ises a symposium, workshops, seminarsand a portfolio review in collaboration withBacklight’s local and international partners.Themain language of the festival is English.

www.backlight.fi

WELCOME TO THE JAZZ CLUB. NICE!Tampere Jazz Happening, 30 Oct – 2 Nov

The international programme of TampereJazz Happening, known for its warm at-mosphere and open-minded approach tomodern jazz, brings together the topnames and future trend-setters of modernjazz. Themost current Finnish performersand international top artists play and im-provise in the festival’s concert halls as

well as intimate club sessions until thesmall hours of the night. The main venue,the Old Custom’s House at the heart of thecity, plays its part in creating the warmatmosphere with its red brick walls.

The festival started in 1982 and has grownsignificantly since. The uncompromisingfocus on the selection of music has cre-ated a trust in the quality of the pro-gramme and keeps people coming backyear after year, even if they are not famil-iar with the artists beforehand. The lateclub concerts are now also temptingyounger audiences.

Tampere Jazz Happening provides a con-venient and hospitable melting pot formusicians, producers, event organisersand journalists in the backstage area,where discussions flow and new connec-tions are made.

The complete festival programme will bepublished inSeptember. Onceagain, the fes-tival promises a crowdof international stars,promising new talents and the most inter-esting performers of the Finnish jazz scene.

www.tamperemusicfestivals.fi/jazz

TOP LEFT: The theme of Backlight 2014 explores the tensions between individuals, communities and societies(Photo: Gohar Dashti/Iran). BELOW AND RIGHT: Tampere Jazz Happening brings together the top names andfuture trend-setters of modern jazz (Photos: Photo Maarit Kytoharju).

For more information, please visit:www.pirfest.fi


78 | Issue 63 | April 2014


The Kainuu region in the north-east of Finlandis one of the very few remaining places inEurope where you can truly experience thesounds of the nature without noise pollution. Itis also a region with a long, uninterrupted tra-

dition of runo singing: for thousands of years,people told stories and shared their under-standing of the world by singing and chanting.With literary culture, that tradition died longago in most places in the western world, but in

Kainuu and in Viena Carelia on the Russianside of the border the oral tradition of runosongs is still alive and well, as is the use of theancient instrument kantele. This is the sceneryof the Finnish national epic, Kalevala.

This summer, a wonderful opportunity tohear the runo singing, along with a versatileselection of other traditional and modern folkmusic, is on offer at the ninth Sommelo EthnoMusic Festival on 2-6 July. This very special fes-tival includes concerts, courses and seminars inseveral locations in both the Finnish Kainuu re-gion and Viena Carelia in Russia. “They are gen-uine, living Carelian villages, not some moviesets,” reminds Pekka Huttu-Hiltunen, the chair-man of the Pro Sommelo organisation. “The at-mosphere at the festival is always wonderful.”

Celebrated Finnish group Värttinä will per-form in Kuhmo, as will the world-famousAmerican Ruthie Dornfeld Trio. Maybe you willalso get to hear the next big thing on the ethnomusic scene in the greenery of Kainuu?

Authentic folk music by theRussian borderIf youwish to experience something authentic, come to Sommelo EthnoMusic Festival in Kainuu.At the height of the summer you can enjoy international folk music stars and genuine local per-formers in the pristine nature on both sides of the Finnish-Russian border.

By Mia Halonen | Press Photos

For more information, please visit:www.sommelo.net

BRQ Vantaa Festival takes place in the breath-takingly beautiful neo-gothic surroundings ofthe St. Lawrence Church of Vantaa, Finland.The festival offers a vast variety of compositionsfrom the 13th century to the present day, witha particular focus on authentic style instru-ments from the baroque period, dating betweenthe years 1650 and 1750.

“Authentic pieces of gear are preferred bymany listeners. This goes for every kind of mu-sic; for example, tributes to Jimi Hendrix workbest played through vacuum tube amplifiers,”says the artistic director of the festival, MarkkuLuolajan-Mikkola. “At BRQ you will also hearcontemporary compositions made for baroqueinstruments. The audience can associate BRQ

with anything freely. We give the artists the free-dom to perform how they wish and the listenerthe chance to enjoy music without constraints.”

Baroque music has also had a great effecton popular music. In the 1960s, The Beatlesand The Beach Boys were the top names of the‘baroque pop’ wave, utilising instruments suchas harpsichord and zither on their albums.“Every era comprises splendid compositions,but it was during baroque that the rules ofwestern music were developed, includingtonality and melody structures.”

The festival will showcase the top perform-ers of the country, as well as a selection ofartists from outside of Finland. “Baroque hasinfluenced everywhere. It is an easy and uni-versal gateway to classical music, and we havea great diversity of performances for everyonefrom advanced listeners to children. We avoidusing the same compositions over and overagain to show that there still are unexploredunique experiences.”

The roots of pop and rock: BRQFestival is a triumph of baroqueThe baroque era has greatly impacted on popular artists such as The Beatles and The Beach Boys.BRQ Vantaa Festival aims to celebrate this influence and the unifying power of baroque music.

By Tuomo Paananen | Photos: Katri Somerjoki

This year, BRQ Vantaa Festival takesplace 3-10 August at St. LawrenceChurch of Vantaa in Finland.Tickets are available at www.brq.fi.

Left: The Finnish group Värttinä.Right: A live performance on the kantele.

Markku Luolajan-MikkolaPhoto: Marco Borggreven


Issue 63 | April 2014 | 79


The Helsinki Festival offers a range ofevents, including music, theatre, art exhi-bitions, circus, film, dance and children’sperformances. “We aim to offer some-thing for everyone and have a huge reper-toire of different kinds of events, includinga number of free events,” says SiniKoskimies, the festival’s press officer. Thisyear, the festival runs 15-31 August withover 70 events happening around Helsinki.

In addition to big names, the Helsinki Fes-tival has featured many rising stars. TheHuvila Festival tent, erected in a Helsinkipark, hosts several well-known artistseach year, ranging from pop to rock, worldmusic to jazz. Big names have includedLou Reed, Allen Toussaint and Yoko Ono.

One of the main events of the festival isThe Night of the Arts, which comprises a

number of free events and performancesthroughout the night, the streets andparks of Helsinki coming alive with arange of performances. The events areheld in art galleries, book shops, cafésandmuseums, many of them staying openthroughout the night.

This year, there is a lot of excitement sur-rounding the home-grown contemporarycircus act, the Race Horse Company.Among the international performers, theToronto Symphony Orchestra has beenconfirmed as one of this year’s perform-ers.

The Helsinki Festival is one of the mainevents of the summer, and its popularityis ever-growing. “For many, the HelsinkiFestival is a last celebration before thesummer ends. People come back and

book to see events they have never seenor heard before, we have a sort of ‘qualitystamp’ – people trust us to provide acts ofa high standard,” says Koskimies.

This year’s full events line-up will be an-nounced on 24 April.

The Helsinki Festival is the largest multi-arts event in Finland. It is organised an-nually by the city of Helsinki and was established in its current form in 1968, at-tracting over 200,000 visitors every year.

By Ndéla Faye | Photos: Helsinki Festival

Circus, music and dance

For more information, please visit:www.helsinginjuhlaviikot.fi/en

TOP LEFT: Toronto Symphony Orchestra (Photo: Sian Richards). BELOW: Inside Huvila Tent (Photo: Simo Karisalo). RIGHT: Cirque Eloize (Photo: Valerie Remise).BOTTOM RIGHT: Night Of The Arts (Photo: Saara Kahonen).


80 | Issue 63 | April 2014


Turku is the oldest city and former capitalof Finland (during Swedish rule), situatedon the southwest coast of Finland. Pargas,the gateway to Turku Archipelago andScandinavian Islands is the only city inFinland surrounded by water across allits borders. These two cities, 23 kilome-tres apart, are connected by two ringroads leading from Pargas to Turku, aswell as ferries. The Archipelago trail is250 kilometres long and the Archipelagoshort-cut used for day trips is 100 kilo-metres long.

“The best way to do your island hopping isby bike. The ferries always have space fora leisure bike, whereas a camping car mayhave to wait for the next ferry,”says tourism director for Turku Archipel-ago, Martti Nilsson, who is passionateabout leisure cycling. He has been pro-moting the route, originally built to servethe local people, for tourists since 2001.

“The best time for cycling is frommid-Mayuntil late August. During spring the wateris cold, but the colours of nature are beau-tiful. The scenery is ever-changing andone village after another provides cyclistswith various services.”

According to Nilsson, the Baltic Sea isnormally calm, but those interested in ex-treme sports can rest assured that the 3-to 4-metre waves further away from theshore are challenging enough even for ex-perienced kayakists. “I went out there verybrave and came back very humble, miss-ing my mum,” says the director.

Pargas is also known for fresh local foodand the new potatoes that come first ontothe Finnish market at the end of May. Thelocals celebrate the crops like the Frenchdo their Beaujolais Nouveau, says Martti.Both Pargas and Turku are perfect forbusiness travellers because many differ-

ent tailored packages with leisure activi-ties by the sea can be organised. LottaBäck, international marketingmanager ofTurku Touring, sums up the destination asa “funky university city by the River Aurathat turns into a place where locals andtourists enjoy the long bright summernights together.”

Versatile Turku offers both city culture and island hopping in beautiful seasidenature with more than 20,000 islands.

By Christina Toimela | Press Photos

City culture in the arms of the archipelago

For more information, please visit:www.visitarchipelago.comwww.visitturku.fi

For families with children:Moominworld

For sailors: Gangut Regatta 31 July – 3 Aug(with traditional sailing ships)

For culture lovers: Museum Aboa Vetus &Ars Nova, Luostarinmäki HandicraftsMuseum, Salvador Dali Drive (Pargas)

For international congresses:Turku Castle for banquets

For rock lovers: Ruisrock,the oldest rock festival in the Nordics

For sports fanatics: Paavo Nurmi Games,25 June, and Paavo Nurmi Marathon, 28 June

For foodies: Market Hall, Turku Food Walk,Baltic Herring Market, 23-26 Oct

Turku with its beautiful archipelago is a place where locals and tourists enjoy the long, bright summer nights together.

Photo:R

iinaAarrekorpi


Issue 63 | April 2014 | 81


“Up until the 1960s, hunting was for many a no-table addition in earning one’s living,” says IljaKoivisto, head of public relations at The Hunt-ing Museum of Finland. “Also, hunting hasnever been a privilege of the elite here. Onehundred years ago it still was everyman’sright.” Nowadays, hunting in Finland is regu-lated by a licence system, but it still remains ahobby for all social classes.

The Hunting Museum of Finland, located inRiihimäki, 40 miles north of Helsinki, is cur-rently renewing its permanent exhibition. Thefirst part, Thrill of the Hunt, opened last yearand gives an overview of modern Finnish hunt-ing, made complete with the newest technologyand video documents.

“Part of the charm of hunting is the inter-action with nature. Then there’s the added ex-

citement: will there be prey or not?” Koivisto ex-plains. The second part of the renewed exhibi-tion opened in January, displaying Jaakko Ojan-perä’s extraordinary trophy collection of exoticanimals from all over the world.

A big part of the popularity of hunting ofcourse lies in the sheer fact that Finland is asparsely populated country with lots of forests.Therefore it is no wonder that hunting also is adefining and meaningful part of social life formany. As Koivisto puts it: “The forest is theopera house of the local people.”

Thrill of the huntWith a tradition lasting for more than 10,000 years, Finland is a nation with one of the strongesthunting cultures in Europe. Approximately 300,000 people own a hunting licence in the countryof 5.4 million inhabitants. The collections of The Hunting Museum of Finland offer an explana-tion as to why hunting is so popular in the north.

By Johannes Laitila | Photos: Ilja Koivisto/The Hunting Museum of Finland

For more information, please visit:www.metsastysmuseo.fi

When the world feels cold, take comfort thatthere is still something warm: on top of beingone of the most prestigious competitions outthere, the Mirjam Helin International SingingCompetition has a reputation for being an ex-tremely warm-hearted event for some of themost talented young singers in the world. Nat-urally, a competition at this level is very de-manding, but it can also be rewarding – both fi-nancially and emotionally. “The prizes thewinners in both female and male categoriesget are substantial. But another valuable prizefor most singers is to get a positive competitionexperience and new connections,” says execu-tive director, Marja-Leena Pétas, from the or-ganising Finnish Cultural Foundation. Com-petitors stay with Finnish host families and geta different kind of view of Helsinki, as well aspersonal support. “Team spirit is exceptionalevery time.”

The Mirjam Helin International SingingCompetition has also proved to be a gateway tointernational fame: opera house directors,managers and agents follow top competitionslike this closely, so Helsinki can be a startingpoint for a fantastic career on the classical mu-sic scene. This happened, for example, to theMirjam Helin 1999 winner, Elına Garanca, and1989 winners René Pape and Andrea Rost. “Theexposure at the competition can certainly openmany doors,” says Pétas.

You can follow the VII Mirjam Helin SingingCompetition anywhere through Facebook, Twit-ter, YouTube or Finnish Broadcasting CompanyYLE’s live streaming, but why not experiencethe wonderful spirit of Helsinki in person?

Top-notch singing in HelsinkiTheMirjamHelin International Singing Competition brings the very best young singers to the cap-ital of Finland every five years. 4-13 August this year, the newHelsinki Music Centre will be filledwith future stars and friends of classical music.

By Mia Halonen | Photos: Heikki Tuuli

For more information, please visit:www.mirjamhelin.fi

The Hunting Museum of Finland is located in Riihimäki, 40 miles north of Helsinki.

Julia Lezheva, winner of the 2009 Mirjam Helin SingingCompetition

Jorma Silvasti,Chairman ofthe Jury


82 | Issue 63 | April 2014

Built in 1912, Rantalinna, which literallymeans ‘castle on the beach’, is an ar-chitectural pearl of the Art Nouveaumovement. It has a past that tickles theimagination: in the 1920s, it was ownedby Prince Alexander Oldenburg and hiswife, who were members of the imperialRomanov family of Russia. They first keptRantalinna as their summer hideawayand moved there permanently followingthe revolution. Since their time,Rantalinna has served as a resting home

and now a hotel. The building is listedand its interiors and furnishings areoriginal.

Fit for a prince

The royal couple enjoyed their surround-ings at Rantalinna. Prince Alexander andhis wife, Princess Eugenia of Leuchten-berg, were known for their philantrophy,establishing schools, hospitals, orphan-ages and other charitable organisations inRussia.

Just like in its golden age, Rantalinna is apopular venue for celebrations and largegatherings. The hotel itself has 13 roomsdecorated in typical Art Nouveau style withmuch of the original furniture, as well asa restaurant seating 70 guests. The cozy,nostalgic atmosphere of themain buildingis paired with newly-built, state-of-the-art accommodation by the beach. Mod-estly referred to as ‘cottages’, these grandguesthouses feature the best of Nordicdesign in pure, clean lines and naturalwood. It is also possible to rent the entirecastle for corporate events, conferencesand weddings.

In nature’s lap

The castle has equally long traditions as aplace of recreation and rest. General

Nestled between the tranquil waters of Lake Saimaa and a fragrant pine forest liesRantalinna, one of Finland’s best-preserved Art Nouveau mansions. Today, thiscomfortable castle turned hotel welcomes visitors with the perfect mix of friendlyservice, great cuisine and old world charm.

By Joanna Nylund | Photos: Rantalinna

Hotel of the Month, Finland

A royal holiday

Scan Magazine | Hotel of the Month | Finland

Owned in the 1920s by Prince Alexander Oldenburg and his wife, Rantalinna is an old Art Nouveaumansion that still today offers its guests nothing short of a royal treatment.


Issue 62 | March 2014 | 83

Scan Magazine | Hotel of the Month | Finland

manager Soile Lehtinen describes howthe nearness to nature has always shapedlife at Rantalinna. “We offer some of thesame types of recreation that the Princeand Princess would have enjoyed: fish-ing, boating, swimming, berry-picking.Paired, of course, with modern-day activ-ities!” Waterskiing and kayaking are pop-ular, and the castle still has its own pierand regularly receives guests by steam-boat.

On land there are nature walks and sev-eral luxurious saunas to choose from.This tradition harks back to the Prince.“Our pride and joy is the wood-burningsauna, which we leave burning with fra-grant birch wood for a whole day beforeuse. In the outdoor terrace kitchen wecook meals for our guests that they canenjoy afterwards in a covered dining area.”

Should land and water not be enough,there is now the air as well. In partnershipwith the local aviation society, Rantalinnaoffers certificate courses in small-planepiloting.

Lehtinen has clearly not tired of the hotel’speaceful surroundings. “I hear birdsongas I walk to work in the mornings. And sit-ting in the hot tub under a starry Septem-ber sky, looking out over the lake… it’smagical.”

It should come as no surprise that theplans for Rantalinna involve establishing aspa hotel on the grounds. Built partly intothe hill, the buildings will feature separateopen-air baths and blend seamlessly withthe landscape while offering expansiveviews of Lake Saimaa.

The customer is king

Breathtaking surroundings aside, whatmatters most at Rantalinna are the peo-ple. The hotel attracts a wide range ofcustomers, from retirees seeking peaceand quiet to couples and families lookingfor an activity-filled holiday in beautifulsurroundings. “The team of staff sharesthe same mindset: making every visit sogreat that people will want to come back,”says Lehtinen. And they do. One of thereasons for this is undoubtedly theRantalinna customer service, intent ongoing the extra mile to make visitorshappy. Lehtinen tells of arranging farawayoutings and fireworks at visitors’ request,but what literally takes the cake is thestory of a thirteen-year-old girl in love

with the Moomins who came to celebrateher birthday here. When no Moomin cos-tume could be found to rent, the hotelcommissioned one from a local seam-stress!

The Rantalinna staff is multicultural, en-suring service in a number of languages.This comes in handy also in the hotelrestaurant, led by a distinguished chef.Today’s menu is a marriage of classicalRussian and Finnish cuisine: plenty of fish,game and traditional dishes, everythinglocally sourced and grown, and paired witha royally exclusive wine list. “We take ex-tra care to also include dishes that weremade here during the castle’s princelyera,” says Lehtinen. In tastefully mixingtraditions andmodernity and serving it allup with plenty of heart, Rantalinna seemsto have entered a second golden age.

For more information, please visit:rantalinna.eu


84 | Issue 63 | April 2014

Why pay for more than you need? Thiswas the question that led managing di-rector Mona Sandvik to start her own low-budget hotel chain in 2011. Basic Hotelsare not like other hotels. Instead of payingto have everything included, you pay forwhat you need – and nothing more. By re-moving unnecessary elements, Sandvikhas managed to offer her customers aplace to stay at a far lower price thanother hotel chains.

The rooms are still high-quality hotelrooms, with free high-speed WiFi, a pri-vate bathroom, kettle, TV, refrigerator,hairdryer, desk and wardrobe. The idea isthat you have everything you need for acomfortable stay, without having to payfor what youmight not need, such as a 24-hour reception, a breakfast buffet, com-mon areas and daily cleaning of yourroom. “Basic Hotels are perfect for thosewho want a nice room in a central location

of Bergen. We offer low prices all throughthe year,” says Sandvik.

Central location

The Basic Hotels chain currently consistsof three hotels, all located in the heart ofBergen. Basic Hotel Bergen is the newestof the three. It opened in April 2011 andhas 43 rooms, all recently renovated witha contemporary design. Located in anarea with lots of bars and restaurants, it isa great place to stay when exploringBergen. Basic Hotel Marken and BasicHotel Victoria both opened up in January2011. The latter lies on a quiet street just100 metres from Bryggen (The GermanWharf) and is only open during the sum-mer season. Basic Hotel Marken, on theother hand, is located just 250 metres

With a range of low-cost flights to choose from online, many of us can now afford totravel more. But the price of accommodation can often get in the way of a sponta-neous weekend getaway. Luckily, there are alternatives available for those wantingto spend their money on experiences rather than over-priced hotel rooms. In Bergen,that alternative is called Basic Hotels.

By Kjersti Westeng | Photos: Basic Hotels

Hotel of the Month, Norway

Exactly what you need

Scan Magazine | Hotel of the Month | Norway

The reception is open during working hours, with a 24-hour security line making sure that guests feel safe at all times.


Issue 63 | April 2014 | 85

Scan Magazine | Hotel of the Month | Norway

from the train station, offering a total of 5rooms, some of them family rooms.Guests at Basic Hotel Marken have accessto a common room, kitchen and laundryroom at the neighbouring hotel, MarkenGuesthouse.

Better solutions

Although Basic Hotels have stripped theirhotels of unnecessary elements, guestwill never feel like they are missing any-thing. When arriving at a Basic Hotel youfeel instantly welcome, with a comfort-able, freshly-made bed in a bright and el-egant room with words of wisdom writtenon the walls. Additional cleaning services,change of towels and bed linen can beordered, so it is entirely up to each indi-vidual guest to determine what he or shewants to pay for. There is a receptionist atthe hotel during working hours and a se-curity line open 24 hours a day, so guestsfeel safe at all times.

With no restaurant or breakfast buffet,Basic Hotels instead provide their guestswith discounts at restaurants in the area.“Some people think this is a better alter-native as they can choose between arange of restaurants instead of having toeat in the same hotel restaurant everyday,” says Sandvik. Guests can purchase

breakfast coupons for a nearby hotel ortake advantage of the standing offer withGodt Brød, a bakery where Basic Hotelguests can purchase a healthy and tastybreakfast at a lower price.

A new trend

Sandvik noticed the trend of low-cost ho-tels in Europe long before she opened Ba-sic Hotels. “There are a number of low-budget hotel chains in Europe doing verywell at the moment. I think a lot of cus-tomers are sick and tired of over-payingfor a bed to sleep in and take advantage ofhotels such as Basic Hotels,” she says.She continues to explain that tourists inBergen are mostly visiting to see thesights and experience the culture, not tostay in a specific hotel. All they want is a

base: a room in a good location wherethey can get a good night’s sleep and storetheir luggage. Saving money on thingsthey might not need seems like the per-fect solution, even if it means that theyhave to leave the hotel for breakfast in themorning.

It is safe to say that Basic Hotels havebeen a success so far, with great feedbackfrom returning customers and the open-ing of a new Basic Hotel in Bergen in thenear future. Sandvik believes that this isjust the beginning and will soon look toexpand into other locations in the country.

For more information, please visit:www.basichotels.no

Despite their low prices, Basic Hotels offer excellent-quality rooms. Funny quotes or words of wisdom on thewall make guests feel welcome and at home.

TOP LEFT: Fløybanen is a funicular taking you up the mountain Fløyen, where you get a stunning view of the city. BELOW: Fisketorget (the fish market) is a popular touristattraction in Bergen. RIGHT: Bergen is a beautiful city well worth a visit, and this is where Mona Sandvik decided to set up her low-budget hotel chain, Basic Hotels.


86 | Issue 63 | April 2014

Scan Magazine | Attraction of the Month | Sweden

Combining fantasy and adventure with agood dose of contemporary history, AstridLindgren’s books paint vivid pictures oflife in Sweden during the early 1900s. Yether extraordinary strength was perhapsless in the worlds she described, andmore in the emotions she evoked. “Shedealt with so many incredibly difficult top-ics, such as death in The Brothers Lion-heart, and she blurred the lines betweenfantasy and real life,” says Nils-MagnusAngantyr, head of marketing and IT atAstrid Lindgren’s World.

But as anyone with experience of readingbooks for children will know, the authorhad another invaluable skill. “Reading forchildren, you always have to stop to ex-

plain a word or two at some point. But notwith Astrid’s books. She writes so thatchildren understand. You never have tochange the stories and add your own per-spective – it’s all her,” Angantyr enthuses.

The urge to stay true to Lindgren’s visionhas shaped Astrid Lindgren’s World, fromthe very beginning in 1981, through to1989 when she gave the theme park per-mission to use her name and appointed aProgramme Committee, and until thepresent day, the committee still providingadvice and ideas on all aspects of thepark. Angantyr explains: “Everything frommarketingmaterials to the building of newenvironments is about what Astrid wouldhave liked. For example, we only sell sou-

venirs in the commercial area. We couldmake three times what we make if wesold Pippi merchandise at the VillekullaCottage – but we know that it would in-terfere with the overall impression.”

With regular theatre performances bothon stage and in the theme park settings,including everything from Katthult andMatt’s Fort to the Cherry Tree Valley andNoisy Village, visitors are likely to bumpinto everyone from That Emil to Ronja andPrussiluskan as they explore the environ-ments so familiar from the books – andperhaps this is where the real magic hap-pens: where fantasy meets reality; wherePippi shakes your hand; where AstridLindgren’s Sweden is as alive as ever.

With an incredible knack for taking the issues closest to our hearts and turning theminto magical yet always credible stories, Astrid Lindgren is the most-read children’sauthor in the world. At Astrid Lindgren’s World, her stories come to life, allowing youto walk right into those picturesque, exciting worlds and shake hands with everyonefrom Pippi Longstocking to Karlsson on the Roof.

By Linnea Dunne | Photos: Astrid Lindgren’s World

For more information, please visit:www.alv.se/en

Attraction of the Month, Sweden

Where fantasy meets reality,signed Astrid Lindgren

Astrid Lindgren’s World in Lindgren’shometown of Vimmerby covers an area aslarge as 36 football pitches.

Astrid Lindgren’s World has ditched fastfood in favour of healthy, Swedish mealsmade of local produce.

Astrid Lindgren’s World is open 16 May to 31August and on weekends in September, aswell as certain weeks in October andNovember.

LEFT: At Astrid Lindgren’s World, the stories and settings from the popular children’s books come to life, and you can explore everything from Villekulla Cottage toHoppetossa, Pippi’s father’s boat. TOPMIDDLE: Theatre performances take place every day, both on stage and in the settings from the books. Here Rasmus and the Tramp.BELOW: You will bump into familiar characters along the way, including That Emil if you decide to swing by Katthult. RIGHT: The Brothers Lionheart .


Issue 63 | April 2014 | 87

Scan Magazine | Attraction of the Month | Denmark

“Yesterday is history, tomorrow amystery,today is a gift – that’s why it’s called thepresent,” reads a famous old poem, andthis feeling of presence is the essence ofMadsby Legepark. Situated in Fredericia,a beautiful part of the ‘Destination Lille-bælt’ collaboration, Madsby Legepark isan oasis of tranquility and ‘hygge’, wherepeople of all ages can enjoy a rewardingday in the presence of family and friends.

The Danish concept of ‘hygge’ is thefounding element of Denmark’s biggestplayground, located in close proximity tomany other popular attractions, includingLegoland and Givskud Zoo. “A lot of ourvisitors come to enjoy a relaxing, inexpen-sive day with lots of activities for both chil-

dren and adults, after they’ve spent asomewhat overwhelming day at one of theother nearby attractions,” deputy man-ager Kim Ekstrøm explains.

Most activities at Madsby Legepark arecompletely free and include a sandpit, aTarzan track, a moon car track, an under-ground tunnel maze, and a mini zoo,where visitors can feed and pat a numberof friendly animals. For a small fee, visitorscan also sail around the beautiful lake inlittle rowing boats, take a trip around thepark on a fairytale-like train, or challengefriends and family to a game of mini-golfon the brand new, recently opened track.While the popular playgroundmostly cap-tures the interest of children and playful

souls, the park’s many walking paths,green spaces, and rental communityhouses attract visitors of all ages and na-tionalities. Madsby Legepark accommo-dates all kinds of occasions: be it a fam-ily reunion, a birthday party or even abusiness event. Last year more than300,000 people visited the park, whereDanish culture and togetherness is para-mount. “While the fun might be free, ex-periencing Danish ‘hygge’ with your fam-ily is priceless,” Ekstrøm concludes.

Easily accessed from all corners of the country, park and playground MadsbyLegepark offers its visitors an array of activities suitable for all ages. Whether youare looking to challenge your family to a game of mini golf, want to take a closer lookat the park’s many animals, or simply want to relax and enjoy the scenic surround-ings, Madsby Legepark has it all.

By Stine Gjevnoe | Photos: Madsby Legepark

For more information, please visit:www.madsbylegepark.dk

Attraction of the Month, Denmark

Priceless ‘hygge’ in the heart of Denmark

ABOVE: During the summer peroid, Madsby Legepark is bursting with activities. RIGHT: The large and hugely popular sandpit. BELOW: The kiosk offers a number ofdelicious treats, including sandwiches and ice cream.


88 | Issue 63 | April 2014

“Our gym floor is absolutely amazing, witha stunning view of the ocean,” says HanneSlyngstad-Hægeland, head of communi-cations at Aquarama. “You can run on yourtreadmill and see all the way to Denmark.Now that is quite tough to beat!”

Downtime in the south

Indeed it is. Aquarama, a multi-purposeactivity centre located along the verycoastline of Kristiansand in southern Nor-

way, is only a year old and boasts one ofthe largest facilities of its kind in the coun-try. Over three floors, visitors can frolic ina multitude of swimming pools, enjoysome relaxing downtime in the state-of-the-art spa and opt for a physical chal-lenge in the modern gym – fully equippedwith a view to be remembered.

The swimming pools come in a multitudeof variants, offering splashy fun in the

waterpark for the youngest as well asleading-edge competition pools for com-petitive swimmers. Hægeland reveals thatmany athletes have set their personal bestin the Aquarama pools, a telling trait ofthe centre’s commitment to quality.

“We want to be much more than a com-munal swimming pool, offering the bestfor children, families and professionalswimmers alike. It’s important to us thatwe appeal to a healthy and active everydaylifestyle, no matter what age group or pro-ficiency level you belong to,” Hægelandsays.

Caring for quality – and for you

Similarly, Aquarama has set a goal to takegreat care of all visitors andmeet their in-

When was the last time you spoiled yourself with a facial treatment or massage? Wethought so. Then why not combine an energetic workout session or swim with somewell-deserved moments of pure pampering, offering a relaxing escape from every-day stress and worries? It is all available in top-quality facilities right on the doorstepof one of Norway’s most beautiful coastal towns.

By Julie Lindén | Photos: Aquarama

Attraction of the Month, Norway

A southern sanctuaryfor mind, body and soul

Scan Magazine | Attraction of the Month | Norway


Issue 63 | April 2014 | 89

Scan Magazine | Attraction of the Month | Norway

dividual needs – from school children tak-ing their first swimming strokes to moth-ers and fathers in need of a good day’srest. Perfect then, that the Aquarama dayspa is only a mere slipper walk away fromthe pools – and that the Scandic Kris-tiansand Bystranda hotel is convenientlylocated next door. What better way of com-pleting a day of activities than being pam-pered and getting a good night’s sleep?

Offering treatments for mind, body andsoul in separate treatment rooms as wellas a special section with saunas rangingfrom the conventional to eucalyptus-infused, the second floor of AquaramaKristiansand is the perfect place to let goof stress and tensions. Try a full-bodymassage and facial, including time in apost-treatment relaxation space enjoy-ing delicious meals served at your con-venience.

“Our spa is easily southern Norway’s rich-est and most copious when it comes to agood range of offers. We are also uniquein the way we combine these treatmentswith the rest of the activity centre. Ouraim for both tourists and locals is thatthey can use the gym or take their familyto the water slides for the first part of theday, and then opt for a relaxing afternoonwith a facial or some time in the spasauna,” says Hægeland.

She insists that themost important notionis that the entirety of the Aquarama expe-rience reflects a healthy lifestyle, ac-knowledging that a lavish bathrobe andcomfortable slippers never hurt. “We wantour visitors to enjoy the luxurious feelingthat the spa gives, but more so realisethat these treatments have a real effect oneveryday health and wellness,” she ex-plains. “I think that is the main reasonwhy our visitors are so happy, and keepcoming back tomake use of our facilities.”

A healthy challenge on top of the world

The top floor of Aquarama is the healthaficionado’s paradise. Offering a denseschedule of lively and stimulating gymclasses along with both strength- andendurance-training spaces, there is nodoubt this gym will push you that little bit

further in order to reach your personalfitness goals. And, as already pointed outby Hægeland, your sessions will be ac-companied by a stunning view of one ofNorway’s most spectacular coastlines. Nobad way to spend your free time – andimprove your physical stamina.

“Consistency is key when talking aboutworkouts of any kind,” Hægeland says.“By investing in appealing interiors, cleverarchitecture and state-of-the-art equip-ment and group sessions, I think we havemade it interesting and fun for our visitorsto take that trip down to the gym a coupleof times a week.”

All guests at Scandic KristiansandBystranda hotel have free access to the

Aquarama gym, allowing visitors to main-tain their preferred workout schedule alsowhile away from home. In addition,Aquarama’s vast outdoor area invites itsguests to enjoy the beautiful spring andsummer seasons in spectacular Norwe-gian nature, whether it is for a walk in thesun or a swim in the heated outdoor pool.

“Ours is a new, modern facility that goesunmatched in Norway. The lovely town ofKristiansand combined with the activelifestyle of Aquarama – it’s definitely awin-win for all,” Hægeland says.

For more information, please visit:www.aquarama.no

In addition to fun in the water, Aquarama offers spa treatments for mind, body and soul, as well as a state-of-the-art gym, a selection of exercise classes, and immediate access to spectacular Norwegian nature.

Aquarama boasts pools for all types of activities and proficiency levels, from a waterpark for children to a top-quality competition pool for professionals, many of whom have set their personal bests here.


90 | Issue 63 | April 2014

Scan Magazine | Restaurant of the Month | Norway

“Established by professionals, developedby foodies, run by experts and open foreveryone.” This was the motto when Spis-eriet first opened its doors in September2012. 18 months later, the team looksback at a fantastic first year with thou-sands of satisfied guests and amazing re-views. “Spiseriet is a restaurant for every-one. We work very hard every day toprovide our guests with exciting culinary

experiences and great service,” says op-erations manager Raymond Helland.

Where everyone fits in

Spiseriet is located at Bjergsted, just afew minutes’ walk from the centre of Sta-vanger. The elegant, contemporary inte-rior is complemented by a fantastic view ofthe sea. During the warm summermonths guests can sit outside and enjoy

the fresh sea breeze while watchingcruise ships come to shore.

Inspired by cuisines from around theworld, the chefs at Spiseriet are known forbeing creative when compiling a newmenu every other week, without being tooadvanced. The focus is not on making thefood look exclusive or sound impressive;the focus is on the taste. “We always try touse local produce, but due to our sea-sonal menu we sometimes have to travelto other parts of Norway to get the verybest products. Guests should alwaysrecognise the food they are eating, both inflavour and appearance, which is why wealways make sure to maintain the natural

Described as one of the most exciting restaurants in Stavanger, Spiseriet is locatedon the first floor of Stavanger Concert Hall. With an exciting menu, excellent serv-ice and a stunning view, the restaurant is more than worthy of a visit – even whenmu-sic is not on the menu.

By Kjersti Westeng | Photos: Spiseriet

Restaurant of the Month, Norway

Unforgettable culinary experiences

With an illustrious collection of awards between them, the chefs at Spiseriet promise to serve up a feast of food and drinks that play together – even when the concerthall is in fact free from music.


Issue 63 | April 2014 | 91

Scan Magazine | Restaurant of the Month | Norway

flavours,” says Helland, explaining thatalthough Spiseriet is a casual fine diningrestaurant, it is a place where everyonefits in. It is somewhere you can go withfriends, your partner or just by yourself. Itis a restaurant you can go to celebratesomething, to see an important client orto simply enjoy some fantastic food on aregular Tuesday night. Whatever the com-pany or the occasion, Spiseriet will alwaysmake you feel welcome.

Award-winning chefs

A total of nine chefs work at Spiseriet, ledby head chef Andreas Myhrvold, an award-winning chef with years of industry expe-rience. Andreas has won gold in both theCulinary Olympics and the World FoodChampionships with the Norwegian Culi-nary team, in addition to securing abronze in the Chicago Culinary Classicwith the junior team. Working alongsidehim are sous chefs Christian André Pet-tersen and André H. Slettevold. Pettersenhas had a very impressive career so farand won a number of titles with the Nor-wegian Culinary junior team, such asNordic Chef in 2012, the Norwegian FoodChampionships in 2011, and Seafood Chefof the Year 2013.

Creative menu

Spiseriet is open for lunch fromMonday toSaturday and has become a popular des-tination for the many businesses nearby.The à la carte lunch menu offers a varietyof choices, from the very popular greencurry with Atlantic halibut to pasta, soupand entrecôte. They also serve Norwe-gian ‘lefse’, a traditional, soft flatbread,with various toppings such as salmon,Parma ham, prawns and veal.

From Tuesday to Saturday, Spiseriet isopen for dinner. Although often combinedwith an evening of music at StavangerConcert Hall, a number of people visitSpiseriet solely for the food and wine.Guests can choose from a seasonal menuof two, three or four courses, or go for ‘thefull package’, which is a five-course mealplus three extra tasters with wine. Themenu also offers a surprise option, whereyou choose between fish andmeat. “If youask you can find out what type of meat or

fish the chefs are using, but not how it’sprepared or what it comes with. The restis a surprise – but luckily a good one,”says Helland.

A promising future

Helland continues to explain that therestaurant has received a lot of positivefeedback, from both guests and restau-rant critics, which only inspires them towork harder. “We will continue to workhard to create memorable experiences forour guests and are excited to see what

2014 has to offer,” he says. The people ofStavanger certainly seem to agree withhim. In the words of Stavanger Aftenblad’sfood critic: “Make your way to Bjergstedeven when music is not on the menu. Thefood and drinks play excellently on theirown.”

For more information, please visit:www.spiseriet.nowww.facebook.com/restaurant.spiseriet

LEFT: Spiseriet caters for all of Stavanger Concert Hall’s events, regardless of the location. This image wastaken during Spellemannsprisen 2013, when Spiseriet catered for over 2,000 guests. TOP RIGHT: Head ChefAndreas Myhrvold. RIGHT: Sous Chef Christian Pettersen.


92 | Issue 63 | April 2014

I bet that in your industry, as in mine,there is a clamour for the ‘latest’ thing,the big idea that will transform challengesinto opportunities and remove the need forhard work. This Holy Grail is bought andsold in many fields, from self-help tomanagement and leadership: a new ac-quisition, a new Performance Manage-ment system, or simply a new 4-boxmodel might help us to achieve our goals.

The disappointment for those seekingshort-cuts to improvement is obvious.The tool itself often takes the blame forlower-than-expected results and so weseek out the next ‘big thing’. One of thelessons I have learnt is that there arerarely short-cuts to improvement; mostsuccess comes from doing ‘old things’well and persevering. These are not thewords of a Luddite: I embrace new tech-nologies where relevant but most humansystems are hard to change. If change isto be successful, it comes about becauseof hard work and deliberate practice: notjust mindless repetition, but rather themindful attempt to achieve a goal, theawareness of what you did to achieve saidgoal, and the willingness to experimentuntil the goal is reached.

Last week, I was working with a globalclient who has embraced technology in

learning and focused on trying to developmost leadership competencies on the job.Their workshops act as a pit stop andcheck-in rather than focusing on newlearning. This is cutting edge in concept,but in reality the participants are incredi-bly busy senior managers who only give100 per cent of their attention to the face-to-face sessions. When physically in aroom with peers and coaches, their at-tention is fully on learning. In the work-place, there are so many competing com-mitments that the learning agendabecomes subsumed under a raft of otherpriorities. As with much e-learning andself-directed learning, the spirit is willingbut the flesh is weak.

Another of my clients is working with atrusted Mannaz advisor on a programmethat is low-tech in many ways, but the im-pact so far is measurable and impressive.The CEO of a part of a famous Scandina-vian business has asked us to help re-energise the management team as thecompany moves from survival mode intogrowth. We have a year-long commitmentto work directly with the top two levels ofmanagement. Our approach is action-based and each participant is working ona real project, directly linked to the cor-porate strategy, whilst receiving one-to-one coaching between workshops to cover

specific challenges faced. The impact ispalpable in terms of real-world results,yet the tools would be familiar to Aris-totle: a highly skilled consultant, who lis-tens, challenges and supports a team ofpeople who have learnt to coach eachother and to be open and honest together.

As you consider how best to achieve yourgoals, keep it simple and expect hardwork. I want my surgeon to use the verybest tools available to her, but in areas ofhuman behaviour, the tools may be moresophisticated than we need. Ultimately, itis the confidence and competence of thesurgeon that matters; the tools can onlymultiply the impact, not replace the hu-man being who wields them.

By Paul Blackhurst, client director at Mannaz

For more information, please visit:www.mannaz.comor email [email protected]

Scan Magazine | Business | Column

Scan BusinessColumns 92 | News 95 | Feature: Panda 96 | Business Calendar 97

95 9494

Keep it simple


We live abroad. Our tax reports are prepared by NordeaNordea’s tax reports are designed to assist you in the preparation of your periodic tax declarations to the authorities. Our tax report facilitates the completion of tax returns, even for complex account structures, and pro-vides a clear tax overview for you and your advisors. Our wealth-planners, together with our network of external specialists, help you assess your individual situation and create a plan to manage your assets in a way that meets your present and anticipated future needs. One private banker, many specialists – making it possible.

Making it possible

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94 | Issue 63 | April 2014

Currently, 294 billion messages are sentby the world’s 1.9 billion email users everysingle day. I do wonder howmany of thoseemailers seriously consider whether theirmessages are received as intended or howmany fail to get their message across, orworse, cause confusion, misunderstand-ing or even dispute.

“First learn the meaning of what you say,and then speak,” said the Stoic philoso-pher Epictetus. They say he was a power-ful orator who could “induce his listener tofeel just what he wanted him to feel.” Isn’tthat just what we want of our communi-cations?

We communicate not just through ourwritten and spoken words but alsothrough our facial expressions, body lan-

guage, behaviour, dress, art and even ourvery presence. Communication is themost talked about and least understood ofthe tools that mankind has developed.Like all powerful tools, it needs handlingwith care. It can be put to good use orbad. Hitler and his coterie were superbcommunicators. So, too, thank goodness,was Churchill.

Isn’t it incredible then, that effective com-munication is so rarely taught? The skillsof language, of writing and speaking withthe objective not only of conveying the truemeaning of what we want to communicatebut also the sentiment we desire to elicitare skills, in the main, we are expected topick up as we go through life. Yet are suchskills not so fundamental to life that weshould be taught them at an early age?

After all, effective communication is ourdoor to loving relationships, to financialwealth and to so much that is good in life.Don’t you remember all the best speechesyou ever heard more by the emotions theymade you feel than by the words?

So, isn’t it time, Mr. Gove, that communi-cation should be a key subject on theschool curriculum?

Annika Åman-Goodwillewww.goodwille.co.uk

Abraham Lincoln suggested that, when responding angrily to amessage, particularlyone of criticism, one should wait 24 hours before re-reading one’s letter and only thendecide to re-write or bin it. Not so difficult in his day, but trickier advice to follow inthis age of instant messaging – though, judging by somemails inmy usual inbox, per-haps we should heed it more often than we do.

Column by Annika Åman-Goodwille

Mankind’s most powerful tool– and it is not even on the school curriculum!

Scan Magazine | Business | Column


Issue 63 | April 2014 | 95

Scan Magazine | Business | News

Before joining the Luxembourg subsidiaryin 1991, Mr. Mortensenworked for the Lon-don subsidiary of Nordea and later headedthe banks’ branch in Singapore. Founded in1976, Nordea Bank S.A. is the largestNordic bank in Luxembourg and Switzer-land, serving an international clientele in120 countries throughout the world.

“To accomplish growth and stability forthe bank, we have focused on our clients.We would like our current clients to stillbe our clients in 20 years’ time – and wewould like to welcome their children asclients of Nordea, too,” says Mortensen.

An increasing number of individuals is be-coming more globalised, working and do-ing business abroad, sometimes in sev-eral countries. These individuals havemore complex needs with regards tobanking and international wealth man-agement. In Luxembourg, Switzerlandand Singapore, Nordea has assembled abroad team of experts in wealth manage-ment and wealth planning specialised toprovide the services requested by theseglobalised individuals.

“The days when private banking clientssimply required investment advice are longgone. Now, an increasingly complex legaland regulatory environment has obligedproviders of financial products and servicesto take a comprehensive advisory approachthat also includes taxation, inheritance-and succession-planning, as well as in-surance and real estate,” says Mortensen.

“As a good example of this, Nordea is oneof the few banks who can provide tax re-ports for all relevant countries to assist

clients in the preparation of their periodictax declarations to the authorities.Nordea’s tax report facilitates the com-pletion of tax returns, even for complexaccount structures, and provides a cleartax overview for clients and their advi-sors,” he adds.

The Nordea Group has a very strong cap-ital base and benefits from an excellentcredit rating (AA-), and is the leading fi-

nancial services provider in the Nordicarea. For six consecutive years, Nordeawas named the best provider of privatebanking services in the Nordic & Baltic re-gion by the international financial maga-zine Euromoney. Nordea is among the tenlargest universal banks in Europe in termsof total market capitalisation.

Thorben Sander, 40, will from 1 May 2014succeed Mortensen to safeguard and con-tinue the business development of the 23years under Mortensen’s management,developing best-in-class clients’ servicesand offerings. Sander has since 2010 beenhead of Investment Advice & Brokerage inNordea.

Jhon Mortensen, formerly CEO of Nordea Bank S.A.

Jhon Mortensen, 62, will at the end of April 2014 retire from his position as CEO ofNordea Bank S.A. During the years of Mr. Mortensen’s leadership, the bank developedinto the leading Nordic bank in international private banking.

By Rune Wangsmo, Nordea International Private Banking

Mr. Private Bankingin Luxembourg retires


96 | Issue 63 | April 2014

Scan Magazine | Business | Panda

Nordic people are renowned for their loveof liquorice, that dark, soft sweet with itsdistinctive, slightly earthy texture.Liquorice, or glycyrrhiza glabra, alsoknown as ‘sweet root’, is derived from aperennial plant commonly found in south-ern Europe and Asia. Favoured for cen-turies by ancient Egyptians, Greeks andRomans, liquorice root and its extractwere developed into the liquorice confec-tionary we have come to love by a Britishchemist, no less. George Dunhill, achemist of Pontefract, Yorkshire, pro-duced the eponymous ‘Pontefract Cake’by adding sugar and flour to the costlyliquorice extract. Today, liquorice confec-tionery in its delicious forms – salty‘salmiak’ or sweet, soft liquorice – enjoysa firmly established eating culture in theNordic countries.

Founded in Finland in 1920, the cheerfulPanda has become a leading brand on thedomestic and internationalmarkets, known

for its product lines of plain liquorice cutsand bars, candied drops and dragées, andfruit-flavoured and chocolate-blendedliquorice, sold across 25 countries.

Panda’s range of liquorice productscaters for a whole range of consumertastes. With a closely-guarded recipeused since 1933, Panda’s ‘Soft & Fresh’liquorice is carefully produced by select-ing the highest-quality raw materials,then cooked to form a doughy mass to beextruded as a rope and cut into pieces.The ‘Natural Liquorice’ line is lovinglymade with natural colours and flavours,using only molasses syrup, wheat flour,liquorice extract and aniseed oil in theblack liquorice.

In 2012, Panda launched a fourth fruitliquorice flavour to complement the ex-isting blueberry, cherry and raspberryflavours, made using pure fruit puree.‘Natural Strawberry Bears’ went on sale

at Edinburgh Zoo, offering a tasty snackfor visitors drawn to see the zoo’s specialvisitors from China, panda bears Tian Tianand Yang Guang, with proceeds going to-wards the upkeep of the two bears.

Launching this spring are two excitingnew novelty liquorice products, ‘ChocoLiquorice Maximilk’, a mouth-wateringcombination of UTZ-certified milk choco-late and soft Panda liquorice, and ‘PandaLicoriceMix Black & White’, comprisingof original soft liquorice and crispy whiteliquorice dragées in different shapes andforms.

Finnish confectioner Panda is a pioneer and expert innovator in the world of liquorice,Nordic people’s beloved sweet. The real taste of liquorice lies at the heart of a com-pany committed to the highest standards in its products, also showing commitmentto sustainability and reputed as a sought-after employer.

By Eleonoora Kirk | Press Photos

The real taste of liquorice

For more information, please visit:www.pandalicorice.com


Nordfyns MuseumThe history of the town of Bogense

and North Funen, in words, artifacts,paintings and pictures.

Nordfyns MuseumVestergade 16, DK-5400 Bogense, DenmarkPhone: +45 6481 1884E-mail: [email protected]

Workplace pension eventAs the 2014 Pension Reform takes effect, is yourbusiness ready for the changes ahead? Attend thisDanish Chamber event to learn more about AutoEnrollment, small business outsourcing, and how tominimise the administrative burden on yourorganisation.Date: 8 April

Aberdeen networking with the Norwegian ChamberWith welcome drinks, a presentation by and Q&A withControl Cutter, and more drinks and canapés on theagenda, this networking event courtesy of theNorwegian-British Chamber of Commerce is ideallylocated at the Park Inn Hotel just minutes fromAberdeen’s train station.Date: 9 April

COBCOE Annual Conference 2014The Council of British Chambers of Commerce inEurope’s annual conference is the highlight of itsannual events calendar and somewhat of a focal pointfor the exchange of ideas and information about thegreater economic landscape in Europe. Expect afascinating keynote speech as well as plenty ofthought-provoking discussions in addition tolunch at the Chartered Accountants’ Hall,Moorgate Place. Date: 9 April

COBCOE Gala Dinner and Chamber AwardsAs the above conference wraps up at Moorgate Place,head to The Law Society in Chancery Lane, where theCOBCOE will continue a spectacular day with aprestigious gala and awards event. Guests includemembers of parliament, journalists,diplomats and business leaders.Date: 9 April

Nordic Thursday networking drinksThis month like all other months, the NordicChambers of Commerce will meet to drink and forgefriendships, this time at the Strand Palace Hotel.Expect an informal atmosphere, a cash bar andcanapés. Date: 24 April

Exclusive Tiger of Sweden previewIf you are a Swedish Chamber member with a keeneye for fashion, this month you get access to anexclusive preview of Swedish fashion brand Tiger ofSweden’s high summer collection at the brand’s ownflagship store in Piccadilly. There will be a reception,a presentation, and of course endless cool and trendyvibes.Date: 29 April

The Walpurgis BallAs any self-respecting Swede will know, Valborg,known as Walpurgis in English, is an occasion not tobe missed. For the Swedish Chamber, that means ablack-tie ball with a three-course meal, lots ofdancing and live music. Chamber members and theirspouses and friends can purchase tickets now for thisevent sponsored by Nordea and SAS.Date: 2 May

The Swedish Chamber’s Industrial ForumHosted by Her Excellency Ms Nicola Clase, theSwedish Ambassador to the UK, this forum will takeplace at the Ambassador’s residence and is byinvitation only. Details will be confirmed nearer thetime of the event.Date: 8 May

Scan Magazine | Business | Calendar

Scandinavian Business Calendar– Highlights of Scandinavian business events

DUCC


98 | Issue 63 | April 2014

Scan Magazine | Humour | Columns

Mette Lisby is Denmark’s leading femalecomedian. She invites you to laugh alongwith her monthly humour columns. Sinceher stand-up debut in 1992, Mette hashosted the Danish versions of “Have I GotNews For You” and “Room 101”.

You know Chandler Bing and MonicaGeller – THE Monica and Chandler fromFriends? Yes, I am aware that they are notreal, but I still find myself wondering whatthey’re up to these days – just like I wouldwith real people. Probably because for 10years, every Thursday, it was time tocheck in and see how they – and Joey,Ross, Phoebe and of course Rachel, andnot least Gunther and the naked manacross the street – were doing.

It was something you would talk aboutwith your real friends and look forwardto: the weekly episode of Friends. And be-cause you saw them every week, it feltlike they were your, yes – friends. After all,we followed them for 10 years and morethan 200 episodes. 10 years! I have familythat I saw less regularly and know lessabout than Monica and Chandler.

But now that ‘friendliness’ with TVcharacters is fading fast. Today, nobody

wants to wait a whole week to check inand catch up with the new Chandlers andMonicas. We simply can’t be bothered towait for a week between visiting our TVfriends, so we binge watch numerousepisodes a day, following them in intense,short bursts – not like family or realfriends at all.

For me that has resulted in completeknowledge of House of Cards’ Frank Un-derwood’s entire life, gained in just 48hours. In the old days, that would havetaken me half a year to watch and di-gest.

For four weeks, I followed BreakingBad’s Walter White and Jesse closer thanI’ve followed my sister’s life. I know moreabout cooking crystal meth than I knowabout how my sister makes carrot cake.

But I somehow reminisce about visit-ing my TV friends once a week and myfamily about the same, and miss it; there

was a nice balance to it. Now it’s gettingdifficult to find the time to watch all sevenseasons of West Wing. Binge watchingTV series forces me to ‘binge see’ myfamily for a whole week, since I won’t beseeing them for the next 3 months be-cause I HAVE TO watch 144 episodes ofJosiah Bartlett and his staff in the WhiteHouse. I mean I HAVE TO – as they’re mynew friends.

IS IT JUST ME... By Mette Lisby

Who’s missing Chandler and Monica?

I am often asked how life in Britain differsfrom life in Sweden. There is one, per-haps rather strange, answer to which Ioften find myself referring. It is the abilityto indulge in a little benign lawlessnessevery now and then. Sweden is, gener-ally, an extremely law-abiding country.Following the rules is something that isdeeply ingrained in my DNA.

Several years ago, that left me with aserious dilemma involving the daily strug-gle to find a parking space for my Citroen2cv outside what was then my Art Col-lege. The car park was always full. Beinga Swede of course also means that I ampetrified of being late for anything, whichis what finally pushed me over the edge,one sunny spring morning. I had circledthe car park about 15 times and couldfeel the panic building up. Somethingmade me glance up at a great WeepingWillow that stood in the middle of a hillleading up to the college, its lushbranches reaching all the way down tothe ground. I made a quick calculation asto what might be underneath thosebranches. I guessed a space. A hidden,2cv-sized space. I went for it.

If you have ever driven one of thesecars, you will know there is not much usein subtlety when trying to negotiate asteep, grassy hill. I put the car in gear

and hurtled towards the tree. Thebranches engulfed me. I slammed on thebrakes and looked around. Success! Fromthen on, this became my secret, privateparking space. Only once was I caughtout, when I had left the headlights on andsomeone noticed that the tree outside ap-peared to be glowing, like some magicalphantasm. But then this was Art College,so not much was made of it, and my un-lawful space remained safe.

Maria Smedstad moved to the UK fromSweden in 1994. She received a degree inIllustration in 2001, before settling in thecapital as a freelancecartoonist, creatingthe autobiographicalcartoon Em.Maria writes a col-umn on the trials andtribulations of life asa Swede in the UK.

Lawlessness By Maria Smedstad


Issue 63 | April 2014 | 99

Scan Magazine | Humour | Blogger’s Corner

We are experiencing an early spring herein London, and as the trees bloom, itseems so do everybody’s hearts – or per-haps it is just our hormones going wild.Everyone single around me is either en-tering a relationship or looking for one.Suddenly it is the only thing on our minds:someone to share those park walks withor that summer holiday on a Greek island.

What is love? This is such an importantquestion. I remember the first time some-one asked me this. What did he mean?Was he suggesting that I did not know, orwas he looking for answers himself?Surely everyone knows what love is?

The truth is that so many of us use theword without ever putting much thoughtinto it. When I was asked this question, Ihad never thought about it, yet I was blog-

ging about love every single day. This thingcalled love – we see it as the solution to allour problems and we all try to define it tobest suit our life situation.

But let us think about it: can there be lovewhere there is jealousy, possessivenessand domination? And how about the needfor comparison: did you love her morethan me? Depending on someone is verydifferent from loving them. I love you onlywhen you love me – is this love or a sim-ple trade? If you do something out of duty,is that love? Must love and pain go to-gether?

I believe that to be able to love, we mustbe present and let go of the thought ofyesterday and tomorrow, because any-thing but now cultivates fear. I do not be-lieve that love is meant to save us and

make us whole; rather, when we are atpeace with ourselves, when we havelearnt to accept ourselves, only then arewe ready for love.

Are you ready for love?Bloggers’ Corner: The very best of the Anglo-Scandinavian blogosphere: from films to fitness

By Dena Tahmasebi

Whatever their length, words have pro-vided excellent material for games fromthe earliest times. One of the more pleas-ing arrangements is the palindrome,which is spelt the same backwards as for-

wards, and can create some bizarremean-ings. While Danish has ‘Selmas lakserødegaragedøre skal samles’ for ‘Selma’ssalmon red garage doorsmust be assem-bled’, it is the Finnish language that goes

further, not so much withits ‘neulo taas niin saatoluen’, meaning ‘knit again,so that you will get a beer’,as with these three longpalindromic words:

Saippuakivikauppias –a soapstone sellerSaippuakuppinippukaup-pias – a soap cup traderSolutomaattimittaamotulos– the result from a meas-urement laboratory fortomatoes

Sweden, on the other hand,is a country that not only

values the concept of a lack of extremesbut even has a word for it – lagom. In thissociety, equality is everything, hierarchiesare supposed to be non-existent, and it isgenerally not thought to be good to standout too much. Everything and everyone issupposed to be just lagom – which is notto say ‘boring’, so much as ‘not too muchand not too little’, ‘not good and not bad’,‘ok’, ‘just right’, ‘so-so’.

You might just wonder what the Swedeswould make of the Finnish peculiaritiesabove…

Lost for words By Adam Jacot de Boinod

Illustration by Markus Koljonen

Dena Tahmasebi is a Persian Swede whomoved to London six years ago when shejoined the BBC as a Broadcast Journalist. Inher spare time, she runs the lifestyle blogbeingdena.com.

Adam Jacot de Boinod was a researcher forthe BBC television series QI and is the authorof The Meaning of Tingo and the creator ofthe iPhone app Tingo, a game involving inter-esting words. Here, he looks at what intereststhe outside world about the Scandinavian lan-guages.


100 | Issue 63 | April 2014

Sweden’s epic, six-week-long Melodifes-tivalen competition pulls in more domes-tic ratings than the Eurovision itself. Morea showcase for established pop stars andlaunchpad for new artists than it is a Eu-rovision selection process, that, neverthe-less, is the end prize – and one which thenation does not take too lightly.

This year’s contest was more variedthan ever. It had more debut acts than anyyear before, giving it a fresher vibe, andthere was also a larger rock quota thannormal, which widened the musical ap-peal even further, and beyond the usualfans. Swedish pop exports Alcazar re-formed especially for the selectionprocess, and critically-acclaimed artistslike CajsaStina Åkerström finally buckledand entered the contest, despite a lengthycareer thus far managing without it.

The line-up also boasted a former Eu-rovision winner: Helena Paparizou, whowon for Greece in 2005 (she is half Greek,half Swedish). And then there were theusual Melodifestivalen stalwarts: theschlager divas who have shaped the con-

test into what it is today, artists such asShirley Clamp, Linda Bengtzing, andSanna Nielsen. And in the end, it was oneof those ladies who triumphed against allof the new blood. Sanna Nielsen, on herseventh attempt to win Melodifestivalensince her debut in 2001, finally took thecrown at Friends Arena in Stockholm withher song Undo, a minimal ballad, packedwith fragile emotion. And few can deliversuch emotion in the same way SannaNielsen can. It all gets quite dramatic bythe end – be prepared.

The big story of the year, however, andperhaps the real winner of the 2014Melodifestivalen, is Ace Wilder. Last year,she released her debut EP, A Wilder EP, tolittle attention or success. But this year,she used Melodifestivalen as the launchfor her new single, Busy Doin Nothin, andcaught both the eye and the ear of theviewer more so than anyone else. Thesong, a cross between Icona Pop andAvicii, and therefore arguably a much bet-ter representation of Swedish music in2014 than the winning track, has gone on

to be the bigger hit. It has had the moststreams on Spotify, claimed the number 1spot on the Swedish singles chart, re-ceived the largest support from Swedishradio, and clocked up the most views onYouTube – and the list goes on. On thenight of the final, it even received the high-est number of votes from the internationaljuries – an element that Melodifestivalenhas brought into the voting system to givethe contest a ‘how would the songs do atthe Eurovision’ angle.

In the end, though, it was Sanna whowon the public televote (albeit only by twopoints – 212 to Ace Wilder’s 210), withviewers feeling that it was very much‘Sanna’s turn’. But it is Ace Wilder whostands to gain the most from it: now thatshe has finally caught their attention, theSwedish public and media are all waitingto hear what she comes out with next,and many are predicting an internationallaunch for her, too – all without that peskytask of having to go to the Eurovision SongContest first.

As for Sanna Nielsen, Undo’s selec-tion has helped Sweden move up the bet-ting agencies’ leader board. And only twoyears after it took victory at the Eurovisionwith Loreen’s Euphoria, Sweden is nowone of the big favourites to take the prizeonce again. Something they will obviouslytake more pride in than most nationswould.

Nextmonth it is Eurovision season, whichmeans that last month it was Eurovision Se-lection season. And no other region takes its Eurovision selections as seriously asScandinavia does, the biggest of the lot being in Sweden.

By Karl Batterbee

A wilder song contest

Scan Magazine | Culture | Eurovision

Sanna Nielsen. Photo: Magnus Liam Karlsson/SVT

Ace Wilder. Photo: Jeremias Mielonen


Issue 63 | April 2014 | 101

Scan Magazine | Culture | Eurovision

Carl Espenwas the overwhelmingwinnerof this year’s Melodi Grand Prix and goesforward to represent Norway at the Eu-rovision Song Contest in Copenhagen thisMay. His song, Silent Storm, received53,712 votes,more than 14,000 clear of itsnearest rival.

Espen is a popular figure in his home re-gion of Western Norway, whose votes werethe main driver behind the massive win-ningmargin. The former bouncer is a like-able guy with tattooed arms, about as faraway from a typical Eurovision entrant asyou can imagine, and his down-to-earthattitude was reflected in the way he tookthe victory in his stride.

Silent Storm marks a different approachfor Norway, whose previous three entriesstuck rigidly to the Europop formula. This

is a deep and meaningful piano-led bal-lad, delivered by Espen with genuine emo-tion. Norwegian fans must hope that thesong’s fragile nature tugs on the heartstrings of Europe’s voters, as it did theirs.It could well stand out as memorableamid the usual sugar-coated Eurovisionformula.

It was a disappointingnight for Utøya survivorMo, who hoped to repre-sent his country withHeal, a song about mov-ing on, and the other fi-nalists, Knut KippersundNesdal and Linnea Dale.However, all three lookset for future success inNorway. Nesdal has al-ready been offered a deal

by Starbox Music, a subsidiary of Univer-sal, due to his Rick Astley looks and pol-ished delivery of the catchy song Taste ofYou.

The biggest cheer of the night was re-served for the interval act, MargaretBerger, who performed her 2013 Eurovi-sion entry, I Feed You My Love, while thevotes were being counted. Can Espen re-peat Berger’s fourth place in Malmö? Al-ready a bookies’ favourite, it does not seemimpossible.

Norwegian tattooed balladeernow bookies’ favouriteBy David Nikel

Denmark is of course hosting the wholeEurovision shebang on 10 May this year,thanks to former Scan Magazine coverstar Emmelie de Forest bringing it victoryin 2013 with Only Teardrops. And so, lastmonth, the Danes also got to work withchoosing the entry that will representthe country on home turf.

The Danish national selection is not as bigas that of Sweden or Norway. The Danesprefer to scale it down to a one-night-onlyaffair – although that does not stop themfrom putting on an equally spectacularshow. Danish broadcaster DR took overArena Fyn in Odense, and had ten artistscompeting for the chance to represent theircountry in Copenhagen later this year.

The Danes seem to employ an outlook ofall-killer-no-filler when selecting theirEurovision entry. And so this year, muchlike the previous few years, most of the ten

finalists stood out as plausible winnersthat would do their nation proud at the Eu-rovision.

More so than in Sweden or Norway, Den-mark’s national selection is always impos-

sible to predict, such is the strong line-upof potential winners. But in the end, it wasBasim who triumphed with his up-tempoand infectiously positive track, Cliché LoveSong. It is a brilliantly-catchy, retro-flavoured ode to self-aware declarationsof love. Sound wise, think BrunoMars cov-ering The Real Thing’s You To Me AreEverything – as a Eurovision interval act.

This track has already got countless pun-dits predicting that Denmark could likelywin the Eurovision Song Contest for thesecond year running. Those Scandinavianmelodies, eh? Watch this shoot up thescoreboard and finish in the top five inMay. With a shortage of pure party songsin this year’s Eurovision so far, Cliché LoveSong will make a big impression on tipsyviewers watching on the night. The Danescan consider their national pride, and po-tentially their title too, well and truly de-fended.

Another cliché love song By Karl Batterbee

Winner Carl Espen. Photo: NRK

Basim celebrating. Photo: Bjarne Bergius Hermansen


102 | Issue 63 | April 2014

Arne Dahl and Wallander became hugelypopular in the UK, and the latter can besaid to have kickstarted somewhat of aNordic Noir obsession. What is the secretbehind Nordic Noir?

We don’t know if there is a secret. PerhapsUK TV channels weren’t previously that in-terested in buying from our countries sincethey produce such good detective dramasthemselves, but once they got the opportu-

nity to watch some of our crime series theyrealised that we make them pretty well,too? Authors like Henning Mankell andStieg Larsson certainly helped open theworld’s eyes to Nordic crime thrillers.

Rolf and Cilla Börjlind, also known as the literary couple behind scripts for TV series such as Arne Dahl and Wallander, are busyplanning the TV script of their own crime thriller, Spring Tide, as well as writing the third book in the series. Here, the Nordic Noirwriters answer all our questions.

By Linnea Dunne | Photos: Hesperus Press

The power of the pen:writing for social justice (and goosebumps)


Issue 63 | April 2014 | 103

Scan Magazine | Culture | Cilla & Rolf Börjlind

If Nordic Noir is special, perhaps it’s be-cause it paints a different picture of soci-ety. Sweden, for example, used to be aleading country when it comes to equalityand a high standard of living, but that so-ciety has since been dismantled andmanywriters tend to write much more aboutthose darker sides, often with a criticalview. From a more positive point of view,perhaps Nordic Noir has simply becomeso special because we have so many tal-ented writers/scriptwriters and directors,who really know how to tell a story!

Detective dramas often seem to be writtenby literary couples. What do you think yougain from working as a pair?

A lot. Two brains definitely work fasterthan one! When one of us has an idea, theother can take it further – and you arenever alone if there are problems to solveor if you get stuck. We produce somethingthat neither of us could write alone, andbeing a woman and a man writing to-gether, we also gain the different genderperspectives.

How does the creative process work?

We work almost the same way when wewrite for TV or film as we do when writinga book. We create the story and the char-acters together, very thoroughly from be-ginning to end. The result is a so-calledtreatment: we have the whole TV series orbook in short form, all divided up intoscenes or chapters, and we put it all up ona wall in our study. At this stage it’s not aproblem to change things.

The next stage, when we actually startwriting, it’s more complicated to changekey details; but when you write scripts,you always have to be prepared to changethings because there are so many partiesand opinions involved, not to mentionbudget restrictions. You have much morefreedom when writing a book.

Where do you find inspiration for thesesometimes quite dark, melancholic sto-rylines? And how do you balance that witha happy life?

It’s not hard to be inspired these days –you just have to open a newspaper andreal life beats all your stories. And whenyou write crime you don’t look for thebright sides of life. We also try to alwayshave a social theme within the story; wewant to put the spotlight on social injus-tices that upset us.

We do disconnect our daily life from solv-ing murder cases on paper now and then;long summers in our summerhouse inthe Stockholm archipelago and fishingtrips to the Northern parts of Sweden helpus restore our brains from death and de-struction.

How did you end up here? What led you tothis point of fiction and script writing?

Rolf has been writing all his life and as ascriptwriter since the late ’70s and hasmany films and TV series on his con-science. Cilla worked in public service,SVT, in the drama department, and wemet there when working together on acomedy show in 1989. Cilla started writingfor TV while working at SVT but eventuallyquit her job and began writing with Rolf.So we have been writing together fornearly 20 years.

Next up is Spring Tide, which is being pro-duced for TV this year. What should NordicNoir fans expect?

What’s new to us is that we will write ascript on our own book for the first time.Other than that you could say that ourcharacters differ from what you might beused to: instead of a group of experiencedpolice officers as main characters, wehave a young woman, Olivia Rönning, whostudies at the Police Academy. Thenthere’s former detective superintendentTom Stilton, who definitely has seen hisbest days and no longer works as a policeofficer. When their paths cross, they makequite the odd couple.

The main theme in Spring Tide is Olivia’sstruggle to solve a cold case from 1987: ahorrifying murder of a pregnant womanwho was buried in wet sand on a beach,only her head above the sand, and left

there to be drowned by the spring tide.When Olivia studies the case as a volun-tary task at the Police Academy, shewants to get in touch with the person thatled the investigation back then, detectivesuperintendent Tom Stilton, but no oneseems to know where he is.

But Spring Tide is not just about a terriblecold case; it is also about homeless peo-ple in Stockholm, violated kids in the sub-urbs, and amultinational mining companythat exploits developing countries in Africa.

What’s next?

We are now working on our third book inthe same series as Spring Tide. After that,we will start to write the Spring Tide TVscript. All going to plan, the book will makea ten-hour long series – but that couldstill change. We will be working with Film-lance International, the same productioncompany that produced the Arne Dahl se-ries and The Bridge. As for the future, weare hoping for more time to write books!

Spring TideBy Cilla & Rolf Börjlind

ISBN 9781843915157

£8.99, 476pp

Published 28 March


104 | Issue 63 | April 2014

On the rhythm of her day:I spend the day writing either music orlyrics, or recording. Then my six-year-old son comes home from school and Ilike to take him swimming. The best daysare when we escape to the peaceful

countryside and my parents’ summer-house.

On Reykjavik:I’ve always lived here, apart from a yearin Berlin when I was 20. It’s the perfect

base, and a good place to deflate and re-lax. Fortunately it’s well-situated: mid-way between the US and Europe. In 15minutes you’re in the countryside, so youcan’t really call it a city, as it possessesa calmness that other big cities don’thave.

On touring:

I’ve been almost constantly on tour fortwo years, so now I am spending moretime at home – I’ve exhausted myself. Itfeels good to take time to catch up with lifebefore full steam ahead when I go back ontour in late spring. Since I’ve been back intown I’ve been helping to set up a newlive music venue in Reykjavik: Mengi,which opened in December.

On comparisons:

I’m very honoured to be compared toBjörk, Vashti Bunyan and the like. Whowouldn’t be? I see it as more of a com-ment on howmy work moves people thanonmy work per se. I don’t spend toomuchtime thinking about this though.

On singing in Icelandic:

I tell a story with my music, so with Eng-lish I can reach more people. But it’s alsopossible to understand the journey with-out understanding the lyrics. I use thelyrics as a form of expression – they’revery personal to me.

On music fit for driving in Iceland:

Hawaiian music strikes me as the bestmusic to listen to while driving through thecountryside. We’re both volcanic islands –perhaps this has something to do with it.The only thing that differs is the flora,thanks to our very different climate.

With intimate, hauntingly beautiful lyrics permeating the folk-infused tracks sung inher native Icelandic as well as English, multi-instrumentalist Ólöf Arnalds is one ofIceland’s strongest musical exports. Duets with Björk, a private concert for YokoOno, and an album produced by Sigur Rós testify to the calibre of this mild-manneredIcelandic charmer who weaves a tragic tale with voice and guitar.

By Emmie Collinge | Photo: Hulda Sif Ásmundsdóttir

Ólöf Arnalds – on life

Catch Ólöf Arnalds live at the ACE Hotelin London on 24 April, or for moreinformation on releases and upcomingshows, please visit:www.olofarnalds.com

Scan Magazine | Culture | Olof Arnalds


Issue 63 | April 2014 | 105

Listen up: here are three ladies andthree boybands to get yourselves ac-quainted with this month.

I heard a stunner of a soul ballad onSwedish radio station P3’s website re-cently. It was a bit of a stop-in-your-tracksmoment and was the debut single,Scarred For Life, from Swedish singerSabina Ddumba. Starting off as an icy and

atmospheric track, it soon becomeswarmer and more comforting thanks tothe melody and Sabina’s rich vocal. Butthe warmth is certainly not down to thelyrics: “Cuts are getting deeper. You reallyf***ed me up this time. I just can’t stopbleeding. Baby I am scarred for life.” Thatis the chorus – major sad face. Based inStockholm, and still involved in the TenstaGospel Choir, Sabina is set for a biglaunch with Scarred For Life.

One of 2013’s most notable successesin Norway was undoubtedly December’sScan Magazine cover star, MargaretBerger. Now she is back with a new sin-gle in the hope of making 2014 just asfruitful. Scream is a continuation of thesound that Margaret has been playingwith up until the release of her forthcom-ing album, New Religion, in that it soundslike a cross between previous singles IFeed You My Love and Human Race: achugging electro production over whichMargaret trills an upbeat melody.

Finland last year spawned an excitingnew electropop lady, too: Suvi. She re-turns this month with new single Find You,

a military beat with electrified brass. Elec-tropop with actual trumpets! It is all a bitdramatic – and that can only be a goodthing in pop. The theatrics in the produc-tion are paired with a drunken, deliriousvocal from Suvi, in which she sounds hap-pier than your standard Nordic electrovixen. She is a little bit in love with some-one, and the end result is that we can allfall a little bit in love with the song.

Finally, if you are in the market for aNordic boyband, you will be pleased tolearn that no less than three have beenshowcasing their wares this month – theirwares being their new singles, of course.Check out Sweden’s The Fooo and theirnew track, 97 Ways (their first ever ballad),Finland’s Kliff with their debut single, MunJopo (r&b pop), and another debut single,this time from Sweden’s own Level5, re-leasing the late 90s Backstreet Boys and*NSync sounding My Number One.

[email protected]

Scandinavian Music By Karl Batterbee

Scan Magazine | Culture | Scandinavian Music

Von Hertzen Brothers on tour (April)Finnish rockers Von Hertzen Brothers aretouring the UK with their new six-trackdigital EP, Flowers and rust. For more in-formation, please visit:www.vonhertzenbrothers.com

A Norwegian night (13 April)Norway’s foremost player of the Hardan-ger fiddle, Ånon Egeland, and pianistChristian Grøvlen bring together anevening of traditional Norwegian violinmusic and piano pieces by Grieg. Ticketholders are allowed free admission be-fore the concert to view Sutton House,which is owned by the National Trust.

Built in 1535, the house contains a fasci-nating juxtaposition of oak-panelled Tudorrooms, Jacobean wall paintings and Geor-gian and Victorian interiors. Sutton House,London, E9.www.shms.org.uk

Sibelius’s violin (27 April)This will be a rare opportunity to hear aconcert played by Satu Jalas on the violingiven to her by her grandfather, JeanSibelius, accompanied by the pianist FolkeGräsbeck. They will play music bySibelius, Respighi and Grieg. St Mark’sChurch, London, NW8.www.anglofinnishsociety.org.uk/events

Sakari Oramo conducts the BBC Sym-phony Orchestra (3 May)An evening of music by Debussy, PascalDusapin, Honegger and Elgar, conductedby Finnish Sakari Oramo and featuringthe BBC Symphony Orchestra. The Barbi-can Centre, London, EC2Y.www.barbican.org.uk

The Great Escape in Brighton (8-10 May)This year’s festival has teamed upwithMu-sic Finland and will feature several Finnishacts, including Jaakko Eino Kalevi, MirelWagner and Satellite Stories, to mention afew. For more information, please visit:mamacolive.com/thegreatescape

Scandinavian Culture Calendar– Where to go, what to see? It’s all happening here! By Sara Schedin


106 | Issue 63 | April 2014

JH Engström in Berlin (Until 10 May)In the exhibition From back home,Swedish photographer JH Engström payshomage to the people and landscapes ofhis home county, Värmland.Wed-Sat 12noon-6pm.Swedish Photography, Karl-Marx-Allee62, Berlin. www.grundemarknilsson.se

The erratic dreams of Christian Lindberg(17 May)A breath of fresh Swedish air will flowthrough Cadogan Hall when world-renowned Christian Lindberg – trombon-ist, conductor and composer – takes cen-tre stage with Västerås Sinfonietta andclarinettist Emil Jonason. The exhilaratingprogramme includes music by LeopoldMozart and Manuel de Falla as well as twoUK premieres. Cadogan Hall, London,SW1X. For more information, please visit:www.cadoganhall.com

Agnes Obel on European tour(April - July)Norwegian singer-songwriter and pianistAgnes Obel is on tour with her second al-bum, Aventine.For more information, please visit:www.agnesobel.com

Tove Jansson centenary exhibition inHelsinki (Until 7 Sept)Amajor exhibition presenting the impres-sive career of Tove Jansson (1914-2001) asan artist, illustrator, political caricaturist,author and creator of the Moomin char-acters and stories. The exhibition coversall the periods in Jansson’s productive ca-reer, including her surrealistic paintingsof the 1930s, modernist art of the 1950sandmore abstract works in the 1960s and’70s, as well as her satirical anti-war il-lustrations for the magazine Garm, hermonumental paintings for public spaces,

Scan Magazine | Culture | Culture Calendar

Christian Lindberg. Photo: Mats Backer

Emil Jonason. Photo: Andreas Sander


and of course her enormously-popularand internationally-renowned Moomincharacters and stories.Tue & Fri 10am-6pm,Wed & Thu 9am-8pm,Sat & Sun 10am-5pm.Ateneum Art Museum,Kaivokatu 2, Helsinki.For more information, please visit:www.ateneum.fi

Aase Texmon Rygh: Modernism Forever!(Until 28 Sept)This solo-exhibition presents the story ofone of Norway’s first non-figurative mod-ernists in sculpture. It showcases TexmonRygh’s works from the beginning of hercareer until today. The oldest sculpturedates back to 1951 while the most recentones were produced especially for this ex-hibition. The works are presented partly

chronologically, partly thematically, as wefollow the artist’s efforts to liberate herselffrom a naturalistic representation andachieve an ever-greater degree of geo-metric abstraction.Tue, Wed & Fri 11am-5pm,Thu 11am-7pm, Sat & Sun 12noon-5pm.The Museum of Contemporary Art,Bankplassen 4, Oslo.www.nasjonalmuseet.no

Scan Magazine | Culture | Culture Calendar

Aase Texmon Rygh, Piruett, year 1951/2003.Photo: Nasjonalmuseet / Børre Høstland

Tove Jansson, Mysterious Landscape (approx. 1930). Ateneum Art Museum. Photo: Finnish National Gallery / Hannu Aaltonen ©Tove Jansson Estate

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In Trondheim, you are just 2 hours away from the most amazing travel adventures in the region!

Visit the enchanting UNESCO World Heritage Site Røros where history whispers into tomorrow.

Travel to the coast of Trøndelag with its great fi shing opportunities, eagle safaris and local seafood.

Experience the world of the Vikings at Norway’s birthplace, Stiklestad, or by following the “Golden Route”.

Trøndelag Tourist Board Trøndelag Reiseliv ASNordre gt. 11, NO-7011 Trondheim T: +47 73 84 24 40www.trondelag.com/en facebook.com/centralnorway

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