About the designer
KAY BOJESEN
KAY BOJESEN
Kay Bojesen is synonymous with original Danish design. He remains one of the biggest Danish designers from the 1900s, and represents the story of one of the strongest and most loved brands in Danish design history, with classics in a class of their own. For decade after decade, he crafted original stories out of wood, resulting in a creative, playful world filled with love, smiling lines, and unique shapes.
KAY BOJESEN
Kay Bojesen is celebrated as one of the most important Danish designers of the 20th century, achieving global acclaim for his remarkable talent for crafting wooden animals imbued with soul, humor, and character. In 1951, his iconic wooden Monkey, crafted from Teak and Limba, swiftly became a Danish design icon. To this day, it remains one of the most cherished and significant gifts for children born into Danish households.
Kay Bojesen trained as a silversmith in 1910 after having been apprentice at Georg Jensen. Kay Bojesen was one of the first Danish artisans to be impressed by functionalism. He was one of the initiators of 'Den Permanente' (The Permanent), a business and showcase that presented the best in Danish and Scandinavian design for many decades. Indeed, the clean lines that we know from Danish furniture design and architecture from that same era are clearly visible in Kay Bojesen’s work.
1919 marked the start of a new era for Kay Bojesen. He got married and had his son Otto. This helped to spark Kay Bojesen’s fascination with the world of children, toys, and woodwork, and reminded him of his own childhood when his father would cut wooden figures and encouraged him to be inventive, use his imagination, and have fun.
The encouraging words from Kay Bojesen’s father bore fruit. In the 1930s, Kay Bojesen began to seriously cultivate his interest in working in wood. He created a series of wooden animals that lived up to his philosophy that design should be round, soft, and feel good in your hand. Kay Bojesen did not want to create faithful copies of real life animals, or be too sophisticated or detailed in his designs. Instead, he wanted to create imaginative variations on a design that was based on a childlike world, where the 'lines had to smile'.
His wooden toys had to be simple and sturdy, and inspire play. In his lifetime, Kay Bojesen was considered to represent the fun side of Danish arts and crafts.
Today, Kay Bojesen is one of Denmark’s biggest design names and his crafts are some of the most sought-after. Kay Bojesen kept his childish curiosity and joie de vivre until the very end. And with more than 2,000 pieces of handicrafts, he is one of the most productive Danish artisans ever. In addition to the iconic wooden figures and animals, his production also includes the elegant and luxurious Menageri series with functional items for the kitchen and the rest of the home.
Kay Bojesen was able to turn wood into original stories like no other. With his deep passion for craftsmanship and eye for detail, over the years he created an imaginative world of figures and objects, each one with its own unique story. As such, he became one of Denmark’s greatest craftsmen, and his designs will continue to hold a firm place in Danish design history.
