A MAD Talk with Henrik Vibskov
An Interview with the Enfant Terrible of Danish Fashion
A fashion designer, an artist and an avant-garde musician, Henrik Vibskov is a man of many talents. New Yorkers can get a sense of his style by either visiting his store Henrik Vibskov Boutique in SoHo or go see his exhibition at the Museum of Modern Design (MAD) through August 6.
Vibskov is currently among the six international design teams in the fashion after Fashion exhibition, which is part of The Art and Craft of Getting Dressed - a series of three exhibitions at the MAD this spring.
When #DenmarkInNY caught up with Vibskov at the opening reception at MAD, he was kind enough to answer some questions about the life of a Danish designer performing on the world’s biggest stage: New York City.
How does New York inspire your work?
New York City and the business environment here is an important factor and area for my design. We have the store in SoHo which has been there for six years now. We also have exhibitions like the one at the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD). We’ve been planning for years to do a show there but the computer always says no.
You are known as an artist, a designer and a musician. Which field do you like best?
To be honest, I like the mixture and chaos of all those things. It’s kind of what drives me and keeps on giving me passion and lust.
What can you tell us about your new exhibition at MAD?
We are showing a film and an installation at MAD which serves to represent the absent human body. It also references how bodies are enlivened by their garments — here in the form of red “dresses”.
What have been some of the major challenges when opening Henrik Vibskov Boutique in New York?
It’s a very different form of business than a European shop. There are a lot of legal issues that needed to be sorted out first, but since then it has grown a lot and worked out easily.
We noticed the sexual symbols in your installation at MAD. How does sexuality influence your art?
It’s hopefully part of most people’s minds … and also mine!
What advice would you give designers who decide to come and work in New York?
Maybe first try to go and get some contacts and from then on deal with all the legal issues.
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The other design brands exhibiting their work at MAD are Eckhaus Latta & Alexa Karolinski, ensæmble, Lucy Jones, Ryohei Kawanishi and SSAW Magazine.
The exhibition is co-curated by Hazel Clark and Ilari Laamanen in collaboration with the Finnish Cultural Institute in New York and Parsons School of Design with support from the Consulate General of Finland and the Consulate General of Denmark.
Andreas Jakobsen is the Public Diplomacy, Press & Culture intern at the Danish Consulate in New York.
