Hej Morten, Paper Collective is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. Congratulations! Which development are you particularly proud of?
I think it's above all the importance of art prints in the design world. When we founded Paper Collective, art prints weren't yet part of it. Once we'd recognised that gap, we paved the way for them. I feel that art prints as posters are now an important part of the design conversation. And I think we've had something to do with that [laughs].
Few other companies connect art so closely with the world of interiors. What's the vision behind Paper Collective and the hashtag #ARTFORALL?
I come from the design and furniture industry, and it's always been my passion to build a bridge between art and design. At Paper Collective, we want great art to be easily accessible to everyone. We help our customers gain access to the work of fantastic artists. At the same time, we're an important platform for the artists and their art. Thanks to this relationship, they can keep focusing on creating beautiful things without worrying too much about sales.
Why do you think it's important to surround yourself with art?
The spaces we spend our time in create moods and particular energies, but they also reflect who we are. The art we own and love gives our homes meaning and beauty.
How many artists work with Paper Collective, and what do you look for when choosing new designers?
Paper Collective currently features the work of around 60 artists. I'm drawn to works that tell a unique story and help steer our range in a new direction. Paper Collective can't be pigeonholed – it's a place where remarkable talent and stories from all over the world come together. A place that evolves and takes shape with every new art print and poster.
Why is it so important to you to tell these stories?
It's important for us as a company, as well as for the artists and customers. There's an incredible amount of passion and soul in every single art print – whether it's an original or not. Passing on that story is essential, and probably also decisive in whether we like a picture.
And how do you ultimately decide whether a work is added to the range?
A lot of it comes down to gut feeling. It's very much about instant appreciation. When you see an artwork, it usually triggers an immediate emotion and the wish to keep looking at it at home. A work can never be liked equally by everyone – it's enough if some people value it very highly.
Do you think works lose some of their exclusivity when they're reproduced?
I wouldn't put it that way. Although reproductions can replace original art at home, we see them as two very different products. Sometimes I go to a gallery, see a painting and love it, but I wouldn't necessarily want it as a print in my collection.
Art prints have to be easier to decode and interpret. They often serve other purposes – perhaps conveying a colour scheme or a personal message that shapes the home. Art prints allow both the artists and the customers to develop and express their own creativity.
Which kind of art appeals to you most personally?
That's constantly changing, but at the moment I'm very interested in photographic art. What appeals to me is that some images tell very clear stories, while others create breaks and mysteries that remain unresolved and leave room for interpretation. By its nature, photography is always anchored in reality, but I like it when it alters that reality or even creates a new form of reality.
That sounds fascinating. Do you have a motif like that at home?
Yes! Our artwork from the Close Contact series, which Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen of Norm Architects designed for Paper Collective. It plays a central role in our flat. With its dark colours and glass surface, it looks striking and dramatic, while on other days it turns into something unobtrusive and mirror-like.
What about the rest of your home: prints or originals?
We have a mix of both. While the larger pictures tend to have a fixed place, we often change the art prints, because we keep falling in love with the works in our new collections. For me, that's a big advantage of art prints as posters: they're easy to swap and a great way to give your home a quick refresh.
Is there a design of yours in the Paper Collective range?
No, we'd rather leave that to the real artists. Besides, I can assure you my pictures wouldn't be particularly successful [laughs].
Find your new favourite Paper Collective print here
Thank you, Morten. We're looking forward to the next designs.
This article first appeared, along with other fascinating interior stories, in the current issue of Visionary Magazine.
