Norway Now! is a co-production of the Norwegian Furniture Industry Council, the Norwegian Design Council, Innovation Norway and the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Berlin.

The exhibition was designed and curated especially for the Felleshus (Pan Nordic Building) in Berlin. At the same time, it is part of a larger project to make Norwegian design better known and to show - both in Norway and in other countries - what Norwegian industry and Norwegian designers are capable of creating.

The Project "insidenorway.no" is a co-operative undertaking of the Norwegian Furniture  Industry Council, Norwegian Industry in collaboration with Innovation Norway, The Norwegian Design Council and the Bergen National Academy of the Arts.

"insidenorway.no" organises exhibitions both in Norway and in other countries, at furniture tradeshows, in galleries, museums and embassies. In addition, it also maintains the www.insidenorway.no website. Here you can find information about models, manufactures and designers and relevant web adresses.

The furniture on view in "Norway Now!" was designed by Norwegian designers and manufactured by Norwegian companies. With few exceptions they are available for purchase and  can be ordered, and visitors are invited to try out for themselves how comfortable and ergonomic they are.

In these exhibitions we would like to present a constantly changing selection of top Norwegian design accomplishments. At the same time we hope to create a forum where specialists, journalists and the interested public can meet to comment, criticise and discuss the exhibited objects.

This current exhibition also presents highlights of Norwegian design. Most objects are already classics, the result of more than 50 years of inventiveness and good form - and are still sold today.

The exhibit is thematically structured, and the objects are presented according to theme.

One of the reasons why Norway is able to play such a prominent role as design nation is the professional, tradition-rich design training that furniture designers receive in our country.
This training is concentrated at two national institutes: the Bergen National Academy of Art and the Oslo National Academy of Art.

Every year a new small group of talented young designers graduate from these academies. They have specialist knowledge, new approaches and ideas, wich industry and society urgently needs.
For years, these academies have been carrying on a fruitful co-operation with the Norwegian Furniture Industry Council and individual manufactures.

The co-operation also includes scholarships, trainee positions and collaborations at exhibitions and design competitions.
Exhebitions like the one on display here provide the opportunity to become acquainted with some of the young designers and their work: here the prototypes of new designers, degree projects and student designs can be viewed.

Professor Dave Vikøren
Bergen National Academy of the Arts.