The Designer Jens Quistgaard. DVD

He just wanted to make his wife a saucepan. That’s how it all began! But the design attracts attention around the world, marking the beginning of a unique career that begins to gather speed in the late 1950s when he is appointed chief designer of the American company Dansk Designs. Actually, he is a trained sculptor; and throughout his life he holds on to this view of himself.
Jens Quistgaard covers a wide field, both as a human being and as an artist. He is an individualist who goes his own way, avoiding publicity; which may explain why he succeeds in becoming world famous while remaining unknown in his own country, Denmark.
For the first time in this filmed portrait, the designer invites a camera into his own universe. Shooting was carried out over a period of three years, ending only a few months before his death in 2008 at nearly 89. We follow Quistgaard at close range in his unique home; watch him in action at his working table; and we hear him talk of his life, his work and what drives him as a designer. The film shows examples of the breadth and range of his output and includes unique 16 mm clips  from the 50s and early 60s from his exhibitions and his architecture in the USA.

The DVD includes bonus features (28 min.) and booklet (55 pages). Stig Guldberg, the director of the film, writes about Jens Quistgaard’s life and work and recounts his first meeting with the designer and the story of how the film was made, illustrated by unique photos from the shooting.