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Friends of Steal by Katrin Olina

Friends of Steel and Miklimeir by Katrin Olina

Reykjavik designer Katrin Olina has created a range of furniture made of bent steel tubes and a rug depicting a fictional magician.

Friends of Steal by Katrin Olina

Called Friends of Steel, the furniture comprises a stool, table, mirror, book stand and cabinet, all bent from steel in Iceland.

Friends of Steal by Katrin Olina

The rug is manufactured by Danish brand Ege and combines layers of flora and fauna with symbols and creatures derived from Icelandic culture and Olina's own previous work.

Friends of Steal by Katrin Olina

See more work by Olina on Dezeen »

Friends of Steal by Katrin Olina

Photos are by Glamour Et Cetera.

Friends of Steal by Katrin Olina

Here are some more details from Katrin Olina:


Icelandic graphic artist and designer Katrin Olina has recently released a series of furniture in bent steel as well as a printed rug based on the magician, Miklimeir, a fictional character who has emerged out of her multidisciplinary work.

Friends of Steal by Katrin Olina

Olina's latest projects consist of a large 18m2 printed carpet produced by Danish manufacturer Ege and a series of bent steel furniture. The carpet depicts the creative performance of the magician Miklimeir that visually flows around the figure of 8. The piece is abundant in symbols and references both from cultural history and Olina's other works.

Friends of Steal by Katrin Olina

“It all starts with the dangerous black square and the void inside it. It just wants to expand and the imaginary blast gives birth to a creature called Miklimeir. He is seen suspended in mid-air, big eyes and a toothy grin with his hands up in the air in an act of joy. He's about to break into a song and take up magic gardening to produce creatures from the strangest corners of existence. He then crowns his magnificent structure by the most wonderful puffy flower,” explains Olina.

Friends of Steal by Katrin Olina

The furniture pieces, which Olina calls Friends of Steel, tie into the rug as they derive from the world of Miklimeir. The series consists of the Bookdog book case, the Puffa stool, the Black Lady table, Mirror and the Black Box cabinet. According to Olina, the furniture pieces are basic bent steel structures but each have a particular character, like letters of an alphabet or characters from the visual worlds she's created. They were produced by a local steel workshop in Iceland and are based on the strict processes of steel bending.

Friends of Steal by Katrin Olina

Olina feels a special affinity for the Bookdog. “As we all know, books, papers and magazines pile up around the home. That is where the faithful Bookdog bares its teeth. He carries your reading material on his back and will follow you wherever you go – the bedroom, bathroom or sofa – never happier than when he’s at your feet,” she explains.

Olina is currently working on a book series that will take readers on a journey into another dimension.

Dezeen Live

Katrin Olina will be speaking on Wednesday 19 September at Dezeen Live, our series of live daily shows featuring talks with designers and critics during the 100% Design trade fair at Earls Court, west London.