The Skarfur Collection by Guðný Hafsteinsdóttir Recently, one of our contributing writers, Michael Warner, wrote a piece on how boring the tabletop experience had become. Decades of white dinnerware on top of white napery, justified by the notion of creating a canvass to “frame the food” left us jaded. As Warner pointed out, “we simply bought into the prevailing belief that it takes an all-white backdrop to truly display a chef’s culinary creation.”
He pointed out, however, that there was a new wave of chefs emerging from different “schools” of culinary arts. “Gone is the white napery replaced with weathered wood tabletops.”
This new wave ditched the 12” white plates for splashes of blues and yellows resting on unconventional shapes. Industrial stainless steel pitchers were tossed to make room for glass bottles with a cork, left at the table for self serve. These tabletop changes, in effect, have caused a new wave of ceramicists to emerge inside the tabletop industry as well. People like Jono Pandolfi or Billy Lloyd have been able to make a name for them selves by creating unique dinnerware that goes against the grain.
The question going into this new wave though, is what will set works apart? How much different can one’s tableware settings become before it begins to look the same?
“My objects often carry a historical and ethnical connotation.”
Ceramicist Guðný Hafsteinsdóttir may have an answer.
Guðný Hafsteinsdóttir Guðný Hafsteinsdóttir works as a teacher part time, emphasizing on textiles and history, but her passion lies in creating casted forms and using recycled glass. However most importantly, she draws from the world around her.
“My inspirations are gathered from all over,” she says. “My environment, the newspapers, books, fashion and the people around me. My students too are a source of inspiration because of their joyful and ingenuous worldview.”
The Skarfur Collection used in Mar Restaurant A prime example of Guðný’s ability to pull from her surroundings is her Skarfur Collection, which is used in MAR Restaurant based out of Reykjavik, Iceland. For those unaware Skarfur is Icelandic for Cormorant, a large-winged black bird with a slight reddish yellow accent on its lore. The Skarfur is a fairly common sight to see when you traverse the shores of Iceland. Mrs. Hafsteinsdóttir’s dishware exterior carries a blackish grey finish. From far away you notice hints of a reddish orange interior peaking through, very similar to how you would notice it on an actual Skarfur. She also drew inspiration for the Skarfur collection from volcanic rocks and lava, something is Iceland is famous for. Lava from Iceland’s Bardarbunga Volcano – Eggert Johannesson (AP) Where Guðný is able to pull from her surroundings, she also is able to dig deep into her country’s history for inspiration. Collections such as the Allt fram streymir (All The Streams,) are based off of old Icelandic poetry. Her Astarpungar series pays homage to folklore about men being wronged by beautiful women.
Allt fram Streymir by Guðný Hafsteinsdóttir The key is, with Hafsteinsdóttir’s ware comes history, culture, and personality. That’s what keeps things fresh.
Mar Restaurant in Iceland Mar Restaurant is a sea-inspired restaurant situated in an old harbor area that uses some of Guðný’s work. Eating traditional meals in dinnerware that bares resemblance to the environment around you helps enhance the tabletop experience. They aren’t just pretty pieces of clay being tossed into a kiln. There’s a thought process to them. You might not be able to identify exactly what the plates and bowls represent, but they look familiar and they feel like a piece of Iceland.
A bowl from the Skarfur Collection serving a traditional Icelandic meal What will set works apart on a tabletop isn’t the color change or thinner brims for your plates, its the stories and inspiration behind them.
Here at TabletopJournal we’re very excited to see what Guðný Hafsteinsdóttir and her like-minded peers have in store for the future!
For more of Guðný Hafsteinsdóttir’s work check out this link.
-Hamid Ali
