The academic life of Grete Juel Jalk (1920-2006) began with studies of philosophy and law, which abandoned halfway to register in the School of Arts for Women in his native co -enehagen and then get a internship as a cabinetmaker under the supervision of Karen Margrethe Conradsen; completed his career in the Danish design school And, at the same time, he studied with Kaare Klint at the furniture school of the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts.
Grete Jalk He participated in the Triennal of Milan of 1951 and, three years later, opened his own study. Inspired by work with plywood of Alvar Aalto and of Charles and Ray Eameshe began to develop his own models and curves.
The book «Woman Made» (Phaidon, 2021) written by Jane Hall, reviews Jalk's vision and her legacy. Finds that her passage through the cabinetmaking inspired her to look for Low cost solutions for modern life. «Throughout his career, Jalk sought that modern design is more widely accessible,» Hall wrote. “And that included his editorial work in Mobilia magazine and his curator. Danish design exhibitions who traveled around the world”
Although his work does not have the recognition achieved by other Danish designers, such as Poul HenningsenCreator of the PH Arthoke luminaireeither Hans Wegnerauthor of the famous Round ChairGrete Jalk was one of the figures that developed and shaped a new Danish design since the second half of the twentieth century onwards.
Grete Jalk, designer, editor and diffuser of the Danish design.Courtesy Lange Production.
Innovative look
When the English newspaper Daily Mail launched a competition in 1963 for the design of a chair for men and another for women, Grete participated – in society with Poul Jeppesen – and He won the first place with the chair and She chair chairsalthough they never occurred and their prototypes were lost in a fire.