Grete Jalk (1920 – 2006) was a Danish furniture designer. From the 1960s, she did much to enhance Denmark’s reputation for modern furniture design with her clear, comfortable lines. She also edited the Danish magazine Mobilia and compiled a four-volume work on Danish furniture.
Education
Jalk was a Copenhagen native. She studied under cabinetmaker Karen Margrethe Conradsen at the Design School for Women (1940–1943) after earning a high school diploma in modern languages and philosophy. In addition to obtaining extra instruction from Kaare Klint at the Royal Academy’s Furniture School, she completed her studies at the Danish Design School in 1946. She participated in the yearly contests of the Design Museum and the Furniture Department at the Design School, where she also taught from 1950 to 1960, while establishing contacts with other furniture designers.
Biography
Between 1940-43, Jalk served as an apprentice. In 1954, she set up her own design studio. She designed widely published 1963 two-piece multiple-fold plywood chair produced by P. Jeppesens Mobelfabrik and other models by Fritz Hansen.
Exhibitions
Her work was shown in the 1951 (IX) Triennale di Milano. From 1956, at furniture fairs in Europe. 1968 ‘Two Centuries of Danish Design,’ Victoria and Albert Museum, London; 1968 ‘Les assises du siege contemporain,’ Paris Musée des Arts Décoratifs. Received 1963 (II) Daily Mirror International Furniture Competition award (one-piece circular plywood chair).
Byars, M., & Riley, T. (2004). The design Encyclopedia. Laurence King Publishing. https://amzn.to/3ElmSlL
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