Qiperoq
Designer Oline Binzer
Oline Binzer, the artist and designer behind the collection QiperoqI was always interested in being creative. One of my family’s friends would come to visit us and he would draw on match boxes and matches. That inspired me to draw myself. And in a household with 9 children in the old Nuuk, drawing became my peace, became my island.”
Oline binzer's
INSPIRATION
It was by coincidence that Oline Binzer started to carve in soap stone, reindeer antler, and tooth. She became the manager of the drop-in center, “Qiperoq”, for Greenlanders in Copenhagen, Denmark, in the 80’s. In that context, Oline found her skill.
Qiperoq
The name Qiperoq comes from an Inuk who was sent to Denmark in 1724 along with fellow Inuk Pooq by the Danish mission to create awareness and raise money for the mission to continue its activities in Greenland. Pooq and Qiperoq were at that time 29 and 24 years old. The two Inuit would entertain the ‘civilization’ of Copenhagen by doing do a regatta through the canals of Copenhagen or paddle their kayaks in front of the admiral's boat and throw bird spears at exposed ducks. Basically, the two Greenlandic Inuit were instruments in maintaining the mission.
“I have an enormous creative urge. And that creative urge has given me meaning in life. I have not always had meaning with life. And I have sought something higher. Art and handicraft provided this for me. And basically, I am still a child and I am still playful.”
The creativity and the playfulness are seen in Oline’s design where the tail of the whale splashes in your ear, the eagle watches over you from your ring finger, and the polar bears cuddle together and hibernate in winter on your hand.
“I am surprised at how beautiful the transfer is from tooth to silver. I think when Greenlanders start producing their own metal jewelry, we will be so proud. This is important. I hope people who wear my design will feel equally proud.”