Sottsasss architecture synthesizes years of research and experimentation with the. Sottsass graduated 1939 in architecture from the turin italy polytechnic, and after his world war ii military service, he settled in milan, where he was commissioned to design furniture for postwar public. In 1929, the family moved to turin, italy, where sottsass sr. Radical design is at the met breuer museum in new york from the 21 st july until the 8 th october 2017. In 1939 he graduated in architecture at the politecnico di torino one of the most influential and important figures of the last century, architect and designer, he has participated in all radical movements whether created from the 70s and 80s. Tactility and aesthetics are as essential and critical to truly successful design as functionality. The founder of a half dozen design collectivesincluding giuseppe pagano, memphis group and sottsass associati sottsass became known for his asymmetric forms and, perhaps most of all, his flamboyant use of color, often in bold, clashing combinations. Best known as the founder of the early 1980s memphis collective, he also designed iconic electronic products for olivetti. In 1939 he graduated in architecture at the politecnico di torino. It includes ceramics, jewellery, works in glass and silver, lighting, furniture, office machines and buildings which inspired generations of architects and designers. Ettore sottsass 14 september 1917 31 december 2007 was an italian architect and designer during the 20th century. Ettore sottsass exhibition canceled after museum and. The son and collaborator of ettore senior, he was trained at the polytechnic in turin.
For the first time in met history, the show, which opens july. Sottsass shortlived collective, memphis, was made up of about two dozen italian creatives. Ettore sottsass architect, artist and designer upgroup. Design radical july 21october 8, 2017 the met, nyc a seminal figure in 20thcentury design, the italian architect and designer ettore sottsass 19172007 created a vast body of work, the result of an exceptionally productive career that spanned more than six decades. An italian architect and designer known for his large oeuvre including furniture, jewelry, glass, lighting, and office design, ettore sottsass was also the founder in the early 1980s of the memphis group. Ettore sottsass devoted his life and work to dismantling the past in his various roles as artist, architect, industrial designer, glass maker, publisher, theoretician and ceramicist.
Ettore sottsass and designing for destiny azure magazine. Bursting with bright colors, bold patterns, and layered textures, these immersive environments were the work of italian architect ettore sottsass, a frequent esprit collaborator and founder of the memphis design group. Ettore sottsass was proficient in many different fields of artistry, from sculpture, architecture, ceramics and glass works to painting and drawing. A critical biography, rizzoli international publications 69 copy quote my furniture is an exercise in architecture or architectural mood. Ettore sottsass serveware, ceramics, silver and glass 51.
Colors and forms are evocative, sensory triggers for nostalgia and emotion, interacting intimately with our cultural. The acme house in maui by ettore sottsass design milk. Bursting with bright colors, bold patterns, and layered textures, these immersive environments were the work of italian architect ettore sottsass. A last chance to celebrate ettore sottsass, the design.
For 21 years, the owners have kept their maui home exactly as it was imagined by its architect, ettore sottsass. May 06, 2017 when italian architect ettore sottsass launched the controversial collection of furnishings known as memphis at the milan furniture fair in 1981, the design world was shocked. The elder sottsass belonged to the modernist architecture group movimento italiano per larchitectura razionale miar, which was led by giuseppe pagano the younger sottsass was educated at the politecnico di torino in turin and graduated in 1939 with a. Choose from 51 authentic ettore sottsass serveware, ceramics, silver and glass for sale on 1stdibs. Design radical, opening july 21, will reevaluate sottsasss career in a presentation of his key works in a range of mediaincluding architectural drawings, interiors, furniture, machines, ceramics, glass, jewelry, textiles and pattern, painting, and photography. Jul 31, 2017 inaugurated in july at the met breuer in new york, the exhibition ettore sottsass. Ettore sottsass 19172007 was born in innsbruk in 1907.
Italy has no shortage of design legends, but one in particular has been hogging the spotlight recently. The work of ettore sottsass and associates herbert muschamp, a. More recently, sottsass has inspired exhibitions at new york galleries friedman benda in 2015 and the met breuer last year. Esprit was known not only for their athleticinspired clothes and iconic logo, but also for their distinctive store designs. Sottsass designed metalware, glassware and furniture for the memphis group until 1985 and eventually disbanded the group in 1988. Design radical opened last week at the metropolitan museum of arts satellite venue, taking over the brutalist buildings thirdfloor galleries.
Inaugurated in july at the met breuer in new york, the exhibition ettore sottsass. Sep 29, 2017 100 years of italian cool looks at the recent retrospective of ettore sottsass at the triennale in milan marking the centenary of the designer and architect. Sottsass was the oldest member of the memphis group a design collective, formed in milan in 1980, whose irreverent, spirited members included alessandro mendini. Contradictions of designerarchitect ettore sottsass. The radical designs of ettore sottsass architectural record. Visualizza altre idee su arredi colorati, memphis e lampade. When italian architect ettore sottsass launched the controversial collection of furnishings known as memphis at the milan furniture fair in. Having graduated from the galileo ferraris high school, he.
Curated by barbara radice, the exhibition there is a planet, on show at the triennale di milano, marks the centenary of the birth of ettore sottsass. He then proceeded to gain formal education in architecture something his father. Architect and designer the first significant study of the work of sottsass for over a decade emphasizes the continuing diversity and innovation of his professional life while illuminating. The memphis group is an italian postmodernist design and architecture movement, born at the beginning of the 1980s. Ettore sottsass architect designer 1917 2007 ettore sottsas was born in innsbruck on 14 september 1917. He then proceeded to gain formal education in architecture something his father, ettore sottsass sr. Met breuer exhibit introduces an ettore sottsass youve. Ettore sottsass 19172007 was a grandee of late 20th century italian design. When this started with ettore in 1989, we corresponded via letters and faxes as there was no email or the internet. Ever the rebel and with a career spanning more than five decades, sottsass. Sottsass was a radical, someone who broke all the rules and offered alternatives. View a slideshow featuring architecture by ettore sottsass.
Wherever he went, ettore sottsass carried a camera to photograph anything that caught his eye. Ettore sottsass, italian industrial designer born sept. The homes furnishings are a combination of pieces designed by sottsass. After architecture school in milan, sottsass worked at the office of george nelson in new york before returning to italy as a design consultant to the olivetti company. Sottsass was born in innsbruck, austria, and grew up in turin, where his father, also named ettore sottsass, was an architect. Oct 19, 2011 when this started with ettore in 1989, we corresponded via letters and faxes as there was no email or the internet. His versatile repertoire is internationally acclaimed. Radice, qualified as sottsasss longtime companion and an experienced writer about architecture and design jewelry by architects, rizzoli, 1987, here provides unique insights. Sottsass was born on september 14, 1917, in innsbruck, austria, and grew up in. Italian architects convert ettore sottsass sketch into pavilion for french architecture festival.
Nice chaps, but naughty enough not to get taken in by ali the old chat about how complicated things are. One of the most influential and important figures of the last century. Ettore sottsass, italian, 19172007 produced by poltronova califfo settee, 1967 stained beech measures. Sottsass associati, primarily an architectural practice, also designed elaborate stores and showrooms for esprit, identities for alessi, exhibitions, interiors, consumer electronics in japan and furniture of all. Having graduated from the galileo ferraris high school, he enrolled in the department of architecture. A seminal figure in 20thcentury design, the italian architect and designer ettore sottsass. An architect, industrial designer, philosopher and provocateur, ettore sottsass led a revolution in the aesthetics and technology of modern design in the late 20th century. Although sottsass was trained as an architect, buildings are not where he made his biggest mark. Ettore sottsass, architect and industrial designer, was born in the city of innsbruck in 1917 and has been one of the most influential and important figures of the 20th century design scene. The group named after bob dylans song stuck inside of mobile with the memphis blues again, the soundtrack of their first meeting was led by ettore sottsass, a major italian designer, and manned by a bunch of younger.
Ettore sottsass italian industrial designer britannica. Exposed to the world of architecture since a young age, as his father himself was an architect. In 1991 he was awarded a doctor of letters by the university of geneva, having written his thesis on the work of ettore sottsass. After 1950, overcoming the concept of rationalism linked exclusively to function, his research focused on an involvement of psychic spheres, creating objects mostly unique pieces, elaborated with different means and materials and space marked by complex emotional implications. Best known as the founder of the early 1980s memphis collective, he also designed iconic products for olivetti, as well as beautiful glass and ceramics. Having graduated from the galileo ferraris high school, he enrolled in the department of architecture at the turin polytechnic, where he graduated in 1939. His body of work included furniture, jewellery, glass, lighting, home objects and office machine design, as well as many buildings and interiors. A planned show at the stedelijk, amsterdams leading museum of contemporary art and design, has now.
Ettore sottsass italian architect and designer 1917 2007. Sottsass s architecture synthesizes years of research and experimentation with. One of the most significant counterforces to modernism in design history, ettore sottsass made monumental artistic contributions to every decade of his working life since starting his practice in the late 1940s. Aug 24, 2017 ettore sottsass, lapislazzuli 196872, shown with an architectural vessel from the moche culture of peru, ad 400600 photo by the author for hyperallergic ettore sottsass. Design radical, curated by christian larsen, borrows the word radical from 1960s and 1970s avantgarde art the radical architects and expands the meaning to include the italian designers entire practice. Ettore sottsass with his memphis carlton bookshelf. Aug 03, 2015 ettore sottsass carlton bookcase was the defining product of the 1980s memphis group, typified by bright coloured laminates and playful forms. On finally being released, he returned to italy in 1947 and began working in milan.
Ettore sottsass, who worked with knoll on three collections between 1983 and 1988, wanted to be everything that modernism wasnt. Our printing service continues to operate as usual, with framed and unframed prints available for delivery in normal timescales. Oct 06, 2017 the late ettore sottsass, who in the 1980s joined the popculture firmament as the founder of the memphis design group, once quipped that being the subject of a retrospective was a bit macabre. Stories about ettore sottsass, the pioneering italian architect and designer who founded the influential memphis movement and led studio sottsass associati. Ettore sottsass gallery, furniture and exhibitions artuner.
The founder of a half dozen design collectivesincluding giuseppe. So much of this sentiment in design is owed to the vanguarding italian architect and designer ettore sottsass. In 1939 he graduated in architecture at the politecnico di torinoone of the most influential and important figures of. Fans of the prolific italian architect and designer ettore sottsass have an extra reason to visit his retrospective at the met breuer. Dec 11, 2015 ettore sottsass was a pivotal figure of the late 20th century italian design scene. A glimpse into the visionary brain of design hero ettore sottsass. The homes furnishings are a combination of pieces designed by sottsass and traditional hawaiian koa furniture, as well as coffee and dining tables that adrian had designed.
The italian designer was the driving force behind the memphis group, a. What you need to know about design icon ettore sottsass. Contradictions of designerarchitect ettore sottsass famed for a typewriter but also a maker of furniture, jewelry, textiles and ceramics. A household name in europe, the italian designer ettore sottsassbest known to americans, if at all, for his fireplugred valentine portable typewriter 1968 for olivetti and. How ettore sottsass brought the poetics of painting into. Sottsasss innovative approach to architectural, furniture, ceramic, jewelry, and industrial design has been extensively documented in recent books and periodicals. Oct 10, 2018 though ettore sottsass is best known for his founding of the memphis group radical design collective in italy in the 1980s, he began his career as an architect and designer 30 years prior in milan. He has dedicated himself to various disciplines, such as painting, ceramics, architecture and design internationally known as one of the initiators of renovation in design and architecture. These days, it seems that most mainstream design concepts follow the rule of human intuitiongood design is something that engages our senses and can make us feel a certain way. Early on the seeds of the craft were planted in the young sottsass, who would watch his father work with fascination. Celebrating italian architect ettore sottsass architectural. From tile patterns to ceramic sculptures, youll like, and probably recognize, what you see. Barbara radice, widow of prolific designer ettore sottsass, has responded to the stedelijk museums decision to cancel its upcoming exhibition of her late husbands work and indicated that. His father ettore sottsass senior was an architect and his mother was austrian.
Design radical, on view at the met breuer from july 21 through october 8, 2017 featuring christian larsen, associate curator, modern decorative arts and design, the met. Ettore sottsass influence touched the farthest reaches of the design world, inspiring generations of young designers from across many disciplines. But they were all taking cues from one radical italian designer and architect. Met breuer exhibition contextualises ettore sottsass. Enlisted during the second world war, he was imprisoned for approximately six years. Born in austria in 1917 to an austrian mother and italian father, sottsass spent his youth in fashionable milan. Ettore sottsass italian architect and designer 1917 2007 italian architect and designer is today best known as the founder in the early 1980s of memphis ettore sottsass devoted his life and work to dismantling the past in his various roles as artist, architect, industrial designer, glass maker, publisher, theoretician and ceramicist. Catalogo della mostra milano, 15 settembre 201711 marzo 2018. As well as cofounding the interior design company sottsass associati with fellow memphis members, sottsass undertook several architectural projects in america, japan, austria, america and italy. Ettore sottsass designs to be auctioned in paris architect. The past to him was the rationalist doctrine of his father, ettore sottsass sr. How ettore sottsass brought the poetics of painting into design and. The italian legend and figurehead of memphis, ettore sottsass is featured prominently among the giants of design in vitras current exhibition home stories.
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