Struck in Mobile With the Memphis Blues Again

Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis (Milano) Blues Again

On December 11, 1980, Ettore Sottsass chosen a meeting between a group of international designers. This coming together was the first interaction between the designers, who in 1981, would form the collaborative Memphis Group (or Memphis Milano). The name was inspired by Bob Dylan'due south "Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Dejection Over again", which played repeatedly throughout that first meeting. Founding members include Alessandro Mendini, Martine Bedin, Andrea Branzi, Aldo Cibic, Michele de Lucchi, Nathalie du Pasquier, Hans Hollein, Arata Isozaki, Shiro Kuramata, Matteo Thun, Javier Mariscal, Luciano Paccagnella, George Sowden, Marco Zanini, Ettore Sottsass, and the journalist Barbara Radice.

Afterward its 1981 debut, Memphis Milano dominated the early 1980s design scene with its post-modernist style. It took its inspiration from design movements such equally Art Deco, Pop Fine art, and 1950s Kitsch. Following their highly-acclaimed debut at Milan's prestigious Salone del Mobile, the group created furniture and blueprint objects from 1981 – 1988. Piece of furniture, fabrics, ceramics, glass and metallic were their favourite mediums to work with. Their designers were characterized by asymmetrical shapes, assuming colour palettes, vibrant patterns, and futuristic themes.

Caption: Ettore Sottsass, "Suvretta" Bookcase. George James Sowden, "Unknown" Table. Michele De Lucchi, "Riviera" Chairs. Photo © Jacques Schumacher.

The group'south work has been described equally "bizarre", "misunderstood", "loathed", and a "shotgun wedding ceremony between Bauhaus and Fisher-Cost". Famous patrons of Memphis design include Karl Lagerfeld and the late David Bowie, both boasting impressive collections. Lagerfeld's early 1980s Monaco penthouse was a shrine to the design movement. Information technology was captured in a 1983 interview between Lagerfeld and Regina Spelman and her photographer husband Jaques Schumacher for a lilliputian known German style magazine called 'MODEundWOHEN'.

Pages from German publication MODEundWOHEN, featuring Karl Lagerfeld's Memphis Monaco Penthouse, 1983. Source: We Heart.

Up until his death last year, David Bowie was an avid collector of works by the Memphis Milan group. His personal Memphis Milan collection boasted over 100 unique pieces and was sold at Sotheby's on November xi, 2016, in an sale that included over 400 of his personal items. The entire drove fetched over $55-million Canadian dollars. Notable items in Bowie's collection included Peter Shire's Big Sur sofa, Olivetti'due south 'Valentine' Portable Typewriter, and Ettore Sottsass' Don table lamp, Enorme telephone and Carlton bookcase.

"When you look at a piece of Memphis design, you come across their unconventionality, the kaleidoscope of forms and patterns, the vibrant contrasting colours that really shouldn't piece of work but really practice," said Cécile Verdier, co-head of 20th-century design at Sotheby's. "The works produced by the historical avant-garde design collaborative Memphis Milano, led by Ettore Sottsass, could not have found a more receptive and tuned-in audition than David Bowie".

Clockwise from left: Ettore Sottsass' "Carlton" Room Divider, 1981; Ettore Sottsass' Olivetti "Valentine" typewriter, 1969; Martine Bedin's Super Lamp, 1981.

It's Atomic

When Atomic Design, a lighting and furniture shop located in Toronto, opened its doors in 2008 they were one of but a few shops in Toronto offer Postmodern and eighty's design. Later on more than than a decade of interest in the globe of decorative art and jewellery, both in the United Kingdom and Canada, owner Lawrence Blairs made the decision to open an intimate bazaar in the heart of Toronto´due south Art+Blueprint district to share his passion for twentieth century art and pattern. At that time, this genre of design was very lukewarm and extremely niche; most of the interest came from architects and a handful of collectors.

"They say that in fashion and music, trends tend to be circular and I recollect that in many ways that can as well happen with design. I feel that Memphis and Postmodernism have now come total circumvolve and is at present being appreciated and viewed considerately by a new younger audition and collector," said Blairs, possessor, Atomic Design. "This involvement is also heightened past high contour individuals such every bit David Bowie (whose manor merely sold off his personal Memphis Milano collection for 55 million at Sotheby's last week) and also Karl Lagerfeld an initial champion of Memphis back in the early 80's. Also in London UK the revival of Postmodern graphics is at present in full swing through the work of Peter Judson et al whilst in Paris dealers such every bit Remix Gallery are showing specifically simply 80's design."

Visiting the store is similar walking into a pattern museum, with Blairs interim equally a willing and knowledgeable guide. The store showcases a mix of unique furniture, art, lighting, modernist drinking glass, jewellery and objects from the early 1960's through to the mid eighty's. Scan through their curated list of items hither.

Here are a few Memphis/Postmodern pieces that Atomic blueprint has shown inside the terminal 12 months:

Clockwise Left to Correct: Philippe Starck 'Louis 20' Armchair; Alessandro Mendini 'Diderot VI' Floor Vase; Pencil Plus! Stool; Memphis Exhibition Poster.

Memphis' legacy

Although the movement but lasted a brusk fourth dimension, the touch of Memphis is still very much felt today. We've seen a buzz around Memphis Milano in the fashion and pattern worlds, instigating a chip of a revival. Of class, the timing of David Bowie'southward Sotheby's auction is correct on trend, further positioning him as the king of everything, even in expiry.

In Christian Dior's Fall 2011 Couture Collection, the manner house's first without John Galliano, we saw Nib Gaytten transform the Dior women into the most excellent examples of Memphis sensibility. The collection was not well-received by critics, but lovers of the design movement were thrilled.

Bill Gaytten's Christian Dior Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2011 show during Paris Manner Week.

In 2014, Natalie du Pasquier designed a Memphis line for American Apparel. An original Memphis Milano fellow member, she'south best known for her bold, signature prints.

Natalie du Pasquier's 2022 Memphis line for American Apparel.

In an Apr 2022 interview with Metropolis Mag, Memphis member Du Pasquier comments on the movement'southward legacy "…That is what nigh people think near Memphis, that it was merely fun. But bright colours are not kittenish. Those patterns were not funny. It was totally misunderstood in the sense that it was taken for a joke — that the serious thinking was part of modernism, and because what we were doing was in reaction against that, it meant we were not serious. The printing thought nosotros just wanted to take fun. But all of this was extremely serious to usa. The ideas in our piece of work were very serious in the sense that we thought they were important, and we deeply felt them."

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Heidi is president of Matte PR and a mentor with Toronto Fashion Incubator. She'southward inspired by brutalist architecture, sculptural way, and Italian"Giallo" films. Influences include John Waters, Yoko Ono, and Suzy Lake.

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Source: https://glossimag.com/stuck-inside-of-mobile-with-the-memphis-milano-blues-again/

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