I have been obsessed with the italian architect and designer sottsass and the memphis group he. Dec 11, 2015 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. An ettore sottsass exhibition was presented at the met breuer in new york last year. When ettore sottsass met barbara radice architecture. Ettore sottsass italian industrial designer britannica. It reads as a bookcase, a room divider and a dresser, depending on.
In particular, kirkwood is drawn to the graphic glass vases made by ettore sottsass, the italian industrial designer and father of the postmodernist movement. Founder of the influential memphis collective, the architect and designer ettore sottsass was also a friend of dylan, picasso, hemingway and many women, as a lavish monograph reveals. Celebrating italian architect ettore sottsass architectural. Following her husbands death in 2008, shes continued to help others understand ettores life and work, not least in her editorial assistance with our new book. 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. The 20thcentury italian architect and designers unconventional geometric. Oct, 2011 ettore sotsass 1980 factotum bookcase uses laminate designs that sotsas created for abets print laminate in 1978.
The late, legendary italian architect and designer ettore sottsass has been to paraphrase yogi berra. The past to him was the rationalist doctrine of his father, ettore sottsass sr. The cover may have some limited signs of wear but the pages are clean, intact and the spine remains undamaged. Ettore sottsass laminates from 1978 retro renovation. Italian architect and designer ettore sottsass only built three homes in the united states throughout his illustrious career.
But distinguished hardly fits sottsasss striking yet playful output. Blouin artinfo phillipe thomes new book, ettore sottsass, surveys the career of one of italys more distinguished 20thcentury designers. This book demonstrates sottsasss significance in fields of postmodern design that include furniture, ceramics, glass, jewelery, architecture, and industrial design. What you need to know about design icon ettore sottsass. Now, on the centenary of his birth an exhibitions opened in new york reflecting the. Ettore sottsass 14 september 1917 31 december 2007 was an italian architect and designer during the 20th century. This is a splendidly complete summary of the career and achievement of ettore sottsass, one of the most stimulating, innovative, inspired and entertaining in modern times. The brilliant architect and designer ettore sottsass 19172007 designed glass wares from 1947 until the end of his career. Italian architect and designer ettore sottsass is celebrated internationally for his contribution to architecture, industrial and furniture design, ceramics, jewelry, crafts, graphic design, and photography. 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.
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. Books about ettore sottsass contributions to design and architecture. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Radice, barbara editor and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. With its tendency to imbue its creations with whimsical historical references, this group was the epitome of postmodern design. The totemic carlton, which sottsass created in 1981, is his most identifiable furniture design.
Ettore sotsass 1980 factotum bookcase uses laminate designs that sotsas created for abets print laminate in 1978. Provides examples of italian designer ettore sottsasss projects in architecture, interior, industrial and graphic design from 1980 to the present. Ettore sottsass monograph and design museum talk tickets to be won. Sottsass himself always had the ability to work simultaneously on glass and jewellery pieces and limited editions that had a very different approach from the industrial work, writes the design museums deyan sudjic in his book ettore sottsass and the poetry of things. Ettore sottsass architect designer 1917 2007 ettore sottsas was born in innsbruck on 14 september 1917. Take a glimpse inside the archive of the founder of the memphis group and designer of the olivetti valentine typewriter in ettore sottsass, a lavishly illustrated monograph chronicling the life and works of the unparalleled italian designer and architect. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle coronavirus. Hardback, 320 x 230 mm, 500 pages, phaidon press, may 19 2014. The book is designed in the style of ettore sottsass works, who was one of the founders of the memphis group. Most commonly remembered as the founding member of memphisthe fleeting postmodern design group that injected bright colors, exuberant patterns, and cartoonish forms into the cultural psyche of the 1980ssottsass many contributions to the field of design. For a richer understanding of this important designers life, work and relationships, buy a copy of sottsass, available to order here. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel.
What is memphis design and how is it making a comeback. Superbox cabinet, 1968 superboxes were conceived as prototypes for exhibition, as dramatic statements stimulating debate about the social and philosophical functions of design. Ettore sottsass and the poetry of things design phaidon. His body of designs included furniture, jewellery, glass, lighting and office machine design. Sottsass shortlived collective, memphis, was made up of about two dozen italian creatives. A planned show at the stedelijk, amsterdams leading museum of contemporary art and design.
Perfect for beginner knitters or those of us who have never knit before. From the book ettore sottsass architect and designer by ronald t. Ettore sottsass was a pivotal figure of the late 20th century italian design scene. May 01, 2003 conceived and designed in its entirety by ettore sottsass, the book is at once a homage to the milanese architect and designers conceptual and artistic experiences between the end of the sixties and the beginning of the seventies and an interesting reinterpretation of them. Fully illustrated with color drawings and texts by sottsass. Best known for his pivotal role in the creation of the memphis groupa famously bold furniture and product design collective in milan whose daring shapes and colors arguably defined the 80s aesthetic ettore sottsass is the subject of the upcoming met breuer exhibit ettore sottsass. Early on the seeds of the craft were planted in the young sottsass, who would watch his father work with fascination. Buy ettore sottsass 01 by phillipe thome, francesca picchi, emily king isbn.
Ettore sottsass 19172007, the italian architect, designer and provocateur, was one of the first to grapple with the character of these new objects in the office landscape. Our printing service continues to operate as usual, with framed and unframed prints available for delivery in normal timescales. Ettore sottsass biography, furntiure and designs casati. 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 his personal design philosophy, his belief in the intimate relationship between design and. Ettore sottsass and the poetry of things design phaidon store. A new monograph highlights the prolific career of architect. His body of work included furniture, jewellery, glass, lighting, home objects and office machine design, as well as many buildings and interiors. The original designs are not displayed, but are featured in the scen. In 1929, the family moved to turin, italy, where sottsass sr. I have been obsessed with the italian architect and designer sottsass and the memphis group he found all my life. Ettore sottsass and the poetry of things architecture deyan sudjic.
Ettore sottsass born september 14, 1917, innsbruck, austriadied december 31, 2007, milan, italy was a seminal figure in 20thcentury design, a prominent and unconventional postmodernist italian designer and architect, and founder of the design collaborative named the memphis group. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. Throughout his illustrious career in product design and architecture, ettore sottsass 19172007 maintained a close relationship with printed matter, designing, authoring, illustrating and editing a great many avantgarde literary and design architectural books and periodicals from 1947 right up until the year before his death. Design heroes ettore sottsass this book is in very good condition and will be shipped within 24 hours of ordering. A new edition of the acclaimed monograph on the legendary designer, published to coincide with the centenary of his birth.
Designer ettore sottsass founded the memphis group with other designers and architects. I have been obsessed with the italian architect and designer sottsass and the. In the words of design critic barbara radice also sottsass widow, while still quite young, sottsass learned that the beauty, formal correctness, coherence, function, even the utility, of an object. How ettore sottsass brought the poetics of painting into. Dec 07, 2014 ettore sottsass 19172007, the italian architect, designer and provocateur, was one of the first to grapple with the character of these new objects in the office landscape. Almost all italian designers trained as architects, and too many of them want to go back to designing. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. 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. A new book published by phaidon looks at italian designers career. We would like to reassure our customers that we are observing government advice on covid19 and adhering to all guidance and best practice. But they were all taking cues from one radical italian designer and architect. He established a working relationship with the glass makers on the venetian island of murano during the 1940s, exhibiting glass works at the 1948 venice biennale and continuing to work with the citys craftsmen over the following decades, producing murano glass pieces. Like most italian designers of his generation, sottsass was trained as an architect, but in italy that was a more general term that gave one license to work in many.
Louin artinfo phillipe thomes new book, sottsass, surveys the career of one. Ettore sottsass ultimate monograph on influential italian architect and designer ettore sottsass by philippe thome. Take a glimpse inside the archive of the founder of the memphis group and designer of the olivetti valentine typewriter in ettore sottsass, a lavishly illustrated monograph chronicling the life and works of the unparalleled italian designer and architect a gorgeous object in itself, the unique design of the book allows it to either be read covertocover as a narrative history, or by. Jul 31, 2017 one hundred years after his birth, and a decade after his death, austroitalian designer ettore sottsass is finally getting his due. Be the first to ask a question about ettore sottsass. Ettore sottsass and the social factory by gean moreno. 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.
Design radical, installation view photo by the author for hyperallergic. The book is about postmodern, a direction in graphic design, and the memphis group. Apr 27, 2018 memphis is a design movement that began in 1981. This is the complete monograph on italian designer and architect ettore sottsass 1917 2007. While the name might make you think that it was born in tennesse, it got its start in milan, italy. View this item and discover similar for sale at 1stdibs first edition, published by wasmuth, 1993 a profile of ettore sottsass s work and career, starting with. Sottsass became an acknowledged leader in the antidesign movement, which opposed the correctness and good taste of functionalism. Memphis style was anarchic, and one of its goals was a free expression of the designer.
They took their name from a bob dylan song titled stuck inside of mobile with the memphis blues again which. Ettore sottsass italian, 1917 2007 was an italian architect and designer whose body of work included furniture, jewelry, glass, lighting and office machine design. He founded the memphis group, and through its startling, eclectic and irreverent aesthetic he dominated furniture and interior style for over a decade. 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, thanks to which the rigid functionalism of the years before and after the second world war has. Beginning with a brief overview on the long and varied career of maestro ettore sottsass, this book offers welcome documentation of the graphic, product, and architectural designs of sottsass associati. Jan 02, 2008 sottsass, like his father, also called ettore, saw himself first and foremost as an architect. The life and work of ettore sottsass is more relevant than ever, with exhibitions around the world and renewed collector interest in the memphis movement.
This book tells the story of italian designer and architect ettore sottsass 19172007, not just revealing the anecdotes and inspirations behind many of his most. The life and work of ettore sottsass is more relevant than ever, with exhibitions. This book is the complete monograph on italian designer and architect ettore sottsass 19172007, showcasing his incredible body of work, which ranges from. A british shoe designers vase collection the new york times. Ettore sottsass is one of the latest great coffee table books. Tactility and aesthetics are as essential and critical to truly successful design as functionality. Books by ettore sottsass organizes this vast body of work into. Ettore sottsass exhibition canceled after museum and. About ettore sottsass and the social factory a radical look at a radical designer, this book locates sottsasss work within the larger landscape of postwar political thinking and economic change.
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. Aug 03, 2017 but despite fame in italy and a huge impact on the design world ettore sottsass is far from a household name. I love everything about sottsasss work its modern, optimistic, humorous, functional and intelligent. Sottsass was born on september 14, 1917, in innsbruck, austria, and grew up in. Italian architect and designer ettore sottsass is best known as the founder of memphis, the milanbased design collaborative.
Such an easy way to make a big knit blanket without having to arm knit or needle knit. Colors and forms are evocative, sensory triggers for nostalgia and emotion, interacting intimately with our cultural experiences. Ettore sottsass super cahier by ettore sottsass jr. One of those homes, in silicon valley, was for the family of david kelley, cofounder and chairman of the design firm ideo, which has developed projects for the likes of apple, cocacola, and ford. Sottsass was the oldest member of the memphis group a design collective, formed in milan in 1980, whose irreverent, spirited members included alessandro mendini. Review i have been obsessed with the italian architect and designer sottsass and the memphis group he found all my life. The most enduring examples of the work of influential italian architect and designer ettore sottsass rowan moore on the godfather of italian cool.
The designs in this book make me feel proud to be italian. Now available in a new format, this book, packed with beautiful images taken from. Including newly commissioned essays by curators and scholars, this book explores how sottsasss art and philosophy presaged the dawn of pcs, the. Barbara radice is the editor of terrazzo and regular contributor to several italian art and design magazines. Conceived and designed in its entirety by ettore sottsass, the book is at once a homage to the milanese architect and designers conceptual and artistic experiences between the end of the sixties and the beginning of the seventies and an interesting reinterpretation of them. So much of this sentiment in design is owed to the vanguarding italian architect and designer ettore sottsass. Ettore sottsass monograph and talk tickets to be won. As a professor of design and ceramics, i highly recommend adding this book to your. The influential designs of ettore sottsass in pictures. He was educated at the politecnico di torino in turin and graduated in 1939 with a degree in architecture. A look inside an ettore sottsassdesigned home in silicon. In 1981, sottsass led a group of designers who were interested in an alternative to the coolly functional designs of the period, exemplified by the matte black electronic box. Ettore sottsass biography, furntiure and designs casati gallery.
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