Memphis group was debuted at the Milan Furniture fair in 1981 led by Ettore Sottsass. The group used geometric shapes and bright colours within furniture designs, using shapes for table legs. The clash of geometric pattern and bright colours became popular within the 80s inspiring many aspects of pop culture such as Back to the Future and Saved by the Bell. Although this movement had a large cultural impact it failed to make the same impact on a commercial level with Sottass leaving the group in 1985 and the group officially disbanding in 1988. Culturally memphis's aim was to create objects that appealed to people on an emotional level. The Met Breuer's exhibition on Ettore Sottsass documents Memphis not as a passing fad but a cumulation of Sottsass mission of creating a more spiritual approach to design. This was successfully at the time as people where hungry for colour. However Sottsass never wanted to remembered for memphis, as he went on to establish his own design consultancy Sottass Associati. However Sottsass made it possible for the next generation of young designers to understand what emotional approach creates iconic design.
More recently Memphis design has had a rivial with designer such as Camile Walala and Studio A-2-O who have taken a modern approach to the traditional 80s aesthetic. Memphis comes back into fashion every know and then due to its spirit of rebellion and freedom, it celebrates diversity and the unorthodox. However if its too complex it can become overpowering to the consumer.
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2017/jul/21/memphis-group-ettore-sottsass-design-radical-met-breuer
No comments:
Post a Comment