Happy Designer, Designing Life

Ettore Sottsass, Courtesy of Friedman Benda and Ettore Sottsass, Photo by Erik & Petra Hesmerg

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[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] “Design is life. Designers must be happy in their daily lives to create good design.”

The first solo exhibition in Korea of Italian architect and designer Ettore Sottsass, who led postmodernism design in the 1980s and made a significant mark in the design world, will be held at Page Gallery.

Under the theme of ‘Humanism & Yumanism,’ the exhibition showcases works spanning Ettore’s career of over 60 years, featuring various media such as portable typewriters, cabinets, lighting, vases, and large partitions.

Ettore Sottsass was a leading figure of Italy’s Anti Design movement in the late 1970s, which arose as a counter-movement to functionalism and formalism. He pursued sensory and interesting designs that broke away from traditional functionalism.

Ettore’s designs greatly influenced the young artists of the design group ‘Memphis,’ which he founded, and led the postmodern design movement that dominated the 1980s. Through this, Ettore elevated Italian art as well as industrial design to a global level.

He argued that design should be experienced in everyday life for a freer and richer lifestyle. He materialized design as an art closely connected to our lives, with humans always at the center.

Cabinet no.79, 2006, Zebra wood, 232 x 213 x 53 cm. Photo by The Page Gallery

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Why are his works being revisited on the 15th anniversary of his passing? Industry experts largely analyze that his postmodern works have been recalled as a counter to the minimalism that has swept the design world for years. The wit and creativity felt in his designs are manifestations of original work that only humans can realize.

The artist’s contemplation on humanity was expressed in reality through his architecture and design. Ettore’s artistic anguish over human free will was sublimated into original works reflecting humanism. This exhibition is a great opportunity to explore the philosophical concerns hidden beyond the works.

The exhibition ‘Humanism & Yumanism’ introduces many of his early works from the 1960s. His early works using high-quality woods such as walnut serve as a foundation for the artist’s style, which mainly used bright colors and synthetic materials like plastic during the Memphis design movement in the 1980s.

Storage partition from the Tufarelli Residence, Capri, Italy, 1965, Walnut, formica, and acrylic on canvas, 293 x 399 x 45 cm. Photo by The Page Gallery

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Ettore Sottsass often said his design goal was “to provide people with tools to cope with loneliness and unhappiness.” This tendency soon led to playful, witty, and ingenious designs.

The exhibition reveals his iconic 1969 red portable typewriter, ‘Valentine,’ a representative work and icon of 20th-century design. Valentine, a groundbreaking typewriter at the time of its release, was commissioned by Olivetti and exemplifies Sottsass’s characteristic approach of transcending product functionality to enter the realm of art. This typewriter, with its unique hybridity between product and art, earned him the prestigious Compasso d’Oro award.

Additionally, the exhibition is structured to focus on Ettore Sottsass’s unique artistic world by displaying his original works created before founding the Memphis group.

A representative of the Ettore Sottsass Foundation said, “Sottsass was one of the very rare artists who redefined his field and anticipated major changes in social sensibility. We are honored to present an important chapter of Ettore Sottsass’s 60-year career to Korean audiences and collectors, and we hope they fully enjoy the rare and diverse works of Sottsass.”

The exhibition will be held at The Page Gallery East (EAST) in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, from the 26th until October 19th, and can be viewed free of charge by making a reservation in advance through Naver.

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