In an age, when personalized taste has become a commodity, and designing a process of thinking, education has been valued as the most substantial agent for elevating, polishing our taste. The role of the tastemaker has not been as crucial as it is today since the late years of the 19th century, when possibilities were as varied as today. For its upcoming design sale (October 17th), entitled ‘Design: Living in a Material World,’ Sotheby’s has commissioned a major influencer to curate the auction’s content and concept. Tony Chambers, Wallpaper* brand and content director has selected 30 objects that represent the way in which leading designers have explored and employed materials in new and cutting-edge ways from the postwar years to the present. Among the selected objects are Ron Arad’s innovative ‘Blo-Void 1’ chair, Fernando and Humberto Campana’s playful ‘Cake’ stool, and those featured in this post. While the collection is intriguing and the dialogue achieved between the objects is fresh and interesting, I wish that the art directors would have selected a different color for the background of the photos, because this unusual beige destructs from the quality of the objects and does not complement the photography.
Unique ‘Wood’ chair, 1998, by Marc Newson
Porca Miseria!’ chandelier, 1994, by Ingo Maurer
Flora’ bureau, model no 2131, designed circa 1950-1951, executed in 1952, by Josef Frank
Petit Jardin’ chair, 2006, by Tord Boontje
Wing-Nut’ chair, 1985, by Jasper Morrison
Sitting Near Enigma’ chair, designed in 1987, executed in 2000, by Ettore Sottsass
Cabinet from the ‘Perished’ collection, 2006, by Studio Job